Making Sounds with Instruments

In this lesson, students build kazoos with membranes made of different materials to observe how the kind of material affects how their voice sounds.

• Different musical instruments have different parts that give them the sounds they have.

• Why do cymbals make sound? 
• What happens to the cymbals when they are not brought together? 
• What has to happen for a drum to make noise? 
• How does hitting a drum make noise?
• How are kazoos similar to drums? How are kazoos different from drums? 
• Does the kind of material that makes up the membrane affect the sound it makes in any way?
  
  

Ear: the part of the body that senses sound

Membrane: a thin, flexible covering

Sense: how an animal gets information about the outside world

Vibrate: to move back and forth quickly

Playing Cymbals

Isabella, Devan, and Jonah are part of a band. Isabella loves to play cymbals. Her cymbals have two metal plates. 

Isabella brings the two plates together. When the plates hit each other, they vibrate. The vibrations make a clashing sound.

Playing Drums

Devan loves to drum. He plays drums with his hands. All drums have sides. They also have a top. This top is called a membrane. A membrane is a thin, flexible covering. Flexible means it bends easily without breaking.

Devan hits the drum membrane. The membrane vibrates. The vibrations make a drumming sound.

 

For the main investigation of this lesson, students build kazoos with membranes made of different materials to observe how the kind of material affects how their voice sounds. As part of the experiment, students create a visual model that shows how the different parts of their kazoo work together to make sound. Then, students use their observations from this investigation, as well as the last lesson’s investigation, to explain why the kazoo made different sounds when its membrane was made of different materials. Finally, they present their explanation to the class about why the kazoo made different sounds.