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This simple sound experiment from San Francisco's Exploratorium lets your students experiment with sound—without making a lot of noise. Each student will need a piece of string or yarn that’s at least 3 feet (1 meter) long. Students can work on their own, but we suggest students work in pairs so they can discuss their ideas with one another.
Follow the instructions here. Encourage students to experiment to figure out how to change the sound. (They can make it higher by pulling the string tighter and lower by loosening the string.)
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Lesson Assessment : Open-ended drawing/writing prompt
Activity: Find more vibrations in these simple sound experiments from San Francisco's Exploratorium.
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If you enjoyed Head Harp and want to continue experimenting, here are two more simple sound experiments from San Francisco's Exploratorium.
Secret Bells makes sounds only you can hear! You'll need string, scissors, and an unpainted wire clothes hanger.
Set your classroom buzzing with Bee Hummer, a simple instrument that sounds like a swarm of bees.
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Switch to non-narrated version
In this Read-Along lesson, Lin explores the sounds made by different kinds of instruments, and discovers what happens when vibrations start—and when they stop. The lesson includes a short exercise where students experiment with a piece of paper to make the connection between vibrations and sound. You can extend the lesson with the optional activity, Head Harp, where students make simple musical instruments using only their heads and string.
Preview optional activity|
String
Yarn also works.
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Details
90 feet
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We recommend a simple sound experiment from San Francisco's Exploratorium that lets your students experiment with sound—without making a lot of noise. Follow the instructions here. Encourage students to experiment to figure out how to change the sound. They can make it higher by pulling the string tighter and lower by loosening the string. Each student will need a piece of string or yarn that’s at least 3 feet (1 meter) long. Students can work on their own, but we suggest students work in pairs so they can discuss their ideas with one another.
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