Get a free trial until June 30, 2026!
New members get full access to our science units, hands-on activities, mini-lessons, & more!

New members get a full, free trial through June 2026!
Back > Share
How do cicadas make so much noise?
Back > Share

How do cicadas make so much noise?
Scroll for prep
Video trouble?
Slide Image
Video trouble?
Slide Image
Video trouble?
Slide Image
What would happen if you pushed these keys on a phone’s keypad? (Hint: This is way too long to be a phone number!)
5
Each key makes a different sound. If the keys are pushed in this order, the phone plays a famous song called "Frère Jacques."
5
Video trouble?
One musician discovered that the keys on old calculators also make musical sounds—and they played something amazing!
5
Video trouble?
Video trouble?
Sometimes angry people honk their car horns. What an annoying sound! Can you think of a way to make that noise into music?
4
Video trouble?
When you lock a car by pushing a button on the key, the horn honks. These guys used that to play a song.
4
Video trouble?
Cars aren’t the only vehicles with horns. The captains of these cruise ships teamed up to slowly play “Happy Birthday"!
4
Video trouble?
Video trouble?
People play harps by plucking the strings with their fingers, like this. But no one is playing this harp. Why is it making sounds?
3
Video trouble?
Notice the grass and leaves moving in the wind. The wind moves the strings of the harp, too, making the sound you hear!
3
Video trouble?
When wind blows, parts of this bridge move, just like the strings of the harp. That makes a strange humming sound.
3
Video trouble?
Video trouble?
Close your eyes and listen. Some people are playing a song by hitting things with hammers. What do you think they are hitting?
2
Video trouble?
These special rocks ring like bells when hit. These people found rocks that make the sounds in "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
2
Video trouble?
For thousands of years, the Raglai people of Vietnam have been using ringing rocks to make musical instruments like this one.
2
Video trouble?
Video trouble?
Slide Image
Suppose someone gave you a pile of plastic tubes and asked you to make music with them. What would you do?
1
Here’s one way to do it! Short tubes make high sounds; long tubes make low sounds. Listen for the high and low sounds in the songs!
1
Video trouble?
Slide Image
🎉 That’s it for this lesson! How did it go?
Sign up now for more great lessons!
Sign up

Grades K-5

Current Events And Trending Topics

Sound & Insects

3 reviews

Overview

In this mini-lesson, students explore how different kinds of insects make sounds in different ways. Though there lots of differences, they all start with vibrations!

Exploration

5 mins

Grades K-5

Current Events And Trending Topics

Sound & Insects

3 reviews

Extend this lesson

Writing

Activity

Slow internet or video problems?
Credits
 
How do cicadas make so much noise?

How did the lesson go?
Terrible OK Good Great Terrific!

How can we improve it?

If you'd like our team to reply to you, please Contact Support instead.

Thanks for your feedback! If you have a question or need help, please contact us. Please consider sharing your review:

Sorry the lesson didn’t go well. We read every single review in an effort to improve our Mysteries.

Thanks for letting us know. We’ll wait to ask you for feedback until after you've actually taught it.

Thanks for the feedback! We read every single review in an effort to improve our Mysteries.

Is the video not playing properly?

Please follow these steps:

  1. Very rarely a video will fail to completely load in your browser. Try to reload this page to see if that fixes the problem.
  2. If reloading does not help, try our other video player .
  3. If the video still fails to play, open this video in a new tab and please let us know you’re having trouble. We want to fix this issue for you.

Close

How can we help you?

💡For purchasing info, see our Pricing Page

This episode is locked

This lesson is not included in your limited access.

View pricing

This episode is locked

Your membership is expired. The archive of past Mini Lessons is not included in your limited access.

View pricing