Sound - A Family STEAM & Stories event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts through stories and exploration activity stations to families with children ages 3-8 years old.    

Intro song:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, math, fun, and time)

Hello friends,
Hello friends,
Hello friends,
It's time to say hello.

Hello math,
Hello math,
Hello math,
It's time to have some fun.   

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

·         Brainstorm a list of sounds on the white board. 

·         Show the word cards for sound.  Talk about what this word means. 

 

 

·         Read: Sounds All Around by Wendy Pfeffer, illustrated by Anna Chernyshova

·         Show the children a glass bowl with cling wrap on the bowl tight.  Sprinkle some table salt on top of the cling wrap.  Show how sound makes vibrations by drumming a snare drum near the bowl.

·         Show the word cards for sound waves and vibrations.  Talk about the definitions of the words.   

·         Pass out egg shakers and play the song “I Know a Chicken by Laurie Berkner from Whaddaya Think of That? cd. 

·         Talk about the sounds we made and heard during the song. 

·         Show the word card for pitch.  Talk about the definition of the word. 

·         Instruct on how to use the stations. 

 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- Make a tiny drum (as seen at https://librerin.wordpress.com/2018/06/19/tinker-thinkers-sound-and-drums/)

The children make a small drum using a paper cup, a cut up balloon, and a rubber band.  My paper cups were white, so the children were able to decorate them with color pens.  I gave them an unsharpened pencil to use as the drumstick.        

 

Station #2 – Play with pitch in two ways

#1 – Fill glass jars with various levels of water.  Use a metal spoon to tap the jar to hear the different pitches of jars.  (as seen at https://brownbagteacher.com/sound-1st-grade-science/)

#2 – Play with pitched toy bells (preschool bells can be found most anywhere toys are sold, such as these) 

  

Station #3 – Craft stick kazoo

Use two wide craft sticks, a cut up drinking straw, and three rubber bands to make a kazoo.  (A great set of directions can be found at https://www.waukeshacountymuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Popsicle-Stick-Kazoo-Directions.pdf)  

  

 

Station #4 – Seeing sound and exploring musical instruments

On the storytime rug I left the snare drum and wrapped glass bowl for the children to explore.  I also put out various toddler-friendly storytime instruments for the children to play with.