Unit outcomes
Pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Describe how sounds are made.
- Describe how sounds are heard through different mediums.
- Explain the relationship between vibration strength and volume.
- Describe the relationship between volume and distance.
- Describe pitch and how to change it.
- Explain how insulating materials can be used to muffle sound.
When working scientifically, pupils who are secure will be able to:
- To observe closely how different instruments create a sound.
- Research how whales and dolphins communicate underwater.
- Present results using a bar chart.
- Suggest which variables to measure and for how long.
- Design simple results tables.
- Identify when results or observations do not match predictions.
Suggested prior learning
Y3/4 (B): Materials: States of matter
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Lessons
Y3/4 (B): Lesson 1: Vibrations
Y3/4 (B): Lesson 2: Sound waves
Y3/4 (B): Lesson 3: Volume
Y3/4 (B): Lesson 4: Volume and distance
Y3/4 (B): Lesson 5: Pitch
Y3/4 (B): Lesson 6: Sound insulation
Key skills
Planning
- To
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Key knowledge
To know:
- Sound is a
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Key vocabulary
air
bar chart (Y3)
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Equipment list
Equipment needed across all lessons in this unit.
This list does not include equipment which is usually readily available in the classroom (e.g pencils, A4 paper etc)
Download
Full equipment list for the subject
Quantities marked × will update. Items without quantities are unaffected
-
Tuning forks
×1 -
Plastic trays
×8 -
Rice
×1 -
Inflexible plastic rulers
×8 - Rubber bands ×8
- Mixing bowl ×8
-
Tablets (or data loggers)
×15 - Musical instruments ×8
- Paper cups ×8
- String ×1
- Metal coat hangers ×8
- Skipping rope ×1
- 15 m tape measures ×1
-
Metal pan, jar or bottle lids
×1 -
Plastic containers
×1 -
Glass bottles
×8 -
Test materials (insulators and conductors of sound)
×8 -
Access to water
×1 - An outside space
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Related content
Unit resources
Knowledge organiser – Science Y3/4 (B): Energy: Sound and vibrations
Aimed at pupils, a double page which gives key facts and definition from the mixed-age unit ‘Sound and vibrations’.
Vocabulary display – Science Y3/4 (B): Energy: Sound and vibrations
A display version of the key vocabulary for the mixed-age unit 'Sound and vibrations'.
Subject resources
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Cross-curricular opportunities
Music.
English: Reading – comprehension.
Maths: Statistics; Measurement.
British values: Mutual respect.
