Intermediate
40 mins
Teacher/Student led
+90 XP
Teacher-led from the board — pupils need no device

Vibrations Make Sound

In this lesson, explore how sound is made by vibrations. Through a drum and rice, a buzzing ruler, and a short teacher demo with salt on film, you will see and feel vibrations, then describe your observations.

Teacher Class Feed

Load previous activity
    Your turn
    Your teacher is running this lesson on the board. Here is the part you can try yourself.
    Group discussion
    Investigation

    1 - Getting Started ~4 mins

    Close-up of fingers on throat, the hum-feeling children copy right nowPut your fingers gently on your throat and hum a quiet tune. What do you feel under your fingers?

    Today we will find out what sound really is, and we will see the wobble that makes it.

    2 - What Is a Vibration? ~3 mins

    Key point

    That buzz in your throat is a vibration: a quick back-and-forth wobble.

    If sound starts with a wobble, how could we make that wobble something we can see, not only feel?

    3 - What Do You Think Will Happen? ~4 mins

    The untapped drum and rice, so children can predict what will happenWe will use a drum with a little dry rice on top.

    Talk with a partner. What do you think will happen to the rice when we tap the drum? Why?

    4 - Make the Vibration Visible ~13 mins

    Rice jumping as the drum is tapped: the vibration made visibleYou will start at Station 1 with your group, and Station 2 comes after that.

    Station 1: drum and rice

    Sprinkle a little dry rice on the drum, then tap once gently and watch what the rice does. Tap again a little more firmly and see whether the rice moves differently. After a tap, rest one finger on the top of the drum so you can feel it as well as see it.

    Say what wobbled and what you saw or felt, because you will draw one station later.

    5 - See the Wobble on the Board ~5 mins

    How the wobble travels from the drum skin to an earLook at the drum on the board. The picture shows the wobble you could feel on the real drum, and how that wobble spreads out toward an ear.

    Key point

    The drum skin is the source: the thing that is wobbling and making the sound.

    Key point

    Sound is what we hear when that wobble reaches our ears.

    What is the drum skin doing when we hear a sound?

    Pupil practice · Investigation Journal
    Module 3 · Energy and Forces: Energy, Motion and Sound
    Lesson 21 · Vibrations Make Sound
    Download Investigation Journal sheet (PDF)
    123learn · Online learning platform

    Unlock the full learning experience

    You're previewing this lesson. Get full access to this lesson and hundreds more — each one ready to teach, with interactive activities, printable resources and pupil progress tracking built in.

    Hundreds of curriculum-aligned lessons
    Interactive activities in every lesson
    Printable resources & progress tracking
    Copyright Notice
    This lesson is copyright of 123Learn.ie 2017 - 2025. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.
    🍪 Our website uses cookies to make your browsing experience better. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more