Groovy Music

As the year comes to a quick close the 6th graders are completing their final project. They are making homemade musical instruments as a part of their science of sound unit. They begin by learning how instruments make sound and all of the different characteristics instruments have that allow that to happen.

We first look at the materials they are made out of and how that adds to sound production. Many instruments are made from metal, wood, plastic and even glass. All of these different factors contribute to the sounds the instruments make. We also decided on other factors such as size, shape, if it has a mouthpiece, if it has keys, or as simple as how it is played.

After we chose the different factors, we looked through the classroom instruments and figured out how each of those produced a sound. All instruments had something in common, they had to vibrate to produce sound. Then we thought about what instruments we could make with materials we could find at home. Students came up with great ideas and were able to research what other students had done on the Virtual Museum of Music Instruments.

I can't wait to see what they come up with and will post pictures later so that you all may see as well.