5
I listen to the world
Textbook: Part 1, pp. 18–20
GoalKnow what the ear does, tell high and low sounds apart, and carry out a simple listening experiment.
New words
sound · tovushhigh / loud · balandlow / quiet · pastvoice · ovoz
Explanation
The world is full of sounds. The ear helps us hear sounds and tell them apart. Sounds can be high or low, strong or weak. A squeak is a high sound; a lion’s roar is a low one. Every person’s voice is different, so we recognise mum or a friend by voice. The ear also helps us keep our balance.
Worked examples
A sparrow’s chirp is a high sound; thunder rumbles low.
Even without turning round, we know our sister has come by her voice.
Class activity
Experiment “Why does a rabbit need big ears?”: stand in the middle of the room while a friend whispers 3 words. First listen normally. Then cup a palm behind your ear (making the ear bigger) and listen again. When did you hear better? Conclusion: a bigger ear gathers more sound. Safety: never put anything in your ear and never shout into anyone’s ear.
Practice
1
Which is a high sound: a sparrow’s chirp or a lion’s roar?
the sparrow’s chirp
2
Besides sounds, what else does the ear help with?
keeping balance
3
What changes when we cup a palm behind the ear?
sounds are heard better