Messages in sound
Sound is made when something vibrates, which means it shakes very quickly. A drum skin vibrates when we hit it. A ruler vibrates when we flick it over the edge of a table. The vibrations travel through the air to our ears. Some sounds are loud and some are quiet. Different objects make different sounds: a bell rings, a pencil taps, a cup clinks, and a sponge makes almost no sound. We can send messages with sound. A sound pattern is a message made of sounds, such as clap, clap, rest. The sender and the listener must agree what the pattern means. Sound messages help when people cannot see each other. We keep sounds gentle to protect our ears.
| Object | Sound | Loud or quiet |
|---|---|---|
| metal spoon on a cup | clink | quiet |
| wooden block on the desk | knock | loud |
| paper being screwed up | crackle | quiet |
| Pattern | Means |
|---|---|
| clap, clap, rest | line up |
| one long tap on the desk | quiet please |
Sound hunt and code. With a grown-up, find four safe objects, such as a spoon, a cup, a pencil and a plastic box. Tap each one gently and describe its sound. Then, with a friend, agree on a sound pattern for “time to tidy” and one for “come here”. Your friend turns around, listens and says what each pattern means. Keep the sounds gentle.