Sound and Light
Second Grade
Unit Rationale:
This unit will focus on two commonly known forms of energy – sound and light. The girls will experience
how the properties of sound and light are valuable in our everyday lives. In addition, they will explore how
different tools such as prisms, mirrors, stethoscopes, and hearing assistance devices allow us to use
sound and light energy.
Session One
Focus On: Setting the Tone, Shadows and Light
Girls will agree to the Code of Conduct and contribute to the formation of rules for their club. They will
then begin exploring the properties of light by studying their own shadows.
Session Two
Focus On: Rainbows and Prisms
Demonstrate the formation of rainbows with light, water, and glass. Differentiate between “transparent”
and “opaque”.
Session Three
Focus On: Colors
Learn all the colors in the spectrum through chromatography and learn how to make various colors using
the three primary colors.
Session Four
Focus On: Mirrors
Learn how light reflects off of mirrors and apply this understanding to creating kaleidoscopes.
Session Five
Focus On: Sensing Sound with Our Ears
Girls get to know each other and play a matching game with shakers that make unique sounds, and
explore the importance of having both ears when navigating by sound alone.
Session Six
Focus On: Sensing Sound with Our Eyes
The girls explore the ways in which sound travels as a wave through many objects, including sand or a
string.
Session Seven
Focus On: Hearing
The girls explore how the form of an ear can affect its function. They will compare animal’s ears to
human’s ears and design a “better ear” based on their observations.
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Sound and Light, v3
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Session One
Focus On: Introduction & Shadows
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Introduction
Question of the Day
Activity One: Setting the Tone
Activity Two: Shadows
Reflection
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Agree to the rules and expectations of the club
2. Understand some properties of light and shadows
3. Demonstrate that light that is blocked by an object creates a shadow
About This Session
In this first session, you will set the tone for the entire program, providing the girls with a sense
of physical and intellectual security, and with a sense that this will be a friendly, fun experience
for them. Please note that this session will be a bit more close-ended and directed than the
future science club sessions. Those that follow will have a much more engaging and rewarding
experience as a Mentor Scientist with your young scientists!
You’ll need to introduce the Science Club for Girls Code of Conduct, our guidelines based on
safety, respect and teamwork. With the girls you’ll create more specific expectations that the
girls will agree to follow and you agree to uphold. This will give you something to lean on if the
girls become a little over-zealous later on in the program.
The girls will begin to explore the properties of light by making observations about light and
shadows. They will use their understanding to demonstrate how objects create shadows by
blocking light.
Before Clubs Begin
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Find out from your Site Coordinator what additional first-day activities will be occurring at
your site. (All-club assembly? Name game? Etc.) This will vary from site to site.
Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the
session and prepare in advance of clubs.
Create nametags for yourself and the girls.
Decide if the weather is appropriate for the outside activity and where it should be held.
Consult with your Site Coordinator.
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Check out these thought questions you can ask during the shadow activity:
http://www.cgtp.duke.edu/~plesser/outreach/kenan/Activity%204%20Shadow%20Tracin
g.pdf
Age Appropriate Definitions
Shadow - result of blocked light
Light- a type of energy that travels as a wave that our eyes can see
(http://www.howstuffworks.com/light2.htm)
Materials for this Session
Activity 1: Introduction
Per Club
Per Group
Club Rules & Oath Poster
Markers
Activity 2: Tracing Shadows
Per Club
Per Group (of 2)
Outside, area in exposed
Sidewalk Chalk
sunlight
Rainy Day Alternate: Indoor Shadows
Per Club
Per Group
Desk lamp or bright light
Markers
Tape
Per Girl
Per Girl
Per Girl
Construction Paper
Craft stick
Question of the Day
The Question of the Day is a great way to introduce the activity of the day and get the girls
centered. It should be a regular starting routine of your club. The Question of the Day will
usually be a question that kids and adults think about in everyday life or a question that can lead
to answering a common question. Use it to get the girls talking but also focused.
Question: What are we going to be doing in Science Club for Girls this semester?
Convey to the girls that they are doing something unique and fun and that you are excited they
joined!
Activity One: Setting the Tone (15 minutes)
Set the tone and create rules together that all the girls agree to follow.
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1) Get the girls’ attention and make sure they are clearly focusing on you. Explain to them that
before they can do any science experiments, they must all agree to follow the three rules of
Science Club. Introduce the Code of Conduct. These are the 3 expectations that Science
Club for Girls expects all participants to follow. Guide the girls to create more specific rules
and write these under each code of conduct. Ask the girls probing questions like, “Why do you
think this is a rule we’ve made?” Or “What do we mean when we say to be safe in Science Club
for Girls?” The girls will offer very directive and obedient rules like, “No touching dangerous
materials.” Or “Don’t talk when the teacher is talking.” Think of ways to consolidate these so
that you don’t end up with a long list of “do’s and don’ts.” Add these to the Code of Conduct so
that the girls have a voice in the rules as well.
Be sure the girls are calmly sitting in a circle or at desks. Ask the Junior Mentors to sit with the
girls as well. They may have a tendency to sit separate from the girls and sit with each other,
but get them mixed in right away.
2) Once done, ask the girls to put their “thumbs up” to signify that they agree to follow the rules.
You can also have all the girls sign the rules sheet. Whatever you do, be sure that you have all
the girls physically show that they can agree to follow the rules. You’ll need this as back up as
the sessions go on!
3) At this point, explain to the girls the consequence of not following a rule. KNOW THE SCFG
DISCIPLINE POLICY. Make sure they know that not following rules can result in a call home,
being taken out of Science Club and that it also makes the club less fun because they might not
be able to do all of the fun projects if people were to act up. This is not used to scare the girls,
but rather, a strict (and strictly enforced) discipline policy is a regular part of an afterschool
program due to the nature of kids’ energy after 7 hours of school. It’s like showing them the
boundaries of a box. Free to roam anywhere within the box, but always knowing where the
boundaries are set.
4) Now, explain to the girls the benefit of following the rules. (Best to have a reward policy
already decided among co-Mentors.)
A great way to continue to involve the girls is to ask them, “What happens when rules aren’t
followed? What happens when the rules are followed?” “Do groups have more or less fun
when rules are followed?”
 Watch the clock. Be aware of the time since it is your first day.
5) Now, clearly go over the basic routine of the club. This involves:
 Where they meet each day there is SCFG. (Cafeteria? Classroom? Gym?)
 What they are to do when entering the classroom (Sit on the rug? at a table? sit in a
circle? some tables off limits? Get their journals from the bin?)
 How you will show that you are ready to begin. (Hands-up? Peace signs in the air?
Clapping rhythm?)
 Recite the pledge (required for Clubs Grades K-3)
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How the club will end each session for reflection time (return to sitting on rug, back to
tables? All areas cleaned up?)
Your Pledge can be found on the back of the Code of Conduct or in the Volunteer Handbook.
Make sure the girls hear the routine that you and your co-Mentor have agreed upon so they can
begin to follow it.
6) Before moving on, spend a few minutes introducing your Junior Mentors to the girls as well.
Be sure the girls know:
 The Junior Mentors’ names
 The Junior Mentors will be helping everyone in the club
 If the JMs ask the girls to do something, the girls should listen and do it
 That the JMs are a part of the club too!
7) Lastly, before moving to the next activity, make sure the girls understand a few things that are
important to know over the course of the semester:
 Their science/topic for the semester that all projects will relate to.
 The type of scientist they are (Physicists, Biologists, Chemists, Engineers, etc.)
 At the end of the semester, the entire site will have a Science Fest and each club will
teach others about what they learned. This is a major point even for kindergarteners
to grasp. Your girls should be reminded throughout the sessions that they will teach and
lead others including parents.
Activity Two: Tracing Shadows
A Riddle:
What is always with you, but only comes out in the sun?
Answer: A Shadow!
The goal of this activity is to have the girls understand that their shadows, which they see every
day, are caused by their bodies blocking the sunlight from hitting the ground. The girls will also
explore the features of shadows, such as that the colors of their skin and clothes do not show
up in the shadows.
Go outside to a sunny spot. Gather the girls together, sitting on the ground in a circle if it is dry
enough. Ask some general questions. What is a shadow? Where do we see our shadows? Can
we get rid of our shadows? Can we hide from our shadows? Why do we have shadows?
Use one girl as an example. Have the other girls identify her shadow. Have the girl move her
arms. What happens to her shadow? What shapes can she make? Have one of the other girls
trace her shadow outline with sidewalk chalk. Is the shadow bigger or smaller? What happens if
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she turns around? What happens if she walks in a line? How does a shadow work? If the girls
have a hard time answering, explain that the sun is shining down from the sky and the light from
the sun is hitting all of us. However, the light cannot pass through our bodies. The shadow on
the ground shows the shape of the object that the light cannot pass through.
Figure 1: Two girls trace shadows created by the sun.
Give all the girls a piece of chalk. Let them explore their shadows for about 10 minutes.
Encourage them to trace each other’s shadows. It is best to go outside and pair the students up.
Then each takes a turn outlining the other partner’s shadow. It’s best to point out at this time
that they cannot see their eyes, nose and mouth on the shadow and thus, should not draw
them.
What shapes can they make with their shadows? Can they make a bird? An elephant? The
letter P? What happens if they stand next to each other? Can their shadows work together?
Alternate/Rainy Day Activity: Shadow Puppets
Give each girl one piece of colored construction paper and scissors. Have them each design a
picture on the construction paper and color it with markers. Encourage them to draw something
that has a distinct shape, like a birthday cake. Cut it out and mount it on a craft stick, making a
shadow puppet.
Move to an area near a wall. Using a small, bright lamp that can be angled in different
directions, cast the light on the wall. Let the girls explore with their shadow puppets in the light.
Hold the craft stick figure between the light source and the wall and watch the shadow projected
on the wall.
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Ask the girls:
 What happens to the shadow when the puppet moves close to the light source?
 When it moves away from the light source?
 What color is the shadow?
 Is it the same color as you colored it?
 Can you see any of the details / decorations? Why not?
As time permits, play with hand shadow puppets to explore shadows further. (See last page of
this session for ideas.)
Reflection
Reflection is a time to bring your girls together and share their thoughts, expressions, and
discoveries from today’s club. It is an essential component of the Science Club for Girls
experience.
As a group, summarize the topic and question of the day, using the girls’ journal as a guide.
Girls can then write or draw in their journals. Many girls will need help getting going, so use
these questions (or others you develop) to help them out.
1. What is a shadow?
2. In what ways does your shadow look like you? In what ways does it look different from
you?
3. Draw a picture that demonstrates the relationship between the sun, an object, and its
shadow.
After clubs are done for the day, read what your girls wrote and comment back to them in the
space provided. This is a valuable way for you to develop a dialogue with each girl. Be
supportive in your comments, especially in the early weeks when girls are still getting to know
you.
Don’t Forget!
Although this will not be a regular section in the curriculum, get into the habit of remembering:
o
o
o
o
to pass out hand-outs
to remind parents for snack, if applicable
to check that your girls have ALL of their own belongings
that an approved Adult is picking the girls up and signing her out
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Shadow Puppets
Source: researchgirl.com/ephemera/handshadows.jpg
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Session Two
Focus On: Light and Prisms
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Question of the Day
Activity One: Make A Rainbow
Activity Two: Prisms
Activity Three: Opaque and Transparent
Reflection
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Demonstrate the formation of a rainbow using light, glass, and water
2. Differentiate between transparent and opaque objects
About This Session
The girls will demonstrate why a rainbow appears after a rainstorm by creating their own
rainbow using a pot of water and a flashlight. They will then apply their new understanding of
rainbows to a prism, using it to separate white light into its composite colors. Finally, the girls will
identify the difference between transparent objects and opaque objects.
Before Clubs Begin
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Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the
session and prepare in advance of clubs.
Set out nametags.
Test Activity One (making a rainbow) before doing it with the girls: it can be difficult to
get a clear rainbow that’s big enough for all the girls to see
Check out these web resources:
o Explanation of how prisms work and vocabulary words: http://www.lightscience.com/lightprism.html
o Another good explanation of prisms and rainbows:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/question41.htm
o Video showing how you can use diffraction grating to see the different colors that
make up “white” light from different light bulbs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c44-iiINuVE
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Age Appropriate Definitions
Rainbow – light separated into its different colors and spread out in
an arc; caused when light shines through water or glass
Prism –glass object with a triangular base; used to break up white
light into its 7 colors
White light – natural light; actually the combination of all colors
our eyes can see in equal amounts
Materials for this Session
Activity 1: Make a Rainbow
Per Club
Water
Coffee pot, glass
Flashlight
White paper
Activity 2: Prisms
Per Club
Per Group
Per Girl
Per Group
Prism
Flashlight
White paper
Activity 3: Opaque and Transparent
Per Club
Per Group (of 2)
Clock or stopwatch
White paper
Pencil
Clipboard – optional
Per Girl
Per Girl
Question of the Day
What makes white different from all other colors?
Ask the girls this question and see what they say. Share with the girls that white is different
from all colors because it’s not just one color! It’s ALL colors combined! Transition by then
saying that today they will actually break white light up into the colors that it really is. Can they
guess what they will see?
Activity One: Make a Rainbow (10 minutes)
The goal of this activity is for the girls to create a rainbow by using white light.
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Tell the girls that they will be making their own rainbows. How does a rainbow form? Does it
have to be raining? Do the girls know why?
It can be explained that when the sun shines through the rain, the raindrops split the sun’s white
light into different colors. The raindrops work just like a prism. This forms a rainbow in the sky.
We will be making a rainbow using water, too.
Fill a coffee pot with water and turn off the lights of the room, trying to get it as dark as possible.
Next, shine the flashlight through the coffee pot so that the light (and potential rainbow) hits the
wall. Keep moving the flashlight and the coffee pot until a rainbow appears projected on the
wall before you. Another way to do it is to shine the flashlight from the bottom of the coffee pot
so that the rainbow is projected on the ceiling.
Figure 2: By shining light through a coffee pot filled with water in a dark room, you can make a
rainbow!
A great way to engage the girls if they are simply watching is to ask for a helper or appear to
“have trouble” finding the rainbow and asking a girl to be a volunteer’s helper.
Use a sheet of white paper as a wall if the rainbow is not appearing well on the wall or ceiling.
The white paper will create closer wall and may help to make the rainbow clear.
Ask the girls:
 What do they think is happening?
 What is happening to the light?
 Follow the path of the light. It shines from the flashlight onto the mirror. The light then
gets bounced off, or reflected, from the mirror. When the light bounces off the mirror, it
must travel through the water?
 What happens when the light passes through the water? Remind them of the rainbow.
The water splits the light from the flashlight just as the raindrops in the sky split the sun’s
white light in the sky to form a rainbow.
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Activity Two: Prisms (10-15 minutes)
This activity introduces the girls to prisms. The girls have time to explore and to see
exactly what a prism does in case they had no prior knowledge. Additionally, it serves as
a good moment of exploration before each girl has various materials and other
distractions before them.
Prisms are a challenging concept for second-graders, and the prisms you have might require
some manipulation to be able to see a rainbow, but it is important that the girls know that a
prism is a tool you can use to break white light into all of its true colors. If the girls are frustrated
or do not seem very interested, just show them an example of how the prism creates a rainbow
and explain how it works. Then move on to the next activity.
It is best to go outside and sit in a circle and to demonstrate briefly how the prism works. First,
study the actual prism. Note or encourage questions about its shape and the fact that it is
transparent. What material is it made from? What does the prism look like? How is it like the
water they used to see the rainbow before? Can you see through the prism? Is the prism clear?
What else is clear? (windows, cellophane, clear plastic). Things that are clear allow light to
travel through it.
Demonstrate how the light goes through the prism. You may have to move the prism around or
rotate it until a rainbow is visible. Ask the girls if they see a rainbow on the ground or on a
bench. What does it look like? What colors does it have? Where did it come from?
What shapes can they see in the prism? The triangular shape of a prism’s base creates a
special phenomenon; it separates all of the light from the sun and lets us see all of its the colors.
It would be helpful to explain that the sunlight, which is a type of white light, contains all the
colors of the rainbow. When the sunlight passes through the prism, the shape of the prism
breaks up the light and we can see each color.
Distribute the prisms that you have and let the girls experiment. As they explore, you can point
out that the rainbow goes on all surfaces, just like the sunlight. What happens when you move
the prism? Does the rainbow move too? If you cover the prism with your hand, what happens to
the rainbow? Why does it disappear?
While this activity is most successful outside, volunteers could try to replicate the experiment
inside with the use of flashlights and a dark room.
Activity Three: Opaque and Transparent (20-25 minutes)
In this activity, girls use the appropriate terms to describe properties they’ve already
witnessed in the first session. They will identify everyday objects that have these
properties.
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Ask the girls these seemingly simple questions:
 When the light from our flashlight hit the glass of our coffee pot, where did the light go?
The girls will likely respond that it made a rainbow (which is correct), but the important
point is that the light passed through the glass and we could see in on the other side of
the glass.
 Last week, when the light from the sun (or lamp) hit our bodies (or puppets), where did
the light go? The answer is that the light was absorbed by our bodies. The takeaway
point in that our bodies blocked the light and did not allow it to pass through.
 What’s the difference between the coffee pot and our bodies?
Any object that allows the light to pass through it clearly is transparent. Any object that blocks
the light is called opaque. (If they ask, any object that lets some of the light through –diffusely –
is called translucent.)
Tell the girls they’re going to play a game. The rules are:
1. Every team will get a sheet of paper and pencil.
2. Teams will have 10 minutes (*) to find and write down five things in the room that are
opaque and 5 things in the room that are transparent.
3. If any teams need help with spelling, they may ask a Mentor or Junior Mentor. But they
cannot have help in identifying whether an object is opaque or transparent.
4. When time is up, teams will be asked to read from their lists. If anyone else has the
same object on their list, both teams must cross the item from their lists.
5. The team with the most unique objects listed at the end of the game wins!
For example: If Team #1 has “Window” listed in the Transparent column and so does Team #2,
both teams must cross off “Window” from their lists. If Team #1 has “Aquarium” listed but no
other team has it, Team #1 may keep “Aquarium.”
(*) If you need to lengthen or shorten the game to accommodate club time, leave about one
minute per item each team needs to list.
Divide the girls into teams of two. Hand out the paper and pencil. You may find it helpful to all
write together the words “Opaque” and “Transparent” in two columns at the top of the page.
Let the girls know when time has begun. Give them a warning when there are about two
minutes left to the game.
When time is up, have each team read their lists, crossing off any items that any other team
has. The team with the most items left on their list at the end wins!
Reflection
Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. Then ask them to draw what they think
the difference is between something that is opaque and something that is transparent.
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Also, time permitting, have them draw rainbows, making sure that the colors of the rainbow are
in order (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet).
Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day.
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Session Three
Focus On: Colors
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Question of the Day
Activity One: Chromatography
Activity Two: Making Colors
Activity Three: Chromatography, What Happened?
Reflection
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Understand how chromatography is used to separate mixtures of colors
2. Explore creating colors by mixing others
About this Session
An important aspect of this session is the idea of a spectrum. Though the concept may be
difficult, the activities in this session will allow the girls to see that often colors that we see
everyday are actually a combination of different colors.
Before Clubs Begin
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Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the
session and prepare in advance of clubs.
Set out nametags.
Cover all tables with newspaper or cloth today!
Pour the paint into the egg carton for each group to save time and paint
Cut out colorful pictures from magazines for picture Grab Bag
Check out these web resources:
o Explanation of chromatography:
http://www.yesmag.ca/projects/paper_chroma.html
o Explanation of color mixing (difference between mixing paints/pigments and
light): http://www.worqx.com/color/color_systems.htm
Age Appropriate Definitions
Chromatography- a technique used to separate mixtures of colors
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Spectrum- complete range of the colors of a rainbow
Rainbow- natural light separated into its composite colors and spread
out in an arc
Black – combination of all colors when absorbed by an object
Materials for this Session
Activity 1 & 3: Chromatography
Per Club
Per Group
Water Soluble Markers –
Scissors
preferred colors are black,
brown, green, and purple
Water
Measuring spoon – teaspoon
Activity 2: Making Colors
Per Club
Grab Bag of pictures*
Colorful Printed/Magazine
pictures (for Grab Bag)
Water
Newspaper
Per Group
Egg Carton, half
Plastic cup
Per Girl
Paper towel sheet
Plastic cup
Salt – one teaspoon
Per Girl
Apron or smock
Paintbrushes
Paint, red tempera
Paint, yellow tempera
Paint, blue tempera
*pictures should be of plants/animals in nature that represent orange, brown, purple, and green
Question of the Day
Why are the colors of the rainbow in the order that they are?
Since the girls should already know that white light is actually a combination of colors, get them
thinking about other colors. How come a rainbow will never show the color red next to the color
yellow? The color yellow next to blue? Are there combinations of colors? Which ones are
combinations? Which ones are not combinations, but just true colors?
Activity One: Chromatography (15 minutes)
The goal of this activity is to show that some colors are actually made up of multiple
colors. This activity is a simple experiment in chromatography that will most likely amaze
the girls.
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1. Distribute to each girl a sheet of paper towel and a clear plastic cup. As needed, cut the
edges of the paper towel so it rolls into a cylinder that has little overlap once placed
inside the cup.
2. Each girl will draw four dots – each about the size of a penny – on her paper towel.
Each dot should be about 1.5-2” away from the edge of the paper towel and should be
evenly spaced so that when the cylinder is rolled, the dots do not overlap.
3. Have each girl pour about 1” of water into her cup.
4. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt.
5. Roll the paper towel into a cylinder and place it into the cup, making sure the dots do not
touch the water.
6. Let the paper towels sit for 10 minutes or more (continue with the next activity in the
meantime) and revisit at the end of clubs.
The girls might ask great questions like, “How is it that the sunlight contains all colors and that
black markers contain all the colors too?” If your group of girls is particularly curious or
perceptive, you could try to have a conversation about light being absorbed or reflected by
different materials, thus causing different colors. “When white light hits an object, some of the
rainbow colors are taken in by the object. This is called absorption. The other colors bounce
back from the object. This is called reflection.”
Explain that sunlight and electric light look white but they are really composed of a rainbow of
colors, which is called a spectrum. When white light passes through a prism or a raindrop, the
white light gets split up into different colors of light. When light hits a surface, such as the skin of
an apple, most of the colors of light are absorbed. That means that some of the colors of light
are taken in by the apple. However, the red light is not absorbed. Instead it is reflected. That
means that the red light bounces off the apple and into our eyes. Thus, we see the apple as red.
A white piece of paper reflects all the colors of light. Since no colors are absorbed, the paper
looks like it has “no color.” By contrast, a black piece of paper absorbs all the colors of light. No
light is reflected off the black paper into our eyes and so it “looks dark.”
Ask the girls if they have ever been outside in the summer in a black t-shirt? What about a white
t-shirt? Which feels hotter? Why do people often wear white in the summer? This is the same
principle. Black absorbs the light and the heat from the sun and you feel hot. White reflects
more of the light and heat from the sun and you feel cooler.
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Activity Two: Making Colors (20 minutes)
The goal of this activity is for the girls to learn how to make various colors, specifically
how to make orange, green, purple and brown from the three primary colors, red, blue
and yellow. In groups, they will mix primary colors to form a different color and then put
them together to form a rainbow spectrum.
Divide the girls into groups of 2-3 girls each and tell them that they are now playing scientists
who have been asked to create a color found in nature so they can make it into paint. Use the
grab bag to have each group choose a picture. The pictures should be plants and animals of
very exotic colors such as a tropical frog, a cheetah, violet flowers, a tiger, chameleon, and so
on.
Ask the girls some general questions about color to gauge their understanding. What are
primary colors? What happens when you mix primary colors? What happens when you mix red
and yellow?
Figure 3: Mixtures of the three primary colors create the other colors of the rainbow.
Give each group a blank sheet of white paper and have them share what colors they think they
will need to create the color BEFORE handing out the paint. See if they can explain their
reasoning.
Then hand out paintbrushes, cups of water, and egg cartons or half-cartons with compartments
containing the colors red, blue and yellow. This would be a good time to explain that red, yellow,
and blue are the primary colors and that all other colors are made from these colors.
Encourage the girls to pay attention to the colors they mix together ad once they think they have
the color they are supposed to make to have a Mentor Scientist or JM approve it.
It might be fun to really get into character with this activity and act like you are the Head
Scientist in a Chemistry lab. Be very picky and once the girls are done with making their color,
shake their hand to make it feel official!
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Activity Three: Chromatography – What Happened? (5-10 minutes)
See what happened to the dots created in Activity One.
If the girls haven’t already looked, invite them to look at the results of the chromatography
activity. Their results might look something like this:
Figure 4: Example of results from Chromatography activity
Be sure the girls take the time to identify which colors are made up of a combination of colors
are which ones were purely one color. Be sure they explain why this happened.
Reflection
Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. Then ask them to write or draw
something about the coolest color they saw in the chromatography activity. Why was it so cool?
What happened?
Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day.
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Sound and Light, v3
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Session Four
Focus On: Mirrors




Question of the Day
Activity One: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Activity Two: Kaleidoscope
Reflection
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Understand how a mirror works
2. Demonstrate reflection
3. Explore the properties of reflection by making a kaleidoscope
About this Session
The purpose of this session is to introduce the concept of reflection. The girls have already
studied light, blocking light, colors in light, solids and transparencies. Through a demonstration
with balls and mirrors, now they will see how light reflects off of a mirror. Then they will make
their own kaleidoscopes and periscopes so they can see what happens when mirrors reflect
light from other mirrors.
Before Clubs Begin







Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the
session and prepare in advance of clubs.
Set out nametags.
Make an example of a kaleidoscope, to show the girls and troubleshoot
Ensure there are enough sheets of mirrored paper for each girl; cutting the paper can be
okay, but the longer the kaleidoscope tube, the better it works!
Draw basic diagram of light reflection on the board (shown below)
Decide how to divide up girls into groups based on number of mirrors and lasers / lights
for Activity One
Check out these web resources:
 Video explanation of how light reflection works, aimed at 3rd graders:
http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=18790
 More detailed explanation of light reflection:
http://zonalandeducation.com/mstm/physics/light/rayOptics/reflection/reflection1.html
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
Sound and Light, v3
Page 20
Age Appropriate Definitions
Reflection – when light bounces off of a smooth object and causes a
mirror image
Mirror – an object with a smooth surface that reflects an image
Materials for this Session
Activity 1: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Per Club
Per Group (pairs)
Marker
1 Laser Pointer
1 Ball
Hand held mirrors
Activity 2: Kaleidoscope
Per Club
Tape
Glue
Glitter
Per Group
Per Girl
Per Girl
Mirror Paper (at least 3.5” x 5”)
Toothpick
Oak tag or file folder board
(pre cut in a circle)
Marker
Question of the Day
What is a mirror?
Simply ask the girls this question and elicit responses. A mirror is an object that is smooth
enough to reflect. It is a polished surface that forms images by reflecting light.
Activity One: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
In this interactive demonstration, the girls understand how a mirror works by becoming
one!
The goal of this activity is to demonstrate how light reflects off a mirror. When you bounce a
tennis ball directly onto a mirror, or hard surface, it bounces back in a straight line. However,
when you roll the ball on an angle, the ball bounces off toward the other side at the same angle.
This is exactly what happens with the light as it hits the mirror. Light that shines straight onto a
mirror will bounce off in a straight line. Light that hits a mirror at an angle will be reflected at an
angle.
Tell the girls that one trait of a mirror is that it has to have an extremely smooth surface.
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If the group has high energy you can get them to act like a mirror by lining up in a straight line
shoulder to shoulder to become a “human mirror.” Then have them freeze for a few seconds to
show that they are smooth and solid. Give them some time to work as a group to get their line
as straight as they think. Are everyone’s toes standing at the same point? How can they
ensure this? (Hint: Use a tile line or carpet line.) “Bounce” a ball off the human mirror and ask
the girls where it will go.
Now tell them that whatever is standing directly in front of a mirror reflects back in the exact
same direction. But anything that is at an angle reflects in the opposite direction. Draw a
picture if you have to or use the girls as a model again.
Mirror
Mirror
Figure 1: Looking directly at a mirror, a person would then see themselves back. However, keeping the mirror in the
same place and moving the person to the left, the person would not see themselves, but whatever it is that the light
hits when it bounces off the mirror in the at the same reflected angle.
Now, the laser comes in the picture. Tell them that as a group of scientists they need to move
the mirror in such a way that the laser beam hits the object. For example, if the task of the girls
is to get the laser beam to hit the star (as in Figure 1), where and at what angle will the mirror
need to be in order to shine the laser on the star? In this activity, the JM (or laser beam holder)
does not move. If there are two lasers, then split the girls into two groups and do the activity.
Give each girl a turn to hold the mirror and move it so that the laser beam reflects off of it and
hits an object in the classroom.
Pass out a mirror to each girl (or as many as there are given). Ask the girls, what happens
when two or more mirrors reflect each other? Still using the laser can they get the laser to
bounce off of several mirrors? This is a free exploration. Lead by asking the girls questions
aloud, but letting them discover things themselves, at their own pace, in their own way.
If there are several mirrors available, you could put the two mirrors at a right angle to each other
and hold them standing up on the table. If you put an object (ball, marker, etc.) in the right angle
between the mirrors, how many images of the object can they see? What if they make a triangle
of three mirrors or a square of four mirrors and put the object in the middle? How many objects
can they see now? Why? What is happening? When light bounces off one mirror, it hits another
mirror and “sees” the other mirror. When it bounces off that mirror, it hits yet another mirror and
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
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“sees” that mirror, too. As a result, we “see” many objects even though we know there is only
one.
Activity Two: Kaleidoscope
The goal of this activity is have the girls understand what happens when 2 or more
mirrors reflect off of each other and create a never-ending pattern. Keep in mind, you
may not finish this in time if Activity One goes too long.
Great idea to have someone in charge of setting this up while Activity One is going on so that
time is saved and the transition is smooth.
1) Using one sheet of mirrored paper, fold it into three
parts. Have each girl write her name on the outside
of the triangle.
2) Next, with masking tape, attach a toothpick (or
paperclip) to one corner of the triangle. The
toothpick should be protruding from the
kaleidoscope. Particularly when the girls are playing
with their kaleidoscopes make sure their toothpicks
are not too close to another person’s eyes!
3) Next pass out the oak tag or file folder board and
have the girls trace two circles. Using the outline of the masking tape dispenser creates
a good size circle.
4) The girls may now decorate their circles. For the purposes of the kaleidoscope, filling
the entire circle with color works the best and they
can decorate both sides of the circles for additional
viewing pleasure.
5) It’s best if the volunteers poke holes in the middle of
the picture circles with a toothpick, as some girls
may have trouble doing this.
6) The kaleidoscopes are now finished, so the circles
can be attached to the toothpicks and turned to
create a great effect. What do you see when you
look through the kaleidoscope? What happened
when you turn the circle? Can you recognize the picture you drew? Why or why not?
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Before the end of the session, take a few minutes to
talk about kaleidoscopes.
 How do they work?
 What do you see when you look through?
 Why do you see only a little piece of your
circle?
 What happens to that little image in the
kaleidoscope? The light (and the image) is
bouncing around, reflecting on the mirrors.
You can draw the path of the light on the board. The
light bounces off one mirror, onto another mirror, and then gets bounced again to another
mirror, eventually reaching your eye at the end of the tunnel. By this time, there are many
copies of your little picture that are put together in a pattern. At this point, it may not even look
like what you drew on the circular card!
Lastly, collect the kaleidoscopes and tell the girls that they will receive them before they go
home, but that they need to write in their journals for reflection. Of course, make sure names
are on them!
Reflection
Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. Because time will likely be tight today, it
is OK to ask a basic question like, “What makes kaleidoscopes so cool.” Be sure to address the
way mirrors work.
Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day.
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Sound and Light, v3
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Session Five
Focus On: Sensing Sound with Our Ears





Question of the Day
Activity One: Take and Shake
Activity Two: Get to Know Your Mentor
Activity Three: Do We Really Need Both Ears?
Reflection
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Discover how they detect and interpret sound and use this understanding to match
similar object by sound alone
2. Explore how their ears allow them to use sound to navigate
About This Session
This session you will be introducing a new theme in the program--sound. This section of the
curriculum begins with a focus on the most obvious aspect of sound--how we experience it. The
girls will have a chance to observe how they detect and interpret sound.
Before Clubs Begin







Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the
session and prepare in advance of clubs.
Set out nametags.
Give some thought to how you will transition the girls from light into sound. Make sure
they are able to make connections and understand their topic exploration as a whole.
Both activities work well in groups with no more than 5-6 girls.
Running activities simultaneously may prove easiest.
Write each girl’s name on a note card to be ready for Activity 2.
Check out these web resources:
o Basic theory of light and sounds waves:
http://home.cord.edu/faculty/manning/physics215/studentpages/angieevanson.ht
ml
o Video explanation of sound waves: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/6052exploring-sound-sound-waves-video.htm
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
Sound and Light, v3
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o
o
Animations of waves (including sound waves):
http://paws.kettering.edu/~drussell/Demos/waves-intro/waves-intro.html
Article on hearing with two ears (sound localization):
http://www.hhmi.org/senses/c220.html
Age Appropriate Definitions
Sound – a noise; caused by the vibration or “jiggly” movement of an
object
Particle – smallest possible part or object, small portion of
something
Materials for This Session
Activity 1: Take and Shake
Per Club
Per Group
Set of 20 Take N’ Shakers*
Stopwatch or Timer
* film canisters each with objects in them creating unique sounds.
beads, rice, sand, etc,)
Activity 2: Get to Know Your Mentors
Per Club
Per Group
Markers
Activity 3: Do We Really Need Both Ears?
Per Club
Per Group
Blindfold
Roll of Double Sided Sticky
Tape
Paper – flip chart size
Marker
Per Girl
Objects include pennies,
Per Girl
Mentor Paper Dolls
Per Girl
2 Pennies
Index card
Question of the Day
What is sound?
Because sound will be a new topic after studying light for the past 4 weeks, be sure to bring a
transition and connection to the two.
 Both light and sound travel very fast. The difference is that we use our eyes to see light
and our ears to hear sound.
 Both light and sound are very interesting topics for scientists trying to understand the
world.
Sound is caused when an object moves or vibrates. When it vibrates it hits particles around it.
Then those particles hit other particles and it travels like a wave through the air to our ears.
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
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It might help to make this clearer if the girls demonstrate this while you explain it. Have them
act like particles, hold hands and create waves with their arms that move down a line.
Activity One: Take 'N Shake (15-20 minutes)
In this activity, the girls will begin to think about perceiving sound by playing a game.
There are 20 (or more, if there are more groups) containers. Each container has something in it
that makes a noise when you shake it. (You can demonstrate.) Each girl will receive one shaker.
The goal of the task is to use sound and our hearing to match containers that have matching
items inside.
The First Trial
1. First, just tell the girls to find their matching shaker WITHOUT TALKING and without any
planning or guidance. The group will be timed to see how long it takes to match all the
shakers.
2. Let the girls match the shakers.
3. Record the time it took to match the shakers.
Now challenge the girls to find a method to do the matching faster. Have all the girls return their
shakers to a central pile before proceeding.
The Second Trial
1. Tell the girls that they will need to develop a plan for how they can match shakers faster.
The rule of NO TALKING still applies. Do *not* give them suggestions on how to make it
faster.
2. Ask them how much faster they think they can perform the match? Keep in mind the
original time and ask them to assess if their goals are realistic. Have the girls record
their estimates.
3. Ask the girls to think about ways they could, as a group, make the matches faster. This
is brainstorming. Do not eliminate any ideas at this point. Record all ideas offered.
4. Ask the girls which idea of those listed they think will give them the fastest time. Record
the first and second choices.
5. Before trying the first approach, be sure that all girls in the group understand what the
process will be. Have the girls explain it to each other as well as possible.
6. Try the first approach and record the time.
7. Ask the girls to compare the results to the first trial. How were the results different?
Why were the results different?
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Sound and Light, v3
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Activity Two: Get to Know Your Mentor(s) (15-20 minutes)
Vocabulary will vary depending on the mentors’ fields. Think through age-appropriate
vocabulary before clubs begin.
In this activity, your girls will learn more about you as a woman in science. Having the girls
recognize you as a role model in the world of science is a very important piece of the Science
Club for Girls experience. Not only will the girls learn something about your area of STEM, but
in return, you should discover new ways to relate to the girls in future club sessions.
As you prepare for this activity, keep in mind what your girls might already know about you and
your field. Also consider the size of your club and how many Mentors you need to get to know
during this activity. It is important for any of these activities that you prepare in advance. Think
about what information is important to share and write it down if you need to.
Give each girl a copy of the Mentor Paper Doll sheet. Before passing out other materials,
explain that you will be telling the girls about what you do as a woman in science and they will
draw something about what you tell them.
Pass out crayons or markers and allow the girls one minute to draw identifying features like your
hair, eyes, mouth, glasses, etc.
Then ask them to put their markers down and listen to you tell them something about what you
do in science. What you tell them should be accurate, but be sure to describe it as something
the girls will translate into a drawing. You can tell them about what you do, where you work (the
physical space), the type of equipment you use, and (very important) the purpose of your work
and/or how your work is relevant to their lives.
Feel free to summarize and/or describe a little more about your work when the drawing time is
up.
Repeat this process for additional mentors, passing out a new paper doll sheet each time.
Activity Three: Do We Really Need Both Ears? (15 minutes)
Do this activity only if you have extra time. In this activity, girls explore the idea that it
takes two ears to hear where sounds are coming from.
Be sure you explain, and perhaps demonstrate, the activity before the girls get started.
To make a clicker, each girl needs two pennies and two pieces of double sided tape. With the
tape, instruct each girl to wrap one piece around her thumb and the other piece around her first
or second finger. Using her other hand, have each girl stick one penny to her thumb and the
other to the taped finger. She should now have a clicker.
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KEEP IN MIND: The girls will of course want to click like
crazy initially because they will have just made it.
Either let them get the “clicking” out of their system or
give the girls ample warning of when they need to stop
clicking in order to focus on the activity.)
Ask for a volunteer to record data each time a new girl is
in the center of the circle. Have a JM or Mentor assist
the data collector.
Arrange the girls, seated in a circle, with one person
sitting in the center. (Alternatively, you might be able to
do this in two smaller groups, but the background clicking sounds of multiple groups may
confuse everyone.) Blindfold the girl in the center, and the girls forming the circle will take turns
clicking.
The girls will know whose turn it is to click because you or the JM will silently hold up name
cards (have these prepared in advance!), one at a time. The girl whose name shows on the
name card should click.
After each guess, make sure to keep a record of whether the guess was correct. Use a group
data chart, with each row showing the "guesser's" name, the number of correctly identified
sound locations, and the number of incorrectly identified locations.
Table 1: Sample Data Chart
Guesser
Sara
Alicia
Correct guess
III
IIII
Incorrect Guess
II
I
Don't analyze the data after each participant takes a turn. (Waiting to analyze the results as a
group will help save time and will minimize, but not eradicate, any emphasis on personal
performance.)
As a group, discuss the results. Compare the number of right and wrong guesses for each girl,
and as a group. What do you notice about the tally? Is anyone surprised by the results? Did
anyone notice anything else that the data does not show? (Perhaps there were some sound
maker positions--such as in front of the guesser--that most frequently led to an incorrect guess.)
What do the girls think made the guessing easy or hard? Are there other experiments they could
or would like to try? Encourage them to try this at home.
If time permits, repeat with the variation that the girl in the center closes one ear with her finger
or hand.
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
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Reflection
Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. Ask them to write about how their first
and second (and third) trials differed in the first activity. What does this have to do with
science?
Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day.
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
Sound and Light, v3
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MY MENTOR SCIENTIST
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Session Six
Focus On: Traveling Sound




Question of the Day
Activity One: Seeing Sound Jump
Activity Two: String Phone
Reflection
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Explore sound and the way it travels
2. Demonstrate that sound can travel through all sorts of objects, including sand or
string.
About This Session
In this session the girls will have a chance to see how sound can travel through different
mediums. The two activities allow the girls the chance to understand that sound travels
through such objects as salt and strings.
Before Clubs Begin







Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the
session and prepare in advance of clubs.
Set out nametags.
Keep Activity One on the floor so that the salt can easily be swept up.
Cut the balloons for Activity One before club begins
Cut string for String Phones before club begins
Save and bring in empty yogurt containers from your home to help provide enough
materials (Science Club for Girls can only save so much).
Check out these web resources:
o Video demonstration similar to Activity One (with some very high-pitched
noises!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25-XgrBOgto
o Explanation of how the String Phone works:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question410.htm
Age Appropriate Definitions
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Sound and Light, v3
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Sound – vibrations transmitted through a solid, liquid or gas that
our ears are capable of hearing.
Vibrations – when something (like a particle) moves up and down,
back and forth, or in a fast jiggling motion.
Materials for This Session
Activity 1: Seeing Sound Jump
Per Club
Per Group (pairs)
Salt, one container
Yogurt container or soup can
Water – optional
1 Rubber Band
1 Balloon (cut to fit over can)
Activity 2: String Phone
Per Club
Per Group (pairs)
15ft. string
2 Paper Clips
2 wax-coated paper cups
Per Girl
Per Girl
Question of the Day
Can singing a high note really break a glass?
Ask the girls if any of them have actually ever seen an opera singer sing so loud and strong that
it’s broken a glass? Have they seen anyone do this before? Why do they think this is possible?
The answer is because the sound waves create such a strong vibration that when they hit the
glass, it actually causes the glass to shake and break! So how can they “see” the vibrations?
Activity One: Seeing Sound Jump! (20-30 minutes)
In this activity, the girls will become opera singers and fashion an experiment with
seeing sound. They will create an experiment that visually shows them that sound waves
exist.
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Figure Five: Left - Balloon stretched over a plastic container and salt on top.
Right – Volunteer uses her hand to make vibrations to “see” sound move.
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Pair each girl with a partner and have them spread out newspaper for the area they
will be using.
Each pair receives a rubber band, a rubber balloon that has been cut open along
one side, and an open soup can, cup or other similar object.
Stretch the rubber balloon over the opening of the soup can as tightly as you can,
and use the rubber band to secure the balloon in place.
Sprinkle some salt over the top of the stretched balloon, so that you have the salt just
one layer of grains thick.
Near the stretched balloon, but being careful not to let your breath blow the salt
grains away, make some weird and fun noises. Sing like an opera singer. Yell out,
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Clap your hands. Clash some sauce pan covers together. What
happens? With some noises you may see that the salt grains bounce around.
Try this near the speaker of a radio, television, or other audio player.
If you have a sound recorder, record some loud noises and play them over and over
again near the salt grains. Do the salt grains seem to act the same or differently with
the different and same sounds being played?
Ask the girls to think of others ways they can make the salt move via sound and to
test it out.
Optional: If time permits, try water instead of salt on one of the balloons. This can get a bit
messy, but it is an effective way of demonstrating sound as a wave.
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Activity Two: String Phone (20-30 minutes)
In this activity, the girls take a look at how sound travels in a telephone.
It is a good idea to have all of the string pre-cut by the JM in order to save time and to make
sure the lengths are even so as not to cause any issues.
1. Use the paper clip to poke a small hole in the bottom of the cup. Thread the string or
thread through the hole in the cup.
2. Knot the end of the string. To keep the knot from pulling through the hole, attach the
paper clip to the string between the knot and the cup.
3. Tie the free end of the string to a doorknob.
4. Walk away from the door until the string is taut.
5. Hold the cup to your ear while a helper gently strums, rubs, and then blows on the string
near the doorknob. You will hear the sounds loud and clear in the cup.
6. Ask the girls what they hear.
Figure 10: The volunteer on the left cannot hear any sound through the phone cup because the string is
not pulled tight. The volunteer on the right can hear sound because her string is pulled tight.
7. Trade places and repeat.
8. Untie the string from the door knob.
9. Add a second cup to the end of the string as in step 2.
10. Have two girls hold each cup and walk away from each other. The string must be taut or
else it will not work! The girls have a tendency to forget this so remind them frequently.
Some may then pull it so taut that the phone breaks so make the phones strong.
11. Have one of the girls speak into the phone while the other girl listens. Make sure the
girls know that they do not need to speak loudly. The goal is to see if they can hear the
sound because of the cup, not because they are yelling loud enough to be heard in the
room.
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12. Next have two teams get together to create a 4-way phone. Have a team hold their
phones taut. Then have the other team wrap their string around the middle of the other
phone once.
13. Walk away from each other until the string of the second phone is taut.
14. Have the girls take turns speaking into the cups.
15. Ask the girls how the sound traveled through the cups. What does that indicate about the
properties of sound? (Sound travels through objects.)
16. Ask them if they know how sound travels?
Reflection
Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. How does sound travel? What sorts of
things does sound travel through? Air and water, of course, but everyday objects as well such
as string or sand.
Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day.
Caution: Be sure to sweep the room thoroughly after this session as salt may be on the
floor!
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
Sound and Light, v3
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Session Seven
Focus On: Traveling Vibrations




Question of the Day
Activity One: Design a Better Human Ear
Activity Two: Hear About My Ear!
Reflection
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Understand that ears of different shapes and sizes can help to hear better or worse
2. Apply this understanding to creating a tool to help humans hear better
About this Session
In the previous session, the girls explored ways of "seeing" the vibrations that are associated
with sound. In this session, they will "build" "better" ears--by putting differently shaped materials
in front of their own and listening to the various sounds they'll be able to hear as a result.
Before Clubs Begin






Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the
session and prepare in advance of clubs.
Set out nametags.
Pre-cut the plastic bottles so that they are cone shaped
Cut out the pictures of other animal ears provided in this curriculum
Print the frequency charts: http://www.philtulga.com/AnimalHz.gif
Check out these web resources:
o Explanation of how the human ear works:
http://www.indiana.edu/~emusic/acoustics/ear.htm
o Video with basic information on hearing in different animals:
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.reg.animalhear/
Age Appropriate Definitions
Amplify – to make larger or more powerful
Hearing aid – an invention that amplifies sound to help someone hear
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
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Materials for this Session
Activity One and Two: Design a Better Human Ear
Per Club
Per Group
Per Girl
Frequencies Chart
Tuning fork
Masking Tape
Different plastic bottles*
Poster Board
Stethoscope
Construction Paper, assorted
Pictures of animals according
to the Frequency Chart
* 2 Liter, 1 Liter, quart and other various sizes of bottle. These need to be pre-cut so that they are
cone shaped.
Question of the Day
Why do animals have such amazing hearing?
Point out that in order for us to hear the sounds we have made, the jiggles (sound, sound
vibrations) had to travel to our ears. But why our human ears shaped the way they are? Why
are lots of animals ears shaped the way they are? Does our ear shape give us better ears than
other animals? Tell them that today you'll be exploring this idea.
Activity One: Design a Better Human Ear (25-30 minutes)
In this activity, the girls will place different materials around their ears to explore what
happens when different sounds are channeled differently to their ears.
SAFETY: Do not let girls put objects inside their ears. Caution them against this.
1. Show the girls the frequency line (http://www.philtulga.com/AnimalHz.gif) and explain to
them that an animal’s hearing is different in that some are able to hear really low sounds
and some are able to hear really high sounds. For example, rodents can hear some
very high sounds that the human hear is not designed to hear so in a way all humans
are deaf to some sounds.
2. It might be helpful to consider that the stethoscope itself is a "better human ear," that is,
a way of extending or changing the way we hear things.
3. Using the animal pictures, lead the group to compare different animals' ears. What's
different about the ears? How do (some or all) seem similar? Why do the girls think that
animals have different ears?
4. Let the girls know that they are now University Scientists who are studying animals’
hearing. They know that some animals can hear very well – some of the quietest
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Sound and Light, v3
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sounds to some of the loudest sounds made! Based on what they know, each scientist
needs to design a device that will help humans who are hard of hearing to be able to
hear. They'll be experimenting with different shapes that they can "add" to their ears to
"collect" and channel the sounds around them differently.
5. Before you begin helping the girls try out different ear shapes, demonstrate how to strike
and use the tuning forks.
6. It might be useful to guide the girls through the construction and use of the plastic bottle
ears. Then let them try to construct different ears by making tubes and cones out of the
different types of cardboard.
7. Give the girls lots of creative freedom and encouragement as they build their hearing
devices. They are hard working scientist in action! Also, be sure to give a fair warning
for when the girls should try to finish up their new device so that you have time to test
them. It’s okay if several girls’ devices look nearly identical.
8. Get the girls to think about how they should all test their hearing devices. If they are
having trouble or the ideas aren’t quite there, help them think about it.
a. Test option: Girls stand in a line in the same spot (maybe even out in the
hallway). JM stands far, far away and strikes the tuning fork. Girls listen with
their normal ears for the sounds and raise their hand if they hear it. Then the
girls apply their hearing devices and test in the same way again. They raise their
hand if they believe that their device helped them to hear the sound. Get the
girls to exchange devices and test again.
b. As the girls compare different ear devices encourage them to:
 Describe in detail the different sound effects they get
 Compare ears that are identical except for one characteristic, before
moving on to the next comparison
 See if they notice any patterns, such as a relationship between the way
they hear the sound and the length of a paper cone
Think about creating a large, group observation/data chart for girls to fill in with your help. In the
first column, you can write the type of ear and in the second column you can write a few words
to describe the observations. Then, before ending the session, gather the girls in a group to
review some of the data. Did everyone who used a cone-shaped ear report the same
observations?
Activity Two: Hear About My Ear! (10-15 minutes)
In this activity, the girls share with the group how and/or why they made the “better” ear
they chose in Activity One. This short public speaking activity is an important part of the
club, so be sure to leave enough time for all girls.
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Sound and Light, v3
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Ask the girls to sit in a circle. Explain that each girl will take a turn standing up and telling the
group something about how she made her ear (the construction) or why she chose the final
design for her ear.
Be sure all the other girls are quiet and paying attention while each girl presents. If a girl is
having difficulty, encourage her with questions. When each girl is done speaking, be sure the
group extends a round of applause! (Or save until the end, depending on the size and
temperament of the group.
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
Sound and Light, v3
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Cut out these photos to show your girls pictures of various animal ears.
Elephant
Mouse
Rabbit
Whale
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
Sound and Light, v3
Page 41
Reflection
Review the topic and question of the day with the girls. Discuss how the shape of an animal’s
ear allows it to hear more than a human’s ear.
Ask them to draw a diagram of their invention in their journals.
Be sure to write something back to each girl in her journal after clubs are done for the day.
At Home
Use your amplifier and "better ear" around your house.
SAFETY NOTE: Never put anything inside your ear.
Try…
Try using the amplifier to listen to different types of objects. Have different people test it out.
What do they hear?
When you use your better ear around the house, make a list of all the different things you listen
to and how they sound to you. (You might try listening to your own voice, to others' voices, to
the sounds of people going up and down stairs, spreading peanut butter on toast…) Think of
your own ideas, too! What sounds seem to be the most different when you use your ear?
©2010, Science Clubs for Girls
Sound and Light, v3
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