Learning about sound in the lower elementary grades is addressed through the "Physical Science" domain of the NGSS. The focus is on understanding sound as a form of energy that is caused by vibration and that can be used to communicate.
The primary learning occurs in first grade, supported by skills built in kindergarten and expanded in later grades.
First Grade (1-PS4-1): This is the key performance standard for sound. Students plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials make sound. For example, they might pluck a rubber band and observe it moving, or feel their throat vibrate while humming. The core idea is that there is a cause-and-effect relationship: no vibration, no sound.
First Grade (1-PS4-4): Students also explore how people use sound to communicate over long distances. They investigate how devices like walkie-talkies or simple string telephones can be used to send and receive information.
This unit is often taught in tandem with the study of light, as both are forms of energy that can be investigated through waves and their effects. While not explicitly required in kindergarten, K-2-ETS1 engineering design standards allow students to design and build simple devices that make or use sound. In later grades (4th), students will delve deeper into how sound waves need a medium to travel through.
The overall goal is for young students to move beyond simply hearing sound to understanding its physical cause and its practical application as a tool for sending information.
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