BioMusic
Author: | Debra Hall & Crystal Patillo |
Level: | Elementary School |
Content Area: | Science, Music |
Author: | Debra Hall & Crystal Patillo |
Level: | Elementary School |
Content Area: | Science, Music |
Sounds can be turned into computer generated pictures so that we can see what we hear. These pictures are called spectrograms (sonograms). Spectrograms are represented with frequency being on the X axis and time on the Y axis. Raven lite is an interactive sound analysis program that can be downloaded for free. This will enable the teacher and students to upload sounds and perceive them visually.
The students will recognize that animal vocalizations can be represented with spectrograms. The students will be able to identify what is shown on the spectrogram.
National Science Education Standards
Content Standard A: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Content Standard B: Physical Science
Content Standard C: Life Science
Content Standard E: Science and Technology
Goal 6:
The learner will listen to, analyze, and describe music. (National Standard 6)
Goal 8:
The learner will understand relationships between music, the other arts, and content areas outside the arts. (National Standard 8)
One 60 minute periods
Raven lite Interactive Sound Analysis Software
Review the sounds of the spring peeper frog and the bullfrog with the students. Ask them to vocally and rhythmically imitate the calls. Repeat the sounds and re-arrange (alter) the patterns. Students will duplicate the arrangements through echo singing. Show students two spectrograms, one for each frog call. Discuss which spectrogram belongs to each frog. Accept all reasonable responses.
Ask students what they listen for in matching an animal to a call or song. Discuss the difference between sound words such as meow, oink and moo and the actual sounds the animals make to communicate. Give students animal picture cards and have students listen to approximately six calls from the wild music website. They should fill in the data table below during this part of the activity. Students will decide which animal they think made the call. Next they will listen to the same animal sounds and view six spectrogram printouts. Have them listen to the sounds again and elaborate on utilizing their knowledge of pitch and rhythm to identify the appropriate spectrogram. Students should fill in the last section of their data table with a sketch of the correct spectrogram.
Animal Calls or Songs | Animal Prediction | Actual Animal |
Spectrogram
section |
|
Sounds Like: | Looks Like: | (students shade or draw in) | ||
1.GGRRRRR | xxxXXXXXX | Lion | Alligator | |
2 | ||||
3 | ||||
4 | ||||
5 | ||||
6 |
Discuss with students the various sounds animals make and how they can have a number of vocalizations. Complete a Venn diagram with the class to identify similarities and differences of human and animal sound qualities.
Discuss how frequency and time are represented on the spectrogram. Ask what they notice about the height, duration and frequency of the spectrograms? Compare how pitch correlates to frequency. Make connection between a spectrogram and vibration. A spectrogram represents pitch and vibrations are represented using a seismograph. Elaborate how a seismograph would represent the vibrations of an elephant in the wild.
Compare the human voice to an animals “voice.” Discuss the distinctive qualities of both. Identify how we process the differences of sound and its origin because of timbre. Timbre is the character or quality of a sound that distinguishes one instrument, voice or other sound source from another. Compare the human voice to the animal recordings. Have class close their eyes and listen to an unidentified classmate’s voice. Have the student repeat the same thing but alter the pitch high or low. Explore recorded examples of the male and female voice, adult and baby voice, timpani, trumpet, piccolo, maraca and piano. Students will accurately identify the sounds and its origin. Listen to a recording Peter and the Wolf. Have students analyze and interpret the “animal voices” and the instrumentation which replicates their voice. Have students classify the instrument’s family and voices with high frequencies and low frequencies. Listen to recorded examples of the human voice to distinguish timbre in human vocalizations – soprano, alto, tenor and bass.
Have students look at a thrush song from the Wildmusic website and view the spectrogram as the bird sings. Also, discuss changes in acoustic properties and how they affect frequencies. Encourage students to strike the tuning fork on the table verses the carpet. Students will elaborate on the acoustical difference in sound.
Science Notebook entry with data table including sounds, sound representations, animal predictions, animal results and spectrogram sketch.
Venn diagram of human and animal sound qualities.