Sound and Volume - Lesson Plan

This science lesson plan introduces Year 6 students to the concept of sound and volume, with a particular focus on the relationship between the volume of sound and the strength of the vibrations that produce it. The lesson aims to develop various scientific skills, including pattern seeking, comparative and fair testing, and researching using secondary resources, as outlined in the National Curriculum for England. Students will explore how volume describes the loudness of a sound and will investigate the correlation between the energy used to create a sound and its resultant loudness. The plan builds on previous learning, where students learned that sound is produced by vibrating particles and that our ears are the organs responsible for hearing these sounds.

The lesson includes practical activities where students will use sound meters or an app to measure the loudness of different sounds in decibels (dB), such as clapping or dropping a book. They will also experiment with the effect of ear size on the volume of sound by creating paper cones and observing the loudness at different ends. Further investigations will examine the relationship between the height from which an object is dropped and the loudness of its impact, as well as researching the loudness of various phenomena using learning pads. Additionally, students will construct ear defenders using cups and various packing materials to determine which combination best reduces sound volume. Throughout the lesson, students will correct common misconceptions, such as the confusion between pitch and loudness, and learn that even low-volume sounds can cause hearing damage over time. The lesson concludes with a plenary where students reflect on their understanding of volume and the energy dynamics of sound production.