General Education Activity | STEM Career Connection: Architect (architectural acoustics), Sound Engineer
Standards: 2019 MN Science 5P.1.2.1.2, 1.2.1
Fan energy is one of the elements that makes the Minnesota Vikings experience so memorable. How does that energy translate into noise? This activity invites your students to create sound — and measure and visualize it!
Materials:
Classroom objects
Predict:
What objects do you think will create the loudest, or quietest, sound when dropped?
Plan:
How would you create a test that is accurate and consistent?
Play:
Have students choose different classroom objects that they think will be the loudest when dropped from desk or table height.
Have students choose different classroom objects that they think will be the quietest when dropped from desk or table height.
Using the materials that the students have chosen, drop the object onto the floor while using the online decibel meter in the Resources section.
Teacher consideration: You will need to have the device with the decibel meter near the drop. It does not need to be directly next to where the item’s landing place.
Repeat the test multiple times and have students record the decibel level of the object.
Data Analysis Connection: Have students represent the data using graphs or other visuals appropriate to the age group.
Ponder:
Which noise levels surprise you? Why?
Did the objects that had the highest readings have anything (or multiple things) in common? How about those with the lowest readings?
Extension:
If possible, try testing the same materials, but dropping them on different surfaces (carpet, tile, cardboard, books, etc.). Compare the differences between the landing surfaces.
Can you find a different place in the school where you could get a higher or lower decibel reading for an object?