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Created 3/29/16. Updates available online.

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Sound_Inquiry for Middle School A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines.



Title Sound_Inquiry for Middle School
Description This was written by the PhET team as a guided-inquiry activity. Learning Objectives: •Explore and draw conclusions about the nature, properties and behaviors of sound waves. •Use the simulation to develop your own definition of frequency and amplitude. •Describe how frequency and amplitude affect the sounds we hear. •Given a description of a sound like “high pitched and loud”, describe the amplitude and frequency.
Subject Physics
Level High School, Middle School
Type Concept Questions, Lab
Answers Included No
Language English
Keywords gold star, inquiry, phet, sound, wave
Simulation(s) Sound

Author(s) PhET Middle School Team
Contact Email patricia.loeblein@colorado.edu
School / Organization PhET University of Colorado Boulder
Date submitted 8/2/11
Date updated 8/2/11

Comments

I thought this lab activity had clear and easy to understand objectives. The incorporated graphics made the activity sheet attractive and interesting to students. I use PHET simulations for supplemental instruction and to help make abstract concepts more concrete. I have my students pause and look up information in their textbooks such as similar charts or graphs or vocabulary terms to correlate the text reading to the visual SIM. My objective is to teach students to mentally visualize images as they read expository text for purposeful meaning. Students enjoy the self-pacing of the activity. I also make activity cards to accompany the SIMS with 3 or 4 deeper real-world application questions or a constructed response prompt to connect to CCC objectives. Thank you for all you do! DC   10/3/14

dawn.bray@hcbe.net: Clear easy to understand and use directions. Graphics incorporated to maintain middle school attention level. Scaffolded skills to guide student learning. Meaningful prelab and assessment accompany activity. Teacher friendly. Trish   10/7/14

Comment on this activity

How did you use this activity or change it for your class? Answer keys are often not available because the activities are inquiry based and lead to multiple answers. Professionally constructive comments welcome.

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