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Body Lab K-2 / Week 03 / Body Lab Day
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Week 03 · Ears and Hearing

Body Lab Day

Body Lab Day: Cup-and-string phone
// Catch the shake
⏱ about 15 min

Body Lab Day: Cup-and-string phone

Rocket ties two paper cups together with string.

"Can sound travel on a string?" he asks.

Raven asks, "What do you notice?"

Nova says, "Pull it tight."

  1. Sound is made by vibrations.
  2. The outer ear gathers sound.
  3. Sound makes your eardrum vibrate.
  4. The brain figures out what you hear.
  5. Very loud sounds can hurt ears.
◇ MAKE A CUP PHONE
Get two paper cups and a long string.
A grown-up pokes a small hole in each cup bottom.
Push the string ends through the holes.
A grown-up ties a big knot inside each cup.
Each person holds a cup and steps back.
Pull the string tight and keep it straight.
One person talks softly into a cup.
The other person listens with the other cup.
Safety first
A grown-up does all the poking with sharp tools.
Talk softly. Never shout into the cup.
Keep the string away from necks.
For a grown-up
Ask: what did you notice with the string tight?
Ask: what happened with the string loose?
Praise every try, even the ones that did not work.
CUP PHONE CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Your voice goes into the cup. What does the cup do?
How should you talk into the cup?
Who pokes the holes?
Draw your cup phone with wiggly sound lines.

You built a real sound machine!

Next week, you will explore your nose and tongue.

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