Key Science Concepts
- Sounds vary by volume (loud or soft), and pitch (high or low).
- A sound becomes louder when the force of the action that is creating the sound is increased (for example, when you hit a drum harder). A sound becomes softer, or quieter, when the force is decreased.
Directions
Tell children you’ve just shared a story about a quiet night in the country. You’re now going to do something that people do when they want to be quiet: whisper.
- Review and add any new sounds children have discovered to the “Loud/Soft” and “High/Low” charts, but tell children: Shhh!, Say everything in a whisper! For the next few minutes everything we’ll say should be in a whispering voice.
- Explore different kinds of whispers—very soft ones, very loud raspy whispers, high whispers, low whispers. Anytime anyone talks in a regular voice, have children put their fingers to their mouths and say, “Shhhh!” Ask, What are some of the reasons we might want to whisper?