Science Lesson Plan

Overview:
This lesson is in the 5E format that will be used in my classroom throughout the year. The
lesson is centered on the state standard for science 3.PS.4. This lesson specifically focuses
on the properties of sound: pitch and loudness. Lessons would follow this one that
investigates how properties affect pitch and volume. During the first inquiry lesson
following this, they will experiment with objects made of the same material but have
different weights. (Plastic: bottle, cup, spoon, and cap) The second inquiry lesson to follow
will include one type of object made of different materials. (Wooden, plastic, and metal
spoon) This lesson begins by engaging the students in different properties of sounds. Then
students distinguish and identify these sounds. They will compare how sounds differ from
one another. To finish the lesson, they will be evaluated over the objectives with an exit
ticket.

Rationale:
Beltran, Mora-Flores, and Sarmiento provide multiple strategies of how to alter the 5E
lesson so it is beneficial for ELLs. They encouraged the promotion of collaboration while
completing a performance. (2013, p. 68) I decided to have students collaborate and discuss
with a partner during explore and elaborate. During the explain part of my lesson, I give
opportunities for students to practice and utilize the content language. The students are
given a situation of the words in action and then the students have to decide how to use
them. Beltran, Mora-Flores, and Sarmiento are very passionate about science notebooks.
They give examples of how they could be used in every part of the lesson. I will use them in
some way each time because “they serve as a window into how the student is thinking
about a particular concept.” (2013 p. 235) I will give flexibility and writing support as they
use their journals. This information that I have collected helped me to alter this lesson in a
way that will best benefit my English Language Learners.

GRADE: Third

WIDA STANDARD: English language learners communicate information, ideas, and

concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Science.

INDIANA ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR SCIENCE: 3.PS.4 Investigate and recognize

properties of sound that include pitch, loudness (amplitude), and vibration as determined
by the physical properties of the object making the sound.

LESSON TOPIC: Identifying pitch and volume

OBJECTIVES:
Content
 Students will describe a sound’s pitch and volume.
  Students will compare the pitch and volume of objects.

Language
 Students will refer to pitch to describe a sound as high or low.
 Students will refer to volume to describe how a sound is loud or soft.

MATERIALS:
 Word, “volume and pitch”
 Audacity
 Baggies (1 per 2 students) containing
o Items with different volume but similar pitch: glue stick, binder clip, paper
clip
o Items with different pitch but similar volume: sharpie, crayon, quarter
 Data table
 Object sheet
 Available items around the room: pencils, coins, water bottles, etc.
 Exit tickets

SDAIE STRATEGIES:
1. b. Content is academically demanding
1. d. Language and content learning are integrated
3. a. Use slightly slower speech rate
4. a. Gestures, facial expressions, action to dramatize meaning
4.b. Props, concrete materials
5.c. Plans for students to actively participate in learning activities verbally and
nonverbally according to functional English abilities
6.b. Pair work

LEVELED QUESTIONS:
Leveled Question or Prompt
LEVEL 1 Question 1: Point to the object that
made the sound.
Question 2: Is it louder than the other
object?
Question 3: Do they sound the same?
LEVEL 3 Question 1: What was the pitch of that
object.
Question 2: How did you compare the
two sounds in your data table?
Question 3: How did the object sound
when you dropped it?
LEVEL 5 Question 1: What did you write that
was different about their volumes?
Question 2: How did the other objects
Possible Student Response
Student points to object.
“Yes” or “No” or gestures
“Yes” or “No” or gestures
“High
“My item made a higher pitch so I
marked an X at the top.”
It was quiet.
“The object had a louder volume
than the other.
“One object was really loud.
 sound different?
Question 3: Which sound did you Name of object
record to have the highest pitch?

KEY VOCABULARY:
Nouns:
Pitch
Volume
Object

Verbs:
Drop/ped
Sound
Compare
Record

Adjective:
High/low
Loud/soft

KEY SENTENCE FRAMES:

Level 1: The _______ is louder than _________.
Level 3: The _______’s sound has a _______ pitch.
Level 5: _____ was ______er than ________.

Procedure:
Engage (5 minutes)
1. I will use Audacity or some type of sound program and say the word “sound” into it.
I will play the recording then I will turn up the volume and play it again. “How did it
change?” I will do the same but make it quieter. Next, I will change the pitch to be
higher, then lower. “How did it change?” “You will be using your ears today
(cupping my hears) to hear these changes in sounds.”
Explore (10 minutes)
2. Students will be partnered up heterogeneously. I will show students that they will
be partnered by placing the partner picture on the board. I will direct the pairs to
sit at chairs across from each other. I will have baggies containing the listed
materials above at the back table. One partner will go back to baggie # 1 for them
to share.
3. I will demonstrate with my own baggie #1. I will pull out each item and say its
name. I will demonstrate dropping the item onto the desk and listening to the
sound. “Have one partner drop the object and listen (cup ears) to how it sounds.
Discuss with your partner about the sound the objects made. How are these sounds
different? I will walk around while students explore the first baggie. This baggie
 has items that have been tested to have no difference in pitch but a difference in
volume. I will give students about 3-4 minutes.
4. “Now the other partner, go get baggie #2.” These items have been tested to have
the same volume but a different pitch. I will open my own to name and
demonstrate again. “Drop each item again and listen to the sounds. Discuss what
you heard with your partner.” I will walk around and give about 3-4 minutes again.
Level 1:
Point to the object that made that sound.
Level 3:
“How did the object sound when you dropped it?”
Level 5:
“Did other objects sound that same way/differently?”
Explain (10 minutes)
5. “How do other objects sound in baggie #1 when they are dropped?” I will keep
record of the student descriptions. I will relate the vocabulary term with their
descriptions. “Your descriptions (gesturing to student responses) describe the
volume of the object (pull out word wall word). An object has a loud volume or a
soft volume.” I will write on the board ‘volume’ with lines coming off from the
bottom saying ‘loud’ or ‘soft.’ “Some objects are louder (I will clap my hands hard
together), than other objects.(I will clap my hands softer. I will drop glue stick and
say, “loud,” and clap my hands loudly then I will drop paper clip and say, “soft, not
as loud” and clap my hands softly. “When I point (gesture), say the word ‘science’
louder than me, ‘science.’ When I point (gesture), say the word ‘science’ softer than
me, ‘school.’”
6. “How do other objects sound in baggie #2 when they are dropped?” I will keep
record of the student descriptions. “Your descriptions (circle the descriptions given
by the students) describe the pitch of an object. (Use word wall word) The sounds
have the same volume (point to word wall word), but the pitch (point to word wall
word) is different.” I will write ‘pitch’ on the board just like volume with ‘high’ and
‘low’ stemming off. “Some objects sound higher (I will talk in a higher voice and
raise my hand and go on my tip toes) and some sound lower.” I will lower my hand
and squat while saying it in a low voice. I will drop the quarter and say, “high
pitch,” and raise my hand high. Then I will drop the marker and say, “low pitch” and
lower my hand. “When I point (gesture), say the word ‘science’ with a higher pitch
than me, ‘science.’ When I point (gesture), say the word ‘school’ with a lower pitch
than me, ‘school.’”
7. I will have the paper passer pass out data tables. I will pull up audacity or some
type of sound program. I will randomly select a student to say a word into the
system. I will play the word and ask students to measure the volume on their data
table. Then I will change the volume and ask students to measure the second
sound’s volume. I will demonstrate where the mark goes for sound 2. I will do this
2 more times. I will ask students to hold up their data tables then walk around the
room. I will use this as formative assessment and help students who seem to
struggle. I will return it back to the original volume. “Now measure the pitch of the
sound, is it high or low?” I will change the pitch 4 times total. I will ask students to
hold up data tables again for a formative assessment.
Elaborate (10 minutes)
8. “Now, you are going to practice using the volume and pitch to compare the objects
from earlier. The instructions are the same. The partner who dropped objects from
baggie one will do it again.” I will demonstrate the first part of the instructions
again. “But this time, you both will use your science journals to record the sound.
You will draw your own data table to compare the volume of these sounds.” I will
demonstrate drawing my own data table. I will ask students to pull out their
journals and I will put the picture on the board representing the use of the journal.
“With baggie 1, you are comparing volume.” I will write on the board “baggie 1=
compare volume. After you finish baggie 1, you will compare the pitch of the
objects in baggie 2. I will write, “baggie 2- compare pitch.” Make a new data table
for pitch.” I will demonstrate making a new data table and labeling it “pitch.”
Throughout this writing, I would have organized it so students can look back on it
for instruction.
9. I will walk around to ask students about what they are hearing and how they are
making their data tables.
Evaluate (5 minutes)
10. I will pass out an exit ticket to each student. It will have a data table for volume and
a different one for pitch. “I am going to drop the binder clip. Record the volume of
the object on your data table.” After students recorded it, “I am going to drop the
glue stick. Compare it with the binder clip and record its volume on the data table.”
11. “Now observe the pitch of these items. I am going to drop the quarter. Record the
pitch of the object on your data table.” After the students had time to record, “I am
going to drop the crayon. Compare it with the quarter and record its pitch on the
data table. Levels 3 and above will have a question to write a description in the
difference of sounds.
12. Closure “What two words do we use to describe volume? Clap your hands to make
a loud sound. Clap your hands to make a soft sound. What two words do we use to
describe pitch? Say the word ‘pitch’ in a high pitch. Say the word ‘pitch’ with a low
pitch.”

Grade: Third
ELD STANDARD: English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts
necessary for academic success in the content area of Science.
CONNECTION: (state the main Indiana State Standards that connect with this lesson)
3.PS.4 Investigate and recognize properties of sound that include pitch, loudness
(amplitude), and vibration as determined by the physical properties of the object making
the sound.
EXAMPLE CONTEXT FOR LANGUAGE USE:
Students will describe the pitch and volume of a sound.
Students will compare the pitch and volume of two sounds.
Cognitive Function: (state what kind of thinking functions this lesson will engage)
Associate a sound with a value of pitch and volume.
Students will compare and contrast sounds.
Level 1: Entering Level 3: Developing Level 5: Expanding
DOMAIN: Hear a loud sound then
LISTENING demonstrate a sound that
is softer. (Clapping hands
softly after hearing the loud
claps.)
DOMAIN: Change the pitch or volume
SPEAKING while repeating a word.
(Saying “science” louder
than the teacher)
DOMAIN: Read the words on a scale
READING in order to label the pitch
of a sound. (“High,” “low.”
“loud,” “soft,”)
Hear the sounds of Describe pitch after
two objects and oral discourse.
evaluate if they
sound similar, then
share opinion with
others. (“The glue
stick is louder.”)
Describe the pitch of Discuss the adjectives
a sound. (“It had a used to describe pitch.
low pitch.”) (“High and low”)
Read a sentence Read direct written
frame then fill it in directions to answer a
after reading data question about
table. comparing volume.
(“The ________’s sound (Write a sentence
is __________.”) comparing the volume
of the two objects. )

DOMAIN: Fill in a date table to show Use vocabulary Write a sentence

WRITING/ the pitch or volume of a words in order to comparing the volume
VISUAL sound (Drawing an ‘X’ in describe a sound. of two objects. (“The
LITERACY the box closest to the word (“The object’s sound first object had a
low for a sound with a low has a _____ pitch”) higher pitch”)
pitch)
TOPIC-RELATED LANGUAGE: (state the grade-level words and expressions that apply
to this lesson.)
Pitch, volume
Exit Ticket

Volume

Loud

Soft

Pitch

High

Low

Level 3:
Write a sentence about an object’s volume.
The ________’s sound is __________.

Write a sentence about an object’s pitch.

The ________’s sound has a ______ pitch.

Level 5:
Write a sentence comparing the volume of the two objects.
______________________________ was ________er than _____________________________

Write a sentence comparing the pitch of the two objects.

______________________________ had a ________er pitch than _____________________________