TE Activity: Form vs. Function
Contributed by: Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder
Summary |
Engineering Connection Category 2. Engineering analysis or partial design |
| Acoustical engineering is a specialized branch of engineering - having do do with sound, or acoustics. Acoustic engineers design the sound environments for a variety of locations — inside and outside of buildings, as well as other locations where sound is an important issue (for example, along a highway in an urban area). |
Contents
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| Grade Level: 4 (3-5) | Group Size: 2 |
| Time Required: 45 minutes |
Activity Dependency  :"Sound Environment Shapers" |
Expendable Cost Per Group
:
US$ 2 |
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| Keywords: acoustics, acoustical engineering, architectural engineering, sound | |
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Related Curriculum
:
| subject areas | Science and Technology |
| curricular units | Sound |
| lessons | Sound Environment Shapers |
Educational Standards :
- Colorado Science
- International Technology Education Association-ITEA STL Standards Technology
Pre-Req Knowledge (Return to Contents)
Students should be familiar with sound being described in terms of quality and volume. This activity would work well accompanying a science unit on sound or waves.
Learning Objectives (Return to Contents)
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Analyze different materials representative of ones used in acoustic design.
- Explain that different materials have different sound properties.
- Model a sound environment for a room based on provided specifications.
Materials List (Return to Contents)
Each group needs:
- 1 cardboard box of at least 1 foot square (with an open side, see Figure 1)
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Figure 1. The proper-sized "room" (box) is for the activity. click for copyright |
- 4 cello sponges, 2x4 in.
- Several sheets of any color construction paper
- Several sheets of felt cloth, approximately 8 x 10 each
- 1 pair of scissors
To share with the entire class:
- Duct tape
- Clear (cellophane or transparent) tape
- Variety of multi-colored markers
- 15-30 sheets of plain white paper (can use recycled)
Introduction/Motivation (Return to Contents)
Is there a difference in the volume of sound in this classroom versus the cafeteria? How is the sound different? (Answer: The cafeteria is louder.) What about the quality of sound? Is it easier to understand someone talking in the classroom or the cafeteria? Let's make a list of some of the physical differences between the cafeteria and this classroom. Everyone take a minute to think and write.
What were some of the things you listed? (Possible answers: The classroom has carpet, the cafeteria does not; the cafeteria is much larger than this classroom; this classroom has ceiling tiles, the cafeteria might not.) Now I want you to tell the person sitting next to you how these physical differences affect the sound differences between these two rooms. Please take one minute to do this.
What did you discuss with your partner? What affect did the physical differences have? (Possible answers: Carpet and ceiling tiles in the classroom absorb sound waves, producing few echoes and an overall quieter environment. Hard surfaces in the cafeteria reflect waves, causing more echoes and making it difficult to hear someone speaking.)
Today we are going to analyze several different materials to see how they affect the sound in a room. Like engineers do, we are going to make a model called a prototype. Each material we analyze represents a material that is actually used in building designs by acoustical engineers for changing sound quality. We are going to listen and see how sound is affected by each of the materials. Then we are going to use what we learned to create our own design for a new room, just like acoustical engineers.
Vocabulary/Definitions (Return to Contents)
| Acoustics: | The study of sound; the characteristics of sound in an environment. |
| Echo: | To hear something again due to the reflection of a sound wave. |
| Prototype: | A smaller model of something that is being designed that would normally be much bigger. |
| Sound quality: | A description of how clear or pleasing a sound is. |
| Sound volume: | A description of how loud a sound is. |
Procedure (Return to Contents)
Before the Activity
- Gather all necessary materials.
- If asking students to collect their own boxes, give out the assignment one week in advance; remind students regularly. Collect extra boxes for those students who forget.
With the Students
Give students the following experiment directions before passing out materials.
Introduction
Think of this box as a room with three walls, with one open wall (the area in which you will speak), a ceiling and a floor. We are going to use this prototype, or small model, to help us understand how different materials affect sound. Each material that we are using represents a similar material that is used in actual room design by acoustical engineers.
Empty Room
- One partner takes the box and speaks into it, while the other partner stands at the other (closed) end of the box. In a regular (inside) voice, say "Hello" to your partner and "How are you doing?"
- Both partners should listen carefully.
- Now let the other partner speak into the box.
- Both partners listen again.
Wall Paper in Room
- Use clear tape to apply construction paper to the three walls of the room, representing wall paper, as shown in Figure 2.
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Figure 2. A "wall-papered" room. click for copyright |
- Both partners take a turn speaking into box.
- Each partner should listen each time.
- Compare the sound quality and volume to when there was no construction paper.
- Carefully remove paper from walls.
- Refresh your memory of the sound of the empty room.
Sound Curtains
- Duct tape felt cloth to the three walls to represent sound curtains (as shown in Figure 3).
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Figure 3. A "curtain-lined" room. click for copyright |
- Repeat the talking and listening procedure described above.
- Do curtains make a larger difference in the noise level? Compare the sound quality and volume to when there was no felt curtains.
- Carefully remove curtains.
- Refresh your memory of the sound of the empty room.
Sound Absorbing Panels
- Use duct tape to fasten a sponge to each wall and the ceiling, representing sound absorbing panels (see Figure 4).
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Figure 4. A room with added sound absorbing panels. click for copyright |
- Again repeat the talking and listening procedure, used in the previous experiments.
- How do the sound absorbing panels compare? Compare the sound quality and volume to to when there were no absorbing panels.
- Carefully remove sponges.
- Refresh memory of the sound of the empty room.
Room Design
- You have been hired by "Form vs. Function," an architectural firm that is designing a building with one of the following rooms in it. They would like you to help them design a room to meet the required sound specifications.
Based on your observations of the different materials, design the sound environment for the room requested by the architectural firm to use. You may use any or all three of the materials you tested or come up with your own ideas for materials to use. (Note: The teacher may choose one room for the students to design or assign each team a different room.)
Engineering specifications:
- The building has a movie theater in it. Design a sound environment for pleasant sound quality, loud sound volume, and comfortable for the audience to hear at any place in the theater.
- The building has a basketball arena in it. Design a sound environment for loud sound volume, where the sounds of cheering will be heard by the teams, and comfortable for the fans to see the game.
- The building has a music recording studio in it. Design a quiet sound environment to reduce echoes, where the musicians can hear each other clearly, and there is not extra noise in the room that can be picked up by microphones.
- As a class, define the problem that you are working on including the specifications. (Note: Inform the students that this is one of the first steps in an engineering design. It will also help the students understand the task.) The problem statement might be start with, "Design a sound environment that is…"
- Test your ideas with the empty box the same way that you tested the individual materials earlier.
- Draw a design of your final room on a blank piece of paper, label the materials that you used, where they were placed and where the people will be. You may use markers to help with your design.
- Conduct the Drawing Post-Assessment.
Assessment (Return to Contents)
Pre-Activity Assessment
Discussion: As a class, have the students engage in open discussion. Solicit, integrate and summarize student responses. Remind students that in brainstorming, no idea or suggestion is "silly." All ideas should be respectfully heard. Take an uncritical position, encourage wild ideas and discourage criticism of ideas. Have them raise their hands to respond. Ask the students:
- Is there a difference in the volume of sound in this classroom versus the cafeteria?
- What about the quality of sound?
Activity Embedded Assessment
Prediction Poll: Before passing out materials, ask all students the same question. Have students raise their hand to provide their hypothesis/prediction. Write answers on the board, and summarize (in percentages or actual number of students) who answered similarly. Ask students:
- What material do you think will absorb the most sound?
Post-Activity Assessment
Drawing: Have students depict the sound waves in their box for each material. They may elect to simply draw one wall and show how the sound waves are either absorbed or reflected. Note that fewer sound waves should reflect from the curtain than the wallpaper and that the sound panels will not absorb the sound waves that strike the wall around them.
Engineering Impacts: Have students discuss how acoustical design of a room affects the people in that room. How has acoustical engineering helped people? Why are there different sound environments for different types of rooms? Ask student to think of any experiences they have had where the sound environment or acoustical design did not match the purpose of the room.
Presentations: Have students model their final designs in the box, and have them present their designs to the class. They may use extra construction paper and markers to decorate the rooms as if people were inside.
Activity Extensions (Return to Contents)
Acoustical engineering is often used in industrial buildings. Ask students to think about why industries and factories would need acoustical engineering to create different sound environments.
Have students develop a sound environment for another type of room or urban area of their choosing. Have them consider design for sound environments around airports or busy highways.
Invite an acoustical engineer to give a presentation to the class.
References (Return to Contents)
Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, Cultural Projects, "Southern Theatre," accessed July 24, 2008. http://www.culture.ohio.gov/commission/detail.asp?id=674
Contributors
Michael Bendewald, Malinda Schaefer Zarske, Janet YowellCopyright
© 2008 by Regents of the University of Colorado. This digital library content was developed by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program.Supporting Program (Return to Contents)
Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado at BoulderLast Modified: August 10, 2010