Third grade students will be able to define vibration.  Students will also learn that sound is created by vibration.

Materials:
tuning fork, lid and uncooked popcorn

Strategy:

Ask the question what is vibration?  A rapid motion back and forth; the action of vibrating.  The teacher will put the definition on the chalk board.  Ask students what will happen to the popcorn kernels in a lid when the lid is touched with an active tuning fork?  Students will make a prediction.

Show students the materials to be used in the experiment and state the problem.

Problem:  What will happen to the popcorn kernels in a lid when the lid is touched with an active tuning fork?

Pass out individual scientific method worksheet and students will write down their predictions and hypothesis.  Ask volunteers to explain the reasons for their predictions.

Students will conduct the experiments

Discuss results as explained in the objective.

Students will complete the student scientific method worksheet.

Performance Assessment:

Students will be able to define vibration and explain how sound is made by vibrations.

Conclusion:

When the sound waves from the tuning fork hit the lid, the vibrations are transferred to the lid and then to the popcorn kernels.  This cause the popcorn to dance.

http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow2/apr99/soundsci.html

References:

McGraw Hill Science, New York, New York, 2000

                                                                  Scientific Method

                                                                   Dancing Kernels

Name_____________________________________________ Date____________________________

Problem:    What will happen to the popcorn kernels in a lid when the lid is touched with an active tuning fork?

       ______________________________________________________________________________

       ______________________________________________________________________________

Hypothesis:     The popcorn kernels will__________________________________________________

                          A.  dance

                           B.  do nothing

                            C.  pop

                            D.  spark

Procedure:    Place popcorn kernels in a lid.  Now hit a tuning fork and place it on the lid.  Watch out!

Conclusion:   The popcorn kernels__________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Draw a picture of  the experiment: