Do You Hear What I Hear?

Scripture: Psalm 100

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will learn Psalms had at least seven authors and several Psalms do not list any author.
  • Students will learn about 98 of the Psalms are celebrating and worshipping God.
  • Students will learn Psalms are often sung and have comforted God’s people for thousands of years.
  • Students will experiment with sound waves created by music.

Guiding Question: How does singing and music provide comfort? How does music create sound waves?

Materials: Measuring cups, cornstarch, water, four bowls, food coloring: red, blue, yellow, green, cookie sheet, speaker, Christian music

Procedure: Review Psalm 100 and explain that the Psalms used to be sung but over time, the tunes have been lost. Tell the students that Psalms were sung to comfort people and call out to God. Music can have the same comforting affect on people today. Tell students that the kind of music we listen to can have an affect on our mood and can bring us comfort. Christian music can bring us comfort as we pray or when we are in a stressful situation.

Explain to the students that music is created by vibrations which create sound waves. Sound waves are sent through the air and that is how we hear different noises. Tell the students that they are going to get to experiment with sound waves and different music.

Sound Wave Experiment:

  1. Make a mixture of 2 cups cornstarch to 1 cup water
  2. Divide the mixture into four smaller batches
  3. Add different colors of food coloring to each batch. (red, blue, green, yellow food coloring)
  4. Place a thin metal cookie sheet on top of speaker (big older ones speakers work better than small ones)
  5. Place the different colors of the cornstarch mixture on the cookie sheet  
  6. Play different types of Christian music at different volume levels and see what the cornstarch mixture does – if it doesn’t start moving you may have to stick a finger in it to get it going or change songs/volume

*It is best to experiment at home before trying in class

Have the students keep track of which types of music and volumes made the most movement.

Additional Questions: How can we see sound vibrations in real life?

Supplemental Activity: Gather tuning forks and a bowl of water. Have the students take turns hitting a book, chair, etc. with a tuning fork and sticking the tuning fork in the bowl of water. Have the students draw what they see when they place the tuning fork in the water.

search previous next tag category expand menu location phone mail time cart zoom edit close