Source material by Dangerous Decibels
Students familiarize themselves with the idea that some sounds can be too loud.
Science Topics
Sound
Decibels
Sense of Hearing
Process Skills
Classifying
Comparing
Grade Level
K-2
Preparation
None
Set-Up
15-20 minutes
Activity
25 minutes
Clean-Up
10 minutes
Learning Goals
Students will be able to:
• Understand that some sounds can lead to hearing loss.
• Refer to a bookmark to determine loudness of common sounds.
Materials not in Kit
Glue or tape (1 per group)
Scissors (1 per student)
Printer
Printer paper or Card stock (1 page per student)
Optional Materials
Color printer
Set-Up
Gather materials and print enough bookmarks for all students.
Introduce the Activity
Explain that students will be creating bookmarks and introduce the idea of some sounds being too loud.
Doing the Activity
- Each student will cut out the two bookmarks, following the dashed lines
- Students will then glue or tape the bookmarks together, back-to-back.
- Discuss the sounds on the bookmark:
→ What are some common sounds that can damage your ears?
→ What do you think you can do to protect your ears?
The Answer – There are several ways a person can take to prevent noise-induced hearing loss:
Explanation
Loud sounds (above 85 dB for 8 or more hours) can damage ears.
Key Lesson Terminology
dB – a measure of sound intensity (abbreviation for decibel)
Optional Extensions
More information about loud sounds is in the Sound and Music Lesson and can adapted for younger students.
Complete the Loud Sounds Coloring Sheets.