ETHNOMATHEMATICS

DESIGNING A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

USING EVERY DAY RECYCLED MATERIALSBY BAO YING CHEN

HIGH SCHOOL NINTH GRADETIMEFRAME TWO WEEKS (SIX DAYS)

SCIENCENGSSHS-PS3-3: Design, build, refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another.HS-ETS1-2: Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.HS-ESS3-2: Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.HS-LS2-7: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

HCPS IIIStandard 1: Scientific Inquiry - Discover, invent, and investigate using the skills necessary to engage in the scientific process.SC.CH.1.2 - Design and safely implement an experiment, including the appropriate use of tools and techniques to organize, analyze, and validate data.SC.CH.1.3 - Defend and support conclusions, explanations, and arguments based on logic, scientific knowledge, and evidence from data.SC.CH.4.10 - Identify and explain physical properties of substances

How can one use everyday recycled materials to effectively design a musical instrument that can be used in performances?

STANDARD BENCHMARKS AND VALUES

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ENDURING UNDERSTANDING • Structure and properties of matter • Interactions of energy and matter• Scientific thought process can be applied to everyday applications

CRITICAL SKILLS AND CONCEPTS:• Understand what/how structure and the properties of particular

matter can affect results of overall design.• Explain and understand how interactions of energy can

transform matter to create the final product.• Apply the scientific thought process to design

musical instrument.• Understand how others have used

recycled materials to develop usable everyday applications.

AUTHENTIC PERFORMANCE TASK: • Students will be divided into groups of 4-3. Materials

that are available for use include: glue, scissors, and scratch paper.

• Students will bring in their own recycled materials that they find at home or around school campus.

• Students must develop their own musical instrument from recycled items.

• Students will get into groups to discuss and develop plan on how to create their instrument. They will need to write and draw their plan.

• Instruments need to be able to withstand a two-minute music performance.

• Students execute plan. Students may rethink and readjust, or start over at some point during their design process.

• Students will present and perform their instruments to the class.

• Song chosen will be from Billboard Top 100 in the year that they were born.

AUTHENTIC AUDIENCE: My students are in the arts and communication academy and are interested in music, performance, theater, and art. The idea for this lesson is that I wanted to incorporate the process of thinking like a scientist, performance and music into the lesson while still teaching my students about the importance of recycling.

OTHER EVIDENCE: Team evaluations

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LEARNING PLANMAIN IDEAThe freshmen students that I teach are in the arts and communication academy. Students who join the academy in their freshmen year are often interested in learning more about art and performance. Music is an art and is crucial in reeling an audience into the performance. My students will work in groups to

create their own musical instruments. Since each group will have their own idea of what a musical instrument should be, they will sketch out their design and build

their instruments based on the recycled materials that will be provided to them. Students will use scientific thinking to formulate and evaluate a hypothesis. The students will be able to explain how/why they chose their design through an in-class presentation and perform their musical instruments for their classmates. Designing their own music instruments through recycled materials will not only allow the students to see how science can be applied to everyday life but performing with the instrument will provide a sense of validation for students to know that their designs do work.

DAY TWO1. Reintroduce essential question and review with students about structure

and properties of matter.2. Introduce what energy is and how it relates to transforming matter. 3. Go over possible sample problems and have students practice answering

problems using worksheets. 4. Go over practice problems with students. 5. Students decide which group they would like to perform their instruments

with. Song must be from Billboard Top 100.

PROCEDURESDAY ONE1. Start by introducing the essential question for students and what the end

goal of the lesson will be (to apply knowledge about matter, energy, recycled materials, and scientific thinking) to design our own music instrument for performance.

2. Introduce structure and properties of matter using Powerpoint presentation. 3. Go over possible sample problems and have students practice answering

problems using worksheets. 4. Group students in preparation for lab. There should be no more than 4 students per group.

Roles for students (roles can be rotated amongst members in group): • Facilitator (Initiates discussion topics, gathers supplies)• Recorder (someone to be writing and recording notes as group speaks. Also contributes

to discussion)• Time keeper (Keeps track of time, contributes to discussion)

5. Go over practice problems with students.

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DAY THREE1. Review energy and matter with students.2. Introduce sustainability and recycling. Review scientific thinking.3. Review with students about what the main goal is. We want to use what we

learned to design our own musical instrument. 4. Provide brief history engineering musical instruments.5. Students will need to start instrument activity by first deciding what the

musical instrument will be and how to design it. Their design needs to be sketched out. Instruments created would be based on what is appropriate for the song.

6. Tell students to bring in recycled supplies to the next class.

DAY FOUR1. Present sketch to class and introduce supplies that will be used.2. Construct musical instrument

DAY SIX1. Group performances. 2. Follow performance rubric for grading. 3. At end of all presentations, students will write reflections.

DAY FIVE1. Last day to construct instruments. Make adjustments as needed.

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MATTER WORKSHEET

NAME PERIOD DATE

1. What is Matter?

2. In the circles below, draw how molecules would look in each of the three basic states of matter:

Fill in the blank with a word that would best complete the following statements:

3. Energy must be __________________ to separate water molecules as ice melts.

4. As energy is _______________ by water, molecules that are moving _______________ break away from the surface of liquid water to form water vapor. This is called ________________.

5. When energy is __________________ by a gaseous substance, molecules in the substance __________________ and the substance becomes a liquid; this is a process called __________________.

6. Besides the three common (to you) states of matter, name one other state of matter. Describe this state in your own words:

__________________ : _____________________________________________________

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ENERGY WORKSHEET

NAME

WINDMILL

FIREWORK

FLASHLIGHT

BATTERY

MICROWAVE

BICYCLE

PERIOD DATE

Energy Transformation:

Identify the different types of energy transformation in each of the pictures.

Energy Transformation:

Energy Transformation:

Energy Transformation:

Energy Transformation:

Energy Transformation:

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ENGINEERING MUSIC STUDENT WORKSHEET

NAME PERIOD DATE

You and your team have been given the challenge to build a new musical instrument out of recycled materials. The goal is to have an instrument that can withstand a two-minute music performance. The song that is chosen will be from the Billboard Top 100 from the year that you were born.

PLANNING:• Devise a design and materials plan to build your instrument. Your instrument will be dependent on what

is needed in order to perform the song. Figure out what recycled supplies you will need and develop a sketch of the plan.

• Draw your instrument design in the box below. Include a list of materials you plan to use to build the instrument. Present your design to the class.

BUILDING YOUR OWN INSTRUMENT

MATERIALS USED:

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ENGINEERING MUSIC STUDENT WORKSHEET

NAME PERIOD DATE

Evaluate the results, complete the evaluation worksheet, and perform your instrument, with your group, to the class.

1. Did you and your team successfully create an instrument that could withstand a two-minute performance? If not, why do you think it did not work?

2. If you had to do it all over again, how would your planned design change? Why?

3. What designs or methods did you see other teams try that you thought worked well?

4. Do you think you would have been able to complete this project easier if you worked alone? Explain your response.

5. What engineering considerations are needed in musical instrument design to accommodate physically challenged musicians?

EVALUATION

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Criteria: 4 3 2 1 Score:Construction Instrument is well

constructed. Sturdy, neat, can stand up to repeated playing over period of time.

Instrument is decently constructed. Somewhat sturdy, neat, can stand up to repeated playing over period of time.

Instrument is constructed. Not very sturdy, not very neat, can somewhat stand up to repeated playing over period of time.

Instrument is poorly constructed. Sturdy, not neat, struggles to stand up to repeated playing over period of time.

Sound Quality Can produce good quality sound.

Can produce decent sounds.

Can produce sounds. Does not produce any sounds.

Materials for instrument

All parts are made from recycled products and explanation is given about those materials were used.

Parts are made from recycled products and explanation is given about those materials were used.

Only a few parts are made from recycled products and No explanation given.

No parts are made from recycled products and No explanation given.

Creativity Lots of creative ideas incorporated.

Decent amount of creative ideas incorporated.

Some creative ideas are incorporated.

No original/creative ideas used.

Presentation Thoroughly explained materials used and designed created.

Explained materials used and designed created.

Somewhat explained materials used and designed created.

Poorly explained materials used and designed created.

Performance At least two-mins performance. Great performance.

At least two-mins performance. Good performance.

Less than two-mins performance. Decent performance.

Less than two-mins performance. Poor performance.

DESIGNING YOUR OWN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT RUBRIC

• HS-LS2-7: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

• HS-ETS1-2: Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.

CRITERIA:1. Create a recycled instrument that can withstand a two-minute music performance.

2. Explain what materials you used and why you used those materials.

3. Explain your design and why you chose this design.

4. Perform a two-minute musical piece with your instrument (may also sing along).

TOTAL: /24