These are ways you can go about integrating music into science. These ideas for kids are simple yet effective. Student’s are using music in science every day without even realizing it. Music helps student’s retain what they are learning and makes science come to life. In this blog post (and this podcast episode 98), I’ll show you how to integrate music and science.
Science and Sound
One of my favorite activities for learning about sound is the cup activity. Fill up 8-10 cups with different amounts of water, like 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2, and experiment with how each cup sounds while hitting it with a spoon. This is also another great way to integrate music and math, by discussing fractions!
Student’s will quickly realize that the cups with less water will sound lower than the cups with more water in them. This can turn into a music lesson by comparing how instruments sound lower or higher depending on how much air is in them and their size.
Frequency and Music
Frequency is definitely a part of music and science. In science, frequency is used in AC alternating current, radio waves, sound waves, and electrical signals in computers. In music, frequency can be used to describe the different notes on a piano, since they are have different Hz and therefore sound different. Finding the similarities between frequency in music and science will be fun for student’s to experience. Mention to your kids that the next time they hear music coming out of the radio, they are experiencing frequency. They will be mind blown.
Sing About Science
Student’s love to write and perform their own songs. While studying a unit in science, like astronomy for example, kids can write a song about the planets, stars, or the galaxy. When singing about concepts that are learned, the facts are retained easier and help student’s remember what was taught. Remind kids that when they sing about science, they are not only learning about science lessons, but their voices are using sound waves too.
Make a Thunderstorm
Kids love to play instruments, and what better way to experiment with sound, silences, and frequency, then creating a thunderstorm. You could talk about how thunderstorms start with little sprinkles, turn into rain, then thunder and lightning, wind, etc. After talking about how a thunderstorm starts and ends, pick out instruments that would work for each sound. My favorites are shakers, drums, rhythm sticks, rain stick (obviously), or anything else you and the kids can come up with.
Go on a Nature Walk
While walking with my kids, we always hear so many sounds around us. Sound is a part of music and science, and just like our voices while singing, everything in nature makes high and low pitches also. When you’re outside, you will hear cars, trucks, animals, kids playing, insects, construction workers, and so much more. Without realizing it, your kids are getting some outside time, but are also experiencing sounds all around them.
There are so many more music and science integration ideas. I only mentioned my favorite ideas here. What are your favorite ways to integrate music and science?
P.S. Are you feeling frustrated or stuck as an elementary music teacher? Check out these free resources to help you teach elementary music with confidence!
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Thank you for sharing. this is wonderful.
You’re so welcome
When did you make this blog? What year? I would like to use this as a reference for my research. Thank you!
Hi Nina! Yes, I wrote it on March 18, 2017. Let me know if you have any more questions! -Jessica
What lovely ideas Jessica! I think my kids would love the Thunderstorm idea but I might have trouble getting them to concentrate on a nature walk – they’d be too busy running around to stop and listen 🙂
Haha I totally feel you on the nature walk. I have three boys.
Thanks for sharing these great ideas! My son loves music!
You’re so welcome! I’m so glad your son loves music!
My daughter loves to sing, so singing about science would be so fun for her!
Oh good! I hope you get a chance to tryout some of the ideas!
This is really interesting… My oldest is taking violin lessons so I’m going to share some of this information with him. I know he’ll be interested in learning the science behind his instrument.
Oh that’s so great! I love the violin!
I love this! i always loved to learn through music and hope to be able to teach my kids through it as well.
That is so great! Thank you!
Great ideas. I like the nature walk one especially, because listening for sounds adds another layer of interest to your walk!
Yes so true! Thank you!
These are such fun ideas! My kids would love them!
Thank you so much!
I love doing the wayer cup activity! It’s so fun and you can just see the amazement on the kids faces. I can’t wait to try the thunderstorm one!
Oh yeah! The thunderstorm activity is one of my faves. Kids get so into it.
I absolutely love the idea of using a nature walk to explore science and sounds! Brilliant!
Thank you so much!
I remember making rainstorms when I taught preschool! I love all the other ideas too!! 🙂
Awe that’s great thank you!
These are great. I have two budding musician daughters at home, and I will have to bookmark these ideas for our summer enrichment lessons at home. Thanks!
You’re so welcome!
This is a great ideas for kids. Especially as school are cutting down music education. I should do the thunderstorm idea with my niece. xx
Thank you so much!
Great ideas, Jessica!I love the simple idea of a nature walk! Also, my mother-in-law does a Solar System play with her students each year; it’s filled with lots of catchy, fact-filled songs. 🙂
Oh that is such a great idea!
I love music and science and I love integrating them in my kids’ lives. They are still very young but that’s the beauty of music… You can introduce it to your kid from birth! I never thought about frequency but I will have to introduce it to my kids now!
Oh that’s so great that you are already integrating music! You are doing a wonderful job!
That is so great you are already integrating music! You are doing a wonderful job!