Measuring Sound

Students need to understand that sound can be measured in decibals.
(Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss: 90-95 dB) (use internet site to share levels of sound)
Students understand that sound is measured just like distance, height, weight, etc.,
Students can then use their hands to gauge the sounds around them.
Students rub their hands together - and if they can hear, the area is quiet, if they cannot hear, then students snap their fingers, if
it is somewhat quiet/some noise - students should be able to hear, if the area is loud, then students move to clapping. If the
students can hear the clapping, then it is loud, and if they can not, then the noise level is probably at a dangerous level, if extended for a
long period of time.
Students now try this informal assessment in the classroom. (while quiet, talking, shouting) to "pretest" method.
Students/Small groups should then take a gallery walk throughout school, play area, bus area, etc.
As students take the gallery walk, notice what the environment is. Are they large rooms, with or without carpet, high, low ceilings, etc.
Students notice in each area, the surroundings, and then use their hands to measure. This is great for indoor/outdoor recess, lunch room,
assemblies, classroom in the morning, during reading time, media center, office, headsets listening to music, etc. Students jot results and noticings of their findings during gallery walk.
Upon returning to the classroom, chart noticings and data collected. What did they notice?
Students then can use borrowed equipment to actually measure the sound (students then receive instruction and practice using equipment). Students then post their questions/wonderings of areas to investigate in the school. Groups are sent with borrowed equipment and flip camera to gather their data. Groups record each area at least 3 times and then a student will document their group work(using flip video), findings, noticings, and variables of their area. One student interviews the student measuring as to their location, what they are measuring, their noticings, and their conclusions.
Students will then use a spreadsheet application to chart their findings and use the data to make conclusions as to the best areas and levels to learn our best. (2 to 3 sentences about their findings).
Students then note their learning, their part in the noise, and how does this noise level affect us, especially in the learning community. What would they suggest for students who are "sensitive" to noise.