How vibrations travel
I can recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear.
How vibrations travel
I can recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Sounds are heard when vibrations travel from the object through a medium to our ear.
- Vibrations create sound waves which are not visible in the air, but we can use diagrams to show how they travel.
- A medium can be a solid, a liquid, or a gas, such as a wall, water, or the air.
- Sound cannot be heard in outer space as there is no air, therefore no medium for sound to travel through.
Keywords
Vibrations - Vibrations are when an object moves very fast from side to side.
Medium - Vibrations need a medium to travel, such as a solid, liquid or gas.
Diagram - A diagram is a simplified drawing of information.
Sound waves - Vibrations travel in sound waves which spread out in all directions.
Common misconception
Children may think that sound travels only to the person that hear it, directly from the sound source to their ear.
Ensure opportunities for children to draw diagrams of how they think sound travels, and then revisit the diagrams to make improvements or amendments with further learning.
To help you plan your year 4 science lesson on: How vibrations travel, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 4 science lesson on: How vibrations travel, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 science lessons from the Introduction to sound unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Paper and pencils to draw diagrams of how vibrations travel.
Licence
Lesson video
Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
paper for drawing
oil for cooking
helium for a balloon
