Activity 3 Sorting Sounds


Objective Activity To use a wide vocabulary to talk about the sounds instruments make.


Sort instruments into two groups; objects that make quiet sounds and objects that make loud sounds.


Teacher shares red 'Stop' card and green 'Go' card along with the two additional visual prompt cards 'Loud Lion' and 'Quiet Mouse', and places them in two separate hoops on the carpet. If the children haven’t used the 'Loud Lion' or 'Quiet Mouse' cards before explain to the children how they are used.


Teacher shares a variety of musical instruments or objects that make sounds identified in previous activities. Children play the instrument and decide which hoop the item should go in; 'Loud Lion' if the sound it makes is loud, and 'Quiet Mouse' if it makes a quiet sound. Children continue to sort all the instruments into quiet and loud sounds.


Teach


This activity can be played in groups where children decide together what sound the instrument makes, or individually where the teacher discusses the children's choices with them once all instruments are sorted. Picture cards or the printable resource on the right page can be used in place of real instruments, where a pre-recorded sound can be played for children instead.


Ask about what children can hear:


• Does the instrument always make a loud sound? E.g. if you hit a drum hard it can make a loud sound, but if you tap it lightly does it still make a loud sound?


• What is their favourite loud or quiet instrument?


A set of instruments, which can include; a wood block, xylophone, castanets, bell, shaker, drum, tambourine or triangle.


Resources


Hula hoops, boxes or bags to place sorted items into. Red 'Stop' card and green 'Go' prompt cards.


'Loud Lion' and 'Quiet Mouse' prompt cards. • Extension


Instruments and loud / quiet prompt cards can remain in provision area to allow independent access to them.


• Once children have sorted the sounds, they can try the 'Adjust the Volume' activity, where two children sit opposite each other with identical instruments and copy each other making loud sounds and quiet sounds.


80


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9