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3
Brief
Preparation time: 15 min
Teaching time: 45 min

Structure of the ear and the sounds it perceives

Students will be visited by an expert to learn about the structure of the ear and how it works. They will then work together to find out about infrasound and ultrasound. They will research whether infrasound is safe for humans and why it is being researched by the military, before exploring the concept of echolocation by playing a game.

Format

  • Game
  • Group work
  • Lecture
  • Presentation

Age

  • 13-16

What

The possible connections with your curriculum

  • Biology
  • Physical Sciences

Who

The people who take up the teacher role

  • Expert
  • School students
  • Teacher

Where

The locations where learning takes place

  • Classroom
  • Other spaces in school

With

The community stakeholders to collaborate with

-

Ready for action?

Resources

Tangible Resources

An ear model, a resilient blade or vibrating car antenna – for infrasound testing, obstacles, a scarf to cover the eyes.

Human Resources

An ENT doctor will talk about the structure of the ear, and examine a participants’ hearing with an audiometer.

Preparation

Prepare resources, worksheets and an obstacle course for students to play bats. Organise an ENT doctor to visit.

Goals, messages & concepts

Specific goals

  • Learn how the sense of hearing works.
  • Identify the range of sounds heard by humans.
  • Understand that it is important to measure infrasound at work establishments.

Specific messages

  • There are sounds that we cannot hear.
  • Sounds that we cannot hear can be harmful to us.

Main terms

  • ear
  • infrasound
  • ultrasound
  • echolocation

Practices & skills

STEM practices

  • Developing and using models
  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
  • Asking questions and defining problems

Soft skills

  • Teamwork and collaboration

Management skills

-

Course of activity

step 1

Students will be introduced to the structure and function of the ear using an ear model (or video). An ENT specialist will talk about hearing defects and diseases, and carry out an audiometer test on a volunteer.

step 2

Working in 2 groups, the class will research specific topics, make notes and write down the most important information. They learn what infrasound and ultrasound are, what range of sounds a human can hear and what animals use infrasound and ultrasound, whether infrasound is safe for humans and why it is being researched by the military, where ultrasound is used, and how to create infrasound and ultrasound. Each group will present the information to the other member of the class.

step 3

Next, students will conduct an experiment to model how a bat hears using echolocation.

  • One student must cover their eyes with a scarf.
  • Various (safe) obstacles will be placed around the classroom.
  • Students will position themselves in different places around the room. Their task is to guide the ‘bat’ from one side of the classroom to the other by means of sound.
  • If a student on the right makes a sound, the ‘bat’ must go in his direction, if the sound is made by a student standing opposite, the ‘bat’ goes in that direction, and so on.
  • The group that manages to guide the ‘bat’ safely to the other end of the classroom without touching the obstacles wins!