Resource 3: Listening to sounds in everyday life

Teacher resource for planning or adapting to use with pupils

This activity encourages pupils to pay attention to the sounds around them. You can use it as a classroom project or a ‘sound search’ project at home.

Sound scavenger hunt

Ask pupils to work in pairs to identify and record the following sounds using words, symbols or drawings. The hunt can be done at home, in the street or at school.

The aim is to use their ears, not their eyes!

Ask them to identify:

  • a musical sound;
  • a chaotic sound;
  • the loudest sound they can;
  • a short, sharp sound;
  • a sound that makes them feel calm and relaxed;
  • a continuous sound (one that goes on and on);
  • a sound with a definite pattern;
  • a sound which makes them want to move or dance;
  • a scary sound;
  • a tiny sound;
  • a sound that is very far away;
  • a sound that is close by;
  • a rhythmic sound;
  • a tinkly sound;
  • a rough sound;
  • a long sound;
  • a deep sound.

Use just a few of these with your pupils to start with, selecting the easier ones (like a deep or long sound) and then extend the list as they understand the task. Let them make up their own descriptions for sounds and try to make the sound that matches their description.

Resource 2: Making instruments

Resource 4: Praise singing