Most marine mammals rely on sound for communication, foraging, navigation and predator avoidance. Scientists at the National Marine Mammal Foundation explore the sounds marine mammals make, the sounds they hear, and the effect of human-made sound has on them. The NMMF has developed instrumentation that allows hearing of stranded wild marine mammals to be tested. They have also determined the threshold criteria for exposure to sound that could affect marine mammal behavior and physiology, including hearing. This workshop describes the novel ways the National Marine Mammal Foundation studies acoustics and then engages the students in a variety of activities to demonstrate the science of sound and how we measure it.
Voices in the Sea Activities
Spoon and String Activity
Grades: All
NGSS: MS-LS1-8. Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.
Noisemaker Activity
Grades: K-2
NGSS: 1-PS4-1. Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate.
Sounds and Waves Activity
Grades: All
NGSS: 4-PS3-2. Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.
Balloons Simulate Dolphin Whistles
Grades: All
NGSS: 1-PS4-4. Use tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance.
Cup and String Activity
Grades: K-2
NGSS: 1-PS4-4. Use tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance.
Singing Wine Glass Activity
Grades: 6-8
NGSS: MS-PS4-2. Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
