Listen and Learn Additional Information

For information about hearing problems and testing in kids, see www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/eyes/hear.html (Nemours Foundation).

To learn about speech, hearing, sound, and the professionals who study these subjects, go to www.asha.org/ (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association); and asa.aip.org/ (The Acoustical Society of America).

For more details and links about standards and guidelines for classroom acoustics, visit www.access-board.gov/acoustic/index.htm (United States Access Board).

To see what architects, educators, and school planners might want to know about classroom acoustics, check out asa.aip.org/classroom/booklet.html (Acoustical Society of America).

For information, studies, and resources concerning classroom acoustics, compiled by an advocacy group, see www.classroomacoustics.com/(Classroom Acoustics).

Sohn, Emily. 2007. Cacophony acoustics. Science News for Kids (April 25). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2007/04/cacophony-acoustics-3/.

______. 2006. Ultrasonic frogs raise the pitch. Science News for Kids (March 22). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2006/03/ultrasonic-frogs-raise-the-pitch-3/.

______. 2004. Noisy boats may bother orcas. Science News for Kids (May 5). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2004/05/noisy-boats-may-bother-orcas-2/.

______. 2004. Sounds and silence. Science News for Kids (Jan. 7). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2004/01/sounds-and-silence-2/.

______. 2003. City birds hit the high notes. Science News for Kids (July 23). Available at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2003/07/city-birds-hit-the-high-notes-3/.

LabZone

Reducing Noise Pollution

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20060920/LabZone.asp

ScienceFairZone

Earplugs and Noise

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20050406/ScienceFairZone.asp

---

Books recommended by SearchIt!Science:

Earaches (My Health) — Alvin Silverstein, Virginia Silverstein, Laura Silverstein Nunn Published by Franklin Watts/Scholastic, 2002. Have you ever gotten over a cold, only to find that your ear has started to hurt? Earaches are the second most common childhood illness. With color photos, diagrams, and cartoons, this title in the “My Health” series explains all about earaches. Learn about the anatomy of your ear and how ears work, and find out what an ear infection is and why ear infections occur. Read about swimmer’s ear, another common ear problem in kids. Finally, discover how earaches are treated and, better yet, how to prevent them.

Perk Up Your Ears: Discover Your Sense of Hearing— Vicki Cobb Published by Millbrook Press, 2001. Clear your ears and get ready to explore your sense of hearing. Explore the anatomy of ears and perform activities that help you find out about the amazing and incredible ear. Test your hearing and find out why two ears are better than one! What really goes on inside your ears? Investigate and perform several activities that help you learn about conduction, perception of pitch, and echolocation. Full-color collages make it fun to learn about this exciting sense.

Jazzy Science Projects With Sound And Music (Fantastic Physical Science Experiments)— Robert Gardner Published by Enslow Publishers, 2006. What makes sound? Can sound travel through solids? Are two ears better than one? The experiments in this book will show you how to investigate many sound-related questions. Learn how to make your own sound effects, build your own musical instruments, and more. With colorful illustrations, lists of materials, and explanations of the science behind the experiments, this book offers a wealth of science-project ideas to elementary-school students.

Return to article

---

Power Words

acoustics The scientific study of sound and how it travels.

decibel A unit used to measure the loudness or intensity of a sound. The speaking voice of most people ranges from 45 to 75 decibels.

echo A sound that is heard more than once because its sound waves bounce off a surface or an object and come back to where they were first heard.

parallel Relating to lines or surfaces that are separated from each other by the same distance everywhere. A floor is parallel to a ceiling.

sound 1. A type of energy that travels as waves and can often be detected by the ears. Sound starts out as a vibration of something, such as a guitar string. The vibration causes sound waves to move through another substance, such as air, water, or a piece of wood. Sound waves move through air at a speed of about 1,070 feet (326 meters) per second. 2. The sensation that is produced in the organs of hearing by sound waves.

Copyright © 2002, 2003 Houghton-Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Return to article