Home Made Instrument (Bongo)

Explanation of Home made Instrument : BONGO!!!

Task: Create instructions on how you will make your instrument including the materials needed, step by step instructions on what to do, and explanation as to how the sound is made.

This doc is a really rough outline for setting out your writing. You should use images and even video where appropriate.

Materials Needed:

A cardboard cup, a balloon and a rubber band.

Instructions for Home made Instrument:

1. First you get a cardboard cup or a tin can
2. Then get a balloon and cut the top off
3. Get the cup and the top bit of the balloon
4. Spread the balloon out on top of the cup
5. And then get a rubber band and put it around the cup and make sure it holds the balloon bit so it doesn't come off
6. Then pull the balloon bit gently and it will make a loud sound

Explanation of how sound is created:

Introduction:

I’m going to explain how to make a home made instrument called a bongo and how it makes sound.

To make a bongo you will need a cardboard cup or a tin can and a rubber band and a balloon. Get the balloon and cut the top bit off and spread it on top of the cup. After that get the rubber band and put it around the cup and make sure it holds the balloon and it won’t come off. Then you've made a bongo.

If you pull the balloon bit gently and it makes a loud sound. If you use a big balloon the sound will sound normal. But if you use a small balloon the pitch will go higher.

I made this instrument because its really simple! Its also easy to carry around and very easy to find the things to make it with. Its just a rubber band, balloon and a tin can!

So If you find a tin can or a cardboard cup and have these materials then you can make a bongo. Its simple, so try it!

Science Road Show

Have you ever been to a science road show before? Well, last Friday our class and class five went down to Tamaki College for a science road show. For those who don’t know what a science road show is? It travels all around the country and it’s a show that contains science.

We all had to bring in eight dollars to go watch the road show. On Friday morning we went down to Tamaki College for the road show. As soon as we got there this tall man Shane came and told us some instructions and then we went into the hall.

The first show was really cool. After the first show we went and looked at different kinds of science experiments. My favourite experiment was finding out what was the bounciest ball. But then I kinda dislocated my index finger.

They then called us back for the second show and then Glen Taylor came. The second show was about explosions and they fired up two balloons but the balloons were different colours. They made a really big difference because the blue balloon was a little explosion but the red balloon made a really big explosion and you could feel the hotness of the fire.

How Does Guitars Create Sound?

Guitars are one of the most popular instruments played in this world. There are two types of guitars, one is just a normal guitar and the other one is a electric guitar. Guitars makes a lot of melodies and harmonies and its such a relaxing and joyful sound to hear.

The main part of a guitar is the body. For those who don’t know what the body is, well it’s the curvy bit that lays against your stomach and it’s where you strum it. Other parts of a guitar is the neck, the headstock, the tuner, the nut, the sound hole and the bridge. The neck is where you put your left hand on and where you change chords and it creates different sounds.

How is sound created by a guitar? When you strum a guitar, the sound reflects or bounces off the sound hole and it comes out louder. For example if someone was playing a guitar and singing and imagine being in the crowd, the sound of the guitar would be loud.

How to play a guitar? You first have to get the chords you want and for right-handed people you put your left hand on the neck and the right hand is strumming the metal strings. For left-handed people you just do the opposite to what right handed people do. It then comes out with the beat/sound you want!

Guitars create really relaxing and joyful sounds.

Funnel Ears Science Experiment Template!

Science experiment:

Question: What will happen to the sound if I change the shape of a piece of paper? (e.g. from a flat shape to a funnel shape)

Links to research about Sound:

http://www.thetech.org/exhibits/online/robotzoo/guide/bats_and_echoes.html

http://www.dolphins-world.com/how-do-dolphins-hear/

http://ucalgary.ca/pip369/mod6/sound/impo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound

Hypothesis: (What do you think will happen?) e.g. I think that….

The sound will go louder

Materials needed:

Papar, Sellotape, Tissue

Experiment (procedure):

e.g. Step 1 - First hold a flat piece of paper against your ear. Block your other ear with your hand. Get your partner to speak to you. What is the sound like? Can you hear clearly?

Step 2 - Next, roll the piece of paper into a funnel shape. Put the funnel against your ear. Face the funnel towards your partner and listen to them speak. What does it sound like? Can you hear clearly?

Step 3 - Next, face the funnel to the side while your partner speaks to you. Does it make a difference to the sound that you can hear?

Step 4 - Put some cotton balls or tissue paper into the funnel to block one end. Does it make a difference to the sound you hear?

Step 5 - Next, roll the piece of paper up and l

Data (What happened?)

	Shape/object/materials	Results:
1	flat piece of paper	Didn’t make any difference
2	funnel facing to the front towards partner	It sounds really loud
3	funnel facing to the side (opposite partner)	Its more quieter then when it was facing towards my partner
4	cotton ball or tissue  blocking the narrow end of the funnel	I could hear some echo noices
5	rolled up piece of paper (facing to the front)	Its really loud, it hurts my ear
6	rolled up piece of paper (facing to the side)	It sounds normal

Observations:

When the paper was just a flat shape and my partner talked it was normal and it made no difference. After that I made a funnel shape with the flat piece of paper and i got my partner to talk to me and the sound was more clearer and louder. I then got the funnel shape paper and put it on my other ear and covered my left ear and my partner talked and it sound more quieter. Then we got tissue and put it into the funnel shape paper and my partner talked and it sounded loud and clear. We then rolled up the paper and I put it on my left ear and my partner talked and it was really loud that it hurted my ear. I then put it on my other ear and it sounded normal.

Conclusion:

I have realised that the sound changes or goes louder every time we face the paper to our partener. When we face it to the opposite side of our partner and cover our other ear, the sound is normal and more quieter.

Explanation Writing About Music

Music surrounds us in this world. There are different types of music like Pop, Jazz, R&B, Reggae and many more. Music can be relaxing and can sometimes get us into mixed emotions. Loud music can damage our hearing because our ear drum can break and once it breaks our hearing will go away and will never come back.

Sometimes when we listen to old music our hippocampus brings back long term memories. For those who don’t know what a hippocampus is, well it is a part of our brain that brings back old memories. Sad songs can sometimes get us very emotional and we can get tears too.

There are many great artists in this world like Will.I.Am, Tyga, Ariana Grande, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce and many more. The type of music a lot of people around my age likes to listen to is hip hop music and rap music.

A lot of people like to play different kinds of instruments. The instruments that is mostly played is the guitar and sometimes the drums and the violin too. When we listen to music our heart and brain tries match the same beat as the song that you’re listening to.

This world without music would be incredibly boring. Imagine yourself watching t.v with no music and just a whole bunch of talking, arguing, laughing, even fighting, wouldn't that be annoying? But thanks to music there’s fun in this world.

Summary (Cochlear Implant)

The article we’re reading is about a little boy Dylan who was born deaf. The government said that they will pay for one cochlear implant. His parents tried really hard to raise $50,000 to pay for a second cochlear implant. Dylan then had his operation in September 2012. Dylan’s hearing really improved his development thanks to cochlear implant. Now the government will pay for two cochlear implants for children under six year old starting from July

Here is a link to the article we're reading: http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/east-bays-courier/10023010/Government-boost-cochlear-funding

Science Experiment Template!

Science experiment:

Question: What will happen to the sound if I cut the straw shorter and blow through it?

Links to research about Sound:

http://www.universetoday.com/61166/what-is-sound/

http://www.sciencekidsathome.com/science_topics/what_is_sound.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oElbMctAVlY&safe=active

Hypothesis: (What do you think will happen?) e.g. I think that….

I think that if we cut the straw shorter the sound will go up higher.

Materials needed:

Straw and scissors

Experiment (procedure):

e.g. Step 1 - Crease one end of the straw into 2-3 centimetres long

Step 2 - Then use the scissors again to cut the end of the straw into a triangle 1.5 cm long

Step 3 - Then put the triangle part of the straw into your mouth and blow.

Step 4 - Next,  cut the other end of the straw 5cm shorter using the scissors.

Step 5 - Blow on the cut end and listen to the sound.

Data (What happened?)

Long: Results:

15cm:	Makes a sound
10cm:	The sound goes higher
5cm:	The sound was at a more higher pitch

Observations:

When the straw was 15cm it made a sound and every time I cut the straw shorter the sound goes up higher.

Conclusion:

I have realised that when we cut the straw shorter while blowing, the sound goes to a higher pitch.

What Can I Hear?

There are so many sounds you can hear. These sounds are not all the same but are different kinds of sounds. The world without sound would be really difficult and we would have to use our hands to communicate with others like deaf people.  

At home you would sometimes hear loud music, the phone ringing, food cooking or even singing. There are also annoying sounds you can hear at home, like when my parents argue. I also hate when my cousins sing because sometimes their singing is flat.

Sometimes at school we could hear kids laughing, talking, you would even hear loud typing in class. Sounds can sometimes be really disturbing because it can hurt your ears and it could even get you angry. One of the sounds that really annoy me is when babies cry even though you try and calm them down.

Sounds that you would hear outside are probably cars, constructions, birds, and obviously talking sometimes. It’s really annoying when you’re standing outside and then a car drives past playing really loud music. The sound that I really like hearing outside is the sound of rain because it’s really relaxing.   

Immersion Assembly

Wow! What a great start to the term. Well, our whole school had a immersion assembly. For those who don’t know what immersion assembly is. It is an assembly that some schools have on the first day of the term and each team has to perform or explain what is the topic there learning about for that whole term.

As we walked into the hall I could see heaps of balloons and really colourful ones too. Our principal Mr Burt said a really big Welcome Back and then it was time for Team 1 to perform or share there movie. So they showed there movie and they were learning about things at the zoo and how to be safe at the zoo and at home.

As they were finishing off there performance Mr Burt called the next team and that was team 2 obviously. They were learning about gravity and thing that could fly. There performance was really funny and interesting because they explained different kind of things and I didn't know anything they were talking about.

Team 3 and 4 performed there ones and I really enjoyed watching the little movie that team 4 showed because it was really interesting. When it was time for team 5 I was really happy because I know that there performance would be funny. They produced a music video together and they told us that were learning about sound. They music video was really enjoyable to watch and really funny.