Explanation of Homemade Instrument ~ Shaker

Explanation of Homemade Instrument ~ Shaker

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.

Instrument: Shaker

Materials Needed:

Bottle

Rocks/Small balls

Instructions for Homemade Instrument:

1. [First Instruction].... Get a bottle (e.g a powerade bottle)
2. Refill it and clean it up and then get some mini balls or rocks.
3. Put the rocks/balls in the bottle.
4. Begin shaking it. What does it sound like?

Explanation of how sound is created:

Introduction: I’m going to explain how sound is made from this instrument and also how it works. Its a shaker and its real easy and fast to make!

Main reason: The reason why sound is loud from this shaker is because of the bottle! Its a plastic bottle and there are rocks/mini balls in it! Its really loud and its because the bottle is big and plastic.

Second reason: I created a shaker was because it was easy to create. Its also easy to carry around and easy to find the things to make it with, its simple, theres just rocks/mini balls and also one bottle or you either make a lot of shakers with less amounts of balls in each!

Third reason: The thing thats making the sound is the rocks. Its big and small. You pour the rocks in and you just start shaking. It may be loud but its a useful instrument and your like it!

Conclusion:

Now you can see how sound is made from a bottle with rocks or balls, and also how to make it! Its simple and you should try!

Why is swimming important?

Why is swimming important you ask? Well this story is based on ‘ Why is swimming important ‘. I hope you already know how to swim or learning how to swim because its good training and very important!

If it weren't for swimming, we wouldn't of known how to swim or we would've just been drowning in water every time we swim, that why its very important to know how to swim, and last week we took swimming lessons. It was for our school.

We took swimming because it was to see how well we swim or if we can swim. Another reason we took it because our families or friends don’t want us passing away, and that is why it important to know how to swim so if your out in the ocean you know how to come back to shore!

Samoan Language Week

Its Samoan language week and we performed a siva. This Samoan siva was for the minister ‘Sam Lotu-Iiga’ and for all of the Samoan people! Sam is the member of the New Zealand Parliament for the Maungakiekie.

First a girl named ‘Serenity’ had to do a prayer for us and to bless our day and then a boy ‘Christian’ welcomed Sam Lotu-Iiga to our school! We then had to leave and get ready to perform.

The Samoan group then went onto the stage and performed our hardest to make our people proud. We went hard out to also make our teachers and leaders. As soon as the girls finished the boys came on and shouted for our culture.

They soon finished and then the Tamaki College Samoan group performed, they didn’t only dance, they also sang a very nice song. When they finished Mr Burt (our principal) thanked us for that performance. We then finished everything and when for morning tea.

I’d just like to say thanks to Sam Lotu-Iiga for picking our school to perform for the Samoan language week. Your awesome and also a huge thanks to our teachers and leaders for supporting us that we can do the best!

Samoan Language Week ~ Sela from Team 5 PES on Vimeo.

20 hr Famine

Last night some of out pt Englanders have been starving because we are doing 20 hour famine! We were already scheduled and ready for last night! We started off with prictionary and moved on to fun games like, hand games, acting and more! It was fun and we also got to do amazing race.

We were getting to learn more about Malawi, where we were sending money to! Us, Pt Englanders also had time to watch some videos about Malawi and what sort of food they eat and also what they do. Just before the ambassadors came, we were playing a musical number game. What ever number our teacher (Mrs Tele'a) yells is what we get into.

As soon as the ambassadors arrived, we lined up and got to listen to there amazing stories. It was touching and it was about how they went to Malawi. We then got to ask some questions and one of the funniest questions asked what 'Did you get to go to real toilets there?' and they starting laughing so they told us. It is one toilet but just one small hole and the whole village uses it, its not for each family.

They then finished with there Malawi stories and we got onto our music and fun. But they first told us there names which was, Cecilia (Cece), Tinashe and two others. We then moved into our items, we first had a 10 minute practice and then we moved on to performing.

Blue was first and then it was us. We sang a song from the movie 'Pitch Perfect' but we put it in our own words! As soon as all items were finished, they pronounced the winner and it was my team, team yellow! All of us then got a prize including the non-winning teams.

It was movie time and we watched 'Frozen'. Even though I've watched it before I would still like to watch it again. It was finished and we had to seep, but we could sleep at any time! The movie was fun and funny.

We learnt so much about the life style in Malawi. Also would like to say Tinashe, Cecilia and all the other ambassadors are awesome! Thank you so much!! Maluguakwadarisen!
(Ma-lu-gu-ak-wa-da-ri-sen)! It means God bless!!

How does a musical instrument create sound?

Intro: Guitars are one of the most popular instruments played in the world. Have you ever wondered how instruments create music? Well there is this one instrument and this story is based on a guitar.

Parts of a guitar: There are many parts on a guitar! From top to bottom there is a head, turning peg, nuts, fretboard and a position marker for the top part. The main bit of the guitar is the body which is what you put against your stomach. There is also a lump near the end of the guitar and its called a bridge. It’s to hold the strings!

How is sound created from a guitar?

So, your hand is on the metal wire and then soon you strum it. What it does is that the sound is produced by the vibration and then soon goes into the sound hole and rebounds back out making a louder sound. The further up the neck you go (when you press the strings) the higher the pitch will sound.

How to play a guitar:

A guitar can be used to be played from heavy metal to classical! Once you master a few basics it will be uncomplicated than any other instruments. You can play any songs that you like, once you get the chords and all that. If you got it then you start strumming so the sound you want is all that you have!

Conclusion: Guitars are quite easy to play.

Aotearoa compared to Malawi

For extension we had to compare New Zealand and Malawi with what we do in a day. Its about our day, and what we eat! Here is what I think New Zealand and Malawi are compared!! Enjoy!

Paper Experiment

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.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/east-bays-courier/10023010/Government-boost-cochlear-funding http://news.discovery.com/animals/insects/largest-archive-of-animal-sounds-now-available-online-130116.htm http://www.animalechoes.com/ http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-05/which-animal-has-most-extreme-sense-hearing http://largestfastestsmartest.co.uk/animals-with-the-best-sense-of-hearing-in-the-world/

Hypothesis: (What do you think will happen?) e.g. I think if the paper is all funnelled up it will be sound loud if your partner is talking from the front but if it is sideways it will sound a bit less louder! But if the paper is rolled up I think it will sound like its from far away and if its flat it will sound normal!

Materials needed:

Paper and Sellotape also cotton/tissue

Experiment (procedure):

e.g. Step 1 - Hold a flat piece of paper against your ear and block the other ear with your hand. Then get you partner to talk and you listen for how it sounds like.....Can you hear properly?

Step 2 - Then, roll the flat paper into a funnel shape. Put the funnel against your ear then face the funnel towards your partner and listen to them speak! What does it sound like now?

Step 3 -  Next, let your partner speak to your face but leave the funnel on your ear to see what it sound like now....Does it sound different than before??!!

Step 4 - Put a cotton ball/tissue into the funnel piece of paper and then listen to your partner if you can hear clearly. Is there a difference?

Step 5 - Roll the paper up and face one end of the paper roll towards your partner. Listen to your partner. Is there a difference to the sound you hear?

Step 6 - Finally, turn to the side with your paper roll and listen to your partner speak. What does it sound like now?

Data (What happened?)

	Shape/object/materials	Results:
1	flat piece of paper	It just sounds normal, it didn’t make any differences
2	funnel facing towards your partner while they speak	The sound is really loud
3	funnel facing away from your partner (opposite side)	Its less louder from facing the front
4	tissue or cotton blocking the narrow end of the funnel	It is loud but sounds like something is blocking my ear!
5	rolled up piece of paper (facing to the front)	Loud just like when the paper is all funnelled up
6	rolled up piece of paper (facing to the side)	Less louder than before

Observations:

When it was a flat piece of paper, it sounds normal as usual

Funnel facing towards your partner while they speak, its actually really loud

As soon as the funnel is facing away from your partner (opposite side), it is less louder than facing it frontwards

If the tissue is tissue is blocking the narrow end of the funnel, its less louder from facing the front

A rolled up piece of paper (facing to the front) is quite loud just like when the paper is all funnelled up

Rolled up piece of paper (facing to the side) is less louder than before

Conclusion:

My hypothesis was right because the sound of the paper when it was straight it sounded normal and when it was funnelled up it was loud, very loud!

Cochlear Implant - Reading

This was an article about a 4 year old boy named Dylan Vaughan. He was born deaf and got his first cochlear implant, funded from the health system. His parents (Neil and Jo) had to then raise over $50.000 for Dylan’s 2nd operation. Now the government will pay for children under six years of age for two operations! Cochlear Implant!

How music affects your Brain?

There are many types of music in the world like Pop, Hip Hop, Rap, R&B. Many adults enjoy listening to different types of music. Some that like music from the 70’s and 80’s and other ones like other sorts of music!

Music can be relaxing, fun, but it can even be dangerous. Some of these sounds can affect your ear if it’s really loud, not only your ear but your eardrums. If your eardrums break you won’t be able to hear anymore!

There are songs from a lot of artists in the world! Many are rappers. I know a lot of artists but listening to Tyga, Kid Ink, Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea is currently one of my best rappers/singers! Many teenagers or schoolers nowadays like to listen Hip Hop and Rap especially.

Did you know there is something called a ‘hippocampus’ in your brain? This part of your brain can bring back many memories from the past! When adults listen to sad songs or even old songs the hippocampus can bring the sad or most enjoyable memories back.

If you didn’t know, when you listen to any sorts of songs, your heart beats as the same time it plays. This can happen from instruments, sound or music! Not only a lot of music but also instruments like, guitar, drums, piano and many more!

The world without music would’ve been boring, nothing to dance to. There will just be no fun in the world! But thanks to sound we have music!!

Science experiment - Straw Oboe

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

http://thesaurus.com/browse/sound?s=t

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

I think the sound of the straw will get higher pitched if cut shorter

Materials needed:

Straw and Scissors

Experiment (procedure):

e.g. Step 1 - Crease the straw about 2-3cm on one end

Step 2 - Cut the creased end of the straw into a triangle shape and blow

Step 3 - Listen to the sound it makes and record

Step 4 - Cut the straw shorter to see what it will sound like

Step 5 - Blow on cut end and record

Data (What happened?)

Long 15cm	Makes a sound low-ish sound
10cm	The pitch went a little bit higher
5cm	The pitch was even higher than before

Observations:

Long - 15cm - The sound is very low

10cm - The pitch went a little higher and sounded like a party horn

5cm - It was really annoying and it was very high pitched

Conclusion:

My hypothesis was right because the sound of the straw will get higher pitched if cut it shorter.

Sound - Annoying and Calming

Being able to hear sounds is very important. We communicate with the environment around us, especially at school and at home. Nowadays the sounds you hear at home is an adult probably talking or teenager listening to loud music or either playing games on there phone.

Once you get to school, you hear kids talking, laughing or even arguing, especially when you're outside. In other places you can hear traffic jams, horns beeping or traffic lights. It is quite annoying but its cause I hear it every single day.

What is one or your favourite noise you hear around your community or at your school? Well to be very honest the best noise I hear around my house is music because its one of my hobbies. Outside of anywhere one of my favourite things to listen to is birds and their tweeting, its very calming and relaxing.

The one thing I mostly hear around me is people talking and the wind blowing because it's what's always around me and you too. It may be loud and annoying but I’m use to it! But the most annoyingest sound I hear is my brother, he always talks, cries, laughs and shouts.

Sometimes other places can be annoying but to me it is the traffic light, the horns of the cars beeping and traffic jam. I hear it everyday and everywhere. I am sort of use to it but it is still disturbing. But here around my school the disturbing thing is people arguing, talking, and fighting. I HATE IT!

Immersion Assembly

“Kia ora and welcome back to school” Mr burt shouted. “Its term 2 2014, and now lets get ready for team 1.” Getting ready to watch there zoo movie of how to keep our animals and us safe I quieted down because it looked entertaining. This movie was showing how to keep our people safe and also our animals. It showed where not to go, where to go, electric fences, and all sort of other fences. We clapped and then we got ready to the next team, team 2!

Team 2 was my least favorites of all but the costumes were quite interesting. There video was about flight/gravity/drag/thrust and especially airplanes. It showed how an airplane flies, and what makes it fly. it showed a lot of information and it was funny but it was just not one of the best.

As soon as team 3 came on I was excited because they were colourful. They each wore different colours and each colour was pink, blue, purple and green. It was about light and it looked interesting. Mrs Barks was talking about what colours do and about light. She showed what colour bounces of another colour and colour we see what all colours bounces of one. There was a lot to see and listen to but it taught me something.

It was time for team 4 and it was actually brilliant. I learnt a lot because its something I have hardly heard about. It was about displace, buoyancy, floating and also sinking. “If a boat goes in the water, the water will displace, actually if anything goes in the water it will displace” the man said as the movie was playing. So he walked along to a big bucket and jumped in it to show how the water gets bigger. This movie/item was one of my favourites. They asked questions and gave out prizes even thoe I didn’t earn one it was still one of my best.

This term, term 2, team 5/year 7 & 8’s are learning about sound and up on the stage was our teachers of team 5. They did an item first and then showed a really funny movie and what sorts of sound/instrument they were holding/making. We all started laughing but its was the BEST of all, and its also my best because I am in year 7 and 8.