Sound Cylinders

Materials:

  • Two wooden boxes, one with a red lid and one with a blue lid

  • 6 cylinders with red tops containing different materials so each cylinder produces a different gradation of loudness (volume) from loud to soft when shaken

  • 6 cylinders with blue tops that match the red set 

Purposes: Refinement of the auditory sense for volume

Age: 3 ½  – 4 

Preparation:  The child is working with other Sensorial pairing exercises

Presentation 1: Pairing

Introduction: Greatest Contrasts

*Arrange the boxes: greatest contrast (loudest, softest, one in the middle) on the right side of each box

  • Invite the child for a lesson on the Sound Cylinders, show them how to carry the box, return it to the shelf and have them take one and you will take the other to the table.    

  • Place both boxes side by side at the top middle of the table (for purposes of this write-up, blue is on the right, red is on left).

  • Take out the three red cylinders (should be on the right inside the box).  Line them up along the right side of the table.

  • Select one and place it in front of the child.  Pick it up with your left fingertips and shake it by your left ear.  Replace the table silently and switch hands.  Pick up with your right fingertips and shake by your right ear.

  • Replace it on the table silently and invite the child to shake and listen and then place it on the left side of the table.

  • Repeat with the other two cylinders.

Pairing

  • Take out the blue set of matching cylinders and line up on the right side of the table.  Select a red cylinder and bring it to the center of the table and then a blue.  Shake the red cylinder with your left hand by your left ear and set it down.  

  • Pick up the blue cylinder with your right hand, shake it by your right ear, and set it down. 

    • If the cylinders are different, discard the blue next to the box and select another cylinder to compare.

    • If the cylinders sound the same, place them together in front of the box and move the blue cylinders from the discard area to the right side of the table.

  • Continue to match until all three sets are paired.

  • Separate pairs (blue on right, red on left) and invite the child. Encourage repetition.

**Once the child can pair 3, encourage the child to work with all 6 pairs.

Control of Error: 

  • The child’s own judgment/discrimination of volume 

Presentation 2: Gradation 

  • Invite the child to carry one box of cylinders to the table. Line up all cylinders along the right side of the table.

  • Find the loudest by shaking one hand at a time by each ear.  Place it in the center of the table and check other cylinders to make sure.

  • Start a horizontal line in the center of the table.  Select another cylinder and compare it to the previous cylinders.  

    • If found, place to the right in the line.

    • If not, place it back on the table, next to the box.  Select another cylinder, review already graded cylinders and continue to find the next in the series.

  • Review the graded series each time a cylinder is placed until the gradation is complete.

  • Mix up the cylinders on the right and invite the child to grade them.

**An alternative would be to push the graded cylinders to the top of the table and take out the second set for the child to grade.  The first set can be a control.

Language: Loud – soft, Superlatives: loudest/softest & Comparatives: louder than/softer than

Memory Games:

Distance Game: Pairing-one set on one table, other set across the room

Grading- build gradation on tables apart from each other

Comparative Language Game: (“Bring me a tablet that is louder than this one.”)

Group Game: 6 children (“Who thinks they have the next one?”)

Pedagogical Notes:

  • Dr. Sequin invented the first version of this material as small boxes. This is why they are sometimes referred to as Sound Boxes.  

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Bells