Last week at Ridgewood Elementary, second grade students got a hands-on lesson in sound energy as they created noisemakers to replace the traditional recess whistle. Over several days, students explored how sound energy works and how sound can be communicated over a distance. 

Second grade teacher Belinda Boren explained that the goal of the experiment was to connect their lessons on sound energy to tangible, real-world activities that reinforce their learning. The project was spread out over multiple days to give students time to gather materials, construct their noisemakers, and reflect on their process through writing. 

Students first made a list of the specific supplies they would need and outlined the steps to build their noisemaker. After testing their creations, they answered questions about whether their noisemaker was successful, what changes they might make, and why communicating sound over a distance is important. 

Boren explained that splitting the experiment up over a few days helped to build excitement among the students and encouraged them to think creatively and apply what they had learned. 

“As students would bring in supplies, they kept getting more excited to use them,” said Boren. “It was great to see the students’ creativity come out and how they were able to use things we’ve talked about in our sound energy unit.” 

On the day of the experiment, students were eager to test their noisemakers and see if they were loud enough to replace the recess whistle and call all the second graders to line up. 

Boren emphasized that this experiment helped students connect their classroom learning to real-world experiences. 

“It helped make it real to them and motivated them to get involved because it was something they experience every day,” said Boren. “Any time we mention sound energy, they’re going to be able to connect back to this experiment and experience.” 

This sound energy experiment not only brought science to life, but also sparked curiosity and creativity among Ridgewood’s second graders. Through hands-on learning and real-world connections, students discovered that science can be both fun and full of energy.