Music Makers

Let’s make some noise! Design, engineer, and create your own fantastical musical instruments during this one-of-a-kind instrument-making lab.

Student Activity:

Students will design and engineer their own stringed instrument while they make connections between design, form, and function. Using a variety of containers and rubber bands, students will investigate what happens to sound using different size resonating chambers (shoe boxes, oatmeal canisters, plastic containers).

Students will invent their own instruments as they experiment with tension, tuning, and other observations. Finally, they will explore the music they can perform with their homemade instruments. 

NGSS Connections:

Engineering Design: K – 2 – ETS1: (SEP): Constructing and Designing Solutions

Disciplinary Core Idea: ETS1 A – C: Developing Possible Solutions

Common Core Standards:

Mathematics MP.2:  Reason Abstractly and Quantitatively

Mathematics MP.5: Use Tools Appropriately

IL State Standards:

Music Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

Music Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work 

Materials per student:

• Variety of Rubber Bands
• Variety of Containers