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Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Identify instruments in the brass instrument family.
• Research and gather information about instruments in the brass family.
• Describe the differences in sound when listening to brass instruments.
• Test factors that affect the pitch of brass instruments based on the length of the tubes or crooks.
• Determine the factors that determine pitch fluctuation of brass instruments. 

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Next Generation Science StandardsNext Generation Science Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

Websites

• Perfect Pitch
• ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp Instrument Spotter’s Guide
• ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp Guide to the Orchestra

Additional Materials

• Garden hoses
• Funnel
• Ruler
• Brass instrument mouthpiece
• Mouthpiece cleaner

Teacher Background

Teachers should have a general understanding of acoustics, the physics of sound, brass instruments, and sounds from the orchestra. Review ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp Guide to the Orchestra to build background. 

Student Prerequisites 

Students should have a basic understanding of sound as waves and as energy, some familiarity with orchestral instruments, and prior experience with science experiments.

Accessibility Notes

Utilize assistive technologies for students with hearing or vision impairments. Modify capture sheets as needed and allow extra time for task completion.

Engage

1. Review the members of the brass instrument family with the . Share and review the horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba using the Perfect Pitch interactive tool or the table. 

2. Play instrument listening clips for the brass family from Perfect Pitch. Have students discuss what they hear and compare the sounds of the brass instruments to those of other instruments.

Build

1. As a whole group, show students the Instrument Spotters Guide. Model for students how to scroll to each instrument family: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Find the Brass family and read the “LOOK FOR” description, point out the parts of the brass instrument. 

2. Now guide students to the “LISTEN FOR” description. Tell students this note describes the sound of the instrument within its orchestral family. Guide students to the left of the photograph to show them how to click the “play” button to listen to the brass instrument. 

3. Model a few more instruments for students, then share the Instrument Spotters Guide so they can explore on their own devices. Distribute the so students can capture details about the instrument's characteristics.

4. Engage students in a discussion. Have students share and compare the information they gathered from the . Ask the students: What can we conclude about each instrument’s similarities and differences?

Apply

1. Review the . Discuss the meaning of the instrument-specific words air column and mouthpiece with students. 

Air Column: space within the air pipe of a brass instrument that experiences vibrations created by the player’s breath and lips. The tubing of the instrument is lengthened or shortened by pressing or releasing its valves. The speed of vibration, combined with the length of tubing, determines the pitch of the note.

Mouthpiece: a cup-shaped attachment used on brass instruments. The player’s lips act as a reed within the mouthpiece. The vibration occurs between the player’s lips and the mouthpiece.

2. Introduce the activity. Review the process of forming a hypothesis and making a prediction.

3. Have students individually create a hypothesis relating the length of the air column to the pitch of the instrument when played. Have students create a prediction based on this hypothesis using the sentence starter: “If our hypothesis is true, then the pitch created should be higher/lower when the air column is longer/shorter.”

4. Divide students into cooperative groups of four. Assign one student to each of the following roles:

- Recorder: note taker
- Group Leader: keeps the group on task, moderates conflict, teacher liaison
- Equipment adjuster: makes adjustments to test equipment
- Tester: performs the tests (mouthpieces should be sanitized before and after use)

5. Test the hypotheses within the groups. Groups should discuss the hypotheses and predictions generated by each group member and choose one of each to use as they proceed with the experiment. Students will work in small groups completing the experiment, following the instrument instructions. Have students fill in the data section of the handout based on their experiments. 

6. Facilitate through the groups to discuss the results and data. When necessary, remind students of their roles within the cooperative learning groups. 

Reflect 

1. Engage students in a discussion about their results. Ask the students: What is the relationship between pitch, frequency, hertz, and the length of the air column? (We measure frequency, or speed of vibrations in the air, in hertz. A high frequency (fast movement) makes a high pitch, and a low frequency makes a low pitch. Since a longer air column takes longer for the air to travel through and thus slows vibration, a longer air column makes a lower pitch. We changed the length of the air column by making the trombone longer.) How do players of other brass instruments change the length of their air columns? (By pressing valves that shorten or lengthen the air column in the instrument.) What is the relationship between acoustics and science? 

2. Assess students’ knowledge of bass instrument pitch with the .