Physical Distancing STEM Break with Ms. Meghan: Sound Off

Did you know that your Galesburg Public Library card allows you to check out e-books and audio books through the Libby app? All you need is your library card and your PIN (your birth date in MMDDYYYY format) and you'll be on your way to reading on your phone or tablet!

I'll be pairing up Libby books for GPL patrons with STEM activities, live webcams, educational programs, and citizen science projects.

So, it's time to

Sound Off!


Sounds are all around us. They can be comforting or sometimes scary. Today we're going to focus on what you can hear outside, and what those sounds can tell you.

Read: 

There are a number of books about sounds both natural and man made available through Libby, including Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle, and Demolition by Sally Sutton.

Make a sound map: Today's activity comes from Project Learning Tree and the Environmental Education Association of Illinois.

We hear so many sounds every day. Right now, inside, I can hear the computer and a lawnmower outside. It can be hard sometime to hear the sounds of nature. Find a safe, comfortable, quiet spot where you can sit outside. Close you eyes and just listen for a couple minutes. What do you hear? Now use pencils, marker, and crayons to make a sound map. Put an X in the middle of the paper to show where you are. Now draw and write what you hear around you. You can use arrows and lines to show how far away something is, or how the sound is carrying. Are there some sounds you liked better than others? Were you able to identify all the sounds; do you know what made them all? How do you think the sounds might change if you listen during a different time of day?