Science · Grade 1

Active learning ideas

Protecting Our Hearing

Active learning works for this topic because young children learn best through hands-on experiences with real sounds they encounter daily. Moving between stations and role plays lets them connect abstract concepts about sound energy to their own lives in a way that listening or reading alone cannot match.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• Ontario Curriculum: Science and Technology (2022), Grade 1, B2: demonstrate an understanding of the basic needs and characteristics of living things, including humans.
• Ontario Curriculum: Science and Technology (2022), Grade 1, B2.2: describe the characteristics of all living things, including that they grow, change, and move, and that they have offspring.
• Ontario Curriculum: Science and Technology (2022), Grade 1, A2.5: sort and classify information, objects, and organisms, using self-identified and/or given criteria.

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 35 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Sound Level Checks

Prepare four stations with safe sound makers: clapping, bells, whistles, and recorded music. Students use a classroom sound meter app or describe loudness on a scale, noting ear feelings. Groups rotate every 7 minutes and share safest sounds.

Analyze why listening to very loud music can be harmful.

Facilitation Tip

During Sound Level Checks, provide decibel meters at each station and model how to read them aloud before students test sounds.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a picture of a noisy situation (e.g., a siren, a concert, a playground). Ask them to write one sentence explaining why this situation might be harmful to their ears and one way they could protect their hearing.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 45 min · Pairs

Design Challenge: Classroom Quiet Zones

Pairs sketch and build simple noise barriers from recyclables, like cardboard dividers or fabric screens. Test by creating noise at one end and measuring at the other. Discuss which designs work best and why.

Design a way to reduce loud noises in the classroom.

Facilitation Tip

For the Classroom Quiet Zone challenge, demonstrate how to measure noise levels with a simple app or homemade noise meter before groups brainstorm solutions.

What to look for

Show students images of different sound sources. Ask them to hold up a green card if the sound is generally safe, a yellow card if it could be harmful with prolonged exposure, and a red card if it is likely very dangerous. Discuss their choices.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 30 min · Small Groups

Role Play: Noisy Scenarios

Divide class into groups to act out loud situations like a concert or construction site. One student models safe actions, such as using ear muffs. Debrief with what felt too loud and protection ideas.

Justify the importance of wearing ear protection in noisy environments.

Facilitation Tip

In Noisy Scenarios, assign roles clearly so students can act out both the noise source and the protective response without confusion.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are designing a quiet reading corner in our classroom. What are two things you could do or add to make it quieter?' Encourage students to share their ideas and explain why their suggestions would reduce noise.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 25 min · Individual

Ear Protection Testing

Individuals craft ear covers from cotton and cups, then test against partner claps or snaps. Record if sounds feel softer. Share results in a class chart comparing designs.

Analyze why listening to very loud music can be harmful.

Facilitation Tip

During Ear Protection Testing, have students predict which materials will block sound best before testing, then compare predictions to results.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a picture of a noisy situation (e.g., a siren, a concert, a playground). Ask them to write one sentence explaining why this situation might be harmful to their ears and one way they could protect their hearing.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by starting with students’ own experiences of loud sounds, then using simple tools like hairdryers or clapping to show how vibrations travel. Avoid technical terms like 'decibels' with Grade 1s; instead, focus on the idea of sounds being 'too loud' versus 'just right.' Research suggests that when children connect harm to their bodies with actions they can take, they are more likely to adopt safe habits long-term.

Students will show understanding by identifying harmful sounds, explaining why they are dangerous, and suggesting practical ways to protect hearing. They will use words like 'hair cells,' 'loud,' and 'protect' in their discussions and designs, demonstrating both knowledge and application.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Sound Level Checks, watch for students who assume a sound is only dangerous if it causes immediate pain. Redirect by having them clap loudly three times, then softly three times while listening to how their ears feel afterward.

  During Sound Level Checks, pause after each trial to ask, 'Did your ears hurt right away? How do they feel now?' Guide students to notice that repeated loud sounds can cause harm even without pain.

• During Ear Protection Testing, watch for students who believe damaged hearing can heal over time. Redirect by showing a model ear with yarn 'hair cells' that break under vibration from a tuning fork or drum.

  During Ear Protection Testing, hold up the model ear and shake it gently to show broken 'hairs.' Ask, 'Can these grow back?' Then connect this to why protection is important for their own ears.

• During Noisy Scenarios, watch for students who think earplugs are only for adults. Redirect by having them role-play a child at a loud music event or sports game and test homemade earplugs made from foam or cotton.

  During Noisy Scenarios, assign roles like 'child at a concert' or 'fan at a hockey game' and provide materials for them to create and test ear protection, normalizing its use for children.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Outdoor Investigation Session
• Role Play