The Human Ear Grade Level: 4 6 Teacher Guidelines pages 1 2 Instructional Pages pages 3 5 Practice Pages pages 6 7 Homework Page page 8 Answer Key page 9
Classroom Procedure: 1. Give a blank sheet of paper, or scrap paper, to every student. Ask students to sit and remain as quiet as possible for five minutes. 2. Tell students to write down every sound they can hear, even if they do not know it s source, tell them to describe it and to tell the direction it is coming from. 3. After five minutes, allow students to share some of their responses. Many sounds will be repeated, but if there are some that are unusual, ask students to remain quite again to see if the same sound can be heard again. 4. Ask: Why are you able to hear the sounds, even though some of them are far away? Are certain sounds easier to hear depending on its direction? 5. Allow for responses and discussion, leading to: Sound waves are traveling and reaching the ears of the students. 6. Next, allow students to stand in an area where they will not bump into each other. Tell students to spin in a circle several times and ask them to stop. Ask how many of them are dizzy. 7. Ask: Why do you become dizzy after spinning in a circle? 8. Allow for responses and discussion. Ask: Do you think your ears have anything to do with being dizzy? Allow for responses. 9. Introduce the lesson. 10. Assign students in groups of 3 or 4 depending on supply availability. 11. Distribute the supplies to each group of students. Tell students to do the following: 12. Tightly cover bowl with piece of plastic wrap (continued) Approximate Grade Level: 4 6 Objectives: The students will be able to identify the parts of the human ear and explain how the ear functions in order for humans to understand sound. Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6.7 Class Sessions (45 minutes): At least 2 class sessions Teaching Materials/Worksheets: The Human Ear content page(s), Practice page, Homework page Student Supplies: large bowl, piece of plastic wrap large enough to cover the bowl, several grains of rice, rubber band or tape, handouts Prepare Ahead of Time: Gather students supplies for short experiment. Copy handouts. Additional Resources: https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chhearing.html (Activities) http://www.wartgames.com/themes/humanbody/ear.html (Games/Activities) http://www.cyh.com/healthtopics/healthtopicdetailskids.aspx?p=335&np=152&id=1463#a (Content) http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/phy03.sci.phys.how move.lp_sound/sound-vibrations/ (Vibration activity) http://kidshealth.org/classroom/3to5/body/functions/hearing.pdf (Content/worksheets) https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/bigear.html (Content) http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sound.html (Miscellaneous) http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/sc ience/brainandsenses/ear/ (Interactive learning) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmxohkwwmu8 (5 min. Animated video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgdqp-opb1q (3 min. video) Options for Lesson: Assign students to research the ears of other animals, or how other animals/insects can hear sounds. Students may research how a hearing aid works. Use the sound from loud speakers to show sound waves 1
Classroom Procedure (continued): 13. Secure using rubber band or tape so the surface is taut 14. Place about 4 or 5 pieces of rice on top of cover 15. Tell students to make noise, clap, etc. to cause sound waves to move the rice 16. Ask students what is causing the rice to move. Allow for responses and discussion leading to sound waves. Ask students if they have ever seen sound waves anywhere else. 17. Distribute the content pages with a labeled picture of the ear. 18. Read aloud as a class, pair students, or have them read it independently. Tell students to follow along the with the labeled image of the ear as it is being read to become familiar with the parts of the ear. 19. Discuss any questions students may have regarding the reading. 20. Distribute the Practice page and have students label the ear without use of the Content page. Once completed review students responses for accuracy. 21. Distribute Homework and review/check the next day. 22. Close lesson by having students close their eyes and redo the opening of the lesson to compare results. (Students will usually discover more sounds,) Teacher Notes The lesson is designed for students to have a basic understanding of the human ear upon the completion of the lesson. Using the resources for further activities or ideas is encouraged. Additional information regarding ear problems may also be included in the lesson, as well as how a hearing aid works or similar material related to ears and hearing. 2
The Human Ear What did you say? Can you hear me now? Please speak louder. Without those things on the side of the head called ears, you would not be able to hear someone saying your name, the sound of a phone ringing, or music. The human ear, though, is not just for hearing; it also helps with balance. There are three main parts of the ear, with each of them having a shared responsibility: outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. Outer Ear The outer ear is the part you can see in the mirror, scratch, or clean behind. The ear is also called the pinna. The ear is made of cartilage covered by skin, which also has a part called the ear lobe, the place where some people attach earrings. The outer ear contains the ear canal, which is similar to a canal for water, but this canal is a pathway for all the sounds in the environment around you to enter. The lining of the canal is the place earwax is produced. The earwax helps keep the eardrum from drying out as well as trapping dirt before it gets to the eardrum causing an infection. The outer ear catches the sound waves and funnels them to the eardrum, where the middle ear is located. 3
Middle Ear The middle ear is basically air-filled space located inside the eardrum. For proper hearing, the pressure placed on both sides of the eardrum must be equal. If the pressure is not equal, your airs may pop, like what happens on an airplane or at the swimming pool. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of your nose and helps keep the pressure equal. There are three bones inside the eardrum called ossicles (it rhymes with popsicles). The bones are very tiny and include the hammer (malleus), anvil (incus), and stirrup (stapes). The names of each of these bones match what they look like, and the stirrup is the smallest bone of the entire human body. Once sound waves enter the eardrum, these bones pass along the vibrations to the cochlea. Inner Ear The cochlea are tiny organs located inside the third part of the ear, the inner ear. The cochlea is shaped like a shell and takes the vibrations from the middle ear and changes them into nerve impulses traveling to the brain along the auditory nerve. The brain interprets the sound and sends the information to you. Also located inside the inner ear are semicircular canals. These are tubes that help you balance your body. They are filled with a fluid and lined with tiny hairs. As you move around, the fluid moves, and the tiny hairs sends impulses to the brain helping you maintain your balance. When you spin in a circle too quickly, the fluid is still moving when you stop, but the brain thinks you are still moving, causing you to lose balance. 4
Sound Waves Everything that makes a sound creates sound waves, and the change in the air pressure caused by the sound waves is what ultimately allows you to hear and interpret sounds every day. If someone was simply moving their lips, there are no sound waves, no pressure, so nothing to hear. This is why in space, sounds between astronauts cannot be heard because there is no air. They must use special equipment to hear each other. Air must be present for a sound to be made and heard. Finally, it is important to take care of your ears just like the rest of your body. Do not stick anything into your ear or play the volume too loud while listening to music or playing a video game. Both can cause damage to your eardrum now and in the future. Use common sense and protect your ears, and when someone asks, Can you hear me now?, the answer will always be, Yes. 5
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Practice Name Date Write in the parts of the ear. 7
Homework Name Date 1. Which of the following parts of the body is also called the pinna? a. Eye b. Nose c. Ear 2. How many mains parts of the ear are there? a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 3. What is the pinna made out of? a. Cartilage b. Bone c. Wax 4. What helps keep the eardrum from drying out? a. Ear lobe b. Earwax c. Ear canal 5. Which of the following is similar to a pathway for water? a. Ear lobe b. Earwax c. Ear canal 6. When sound waves travel from the outer ear, the next stop is the: a. Inner ear c. Other ear 7. Which of the following connects the middle ear to the back of your nose? a. Stirrups b. Eustachian tube c. Semicircular canals 8. Which part of the ear is basically filled with air? a. Inner ear c. Outer ear 9. Which is the tiniest bone of the body? a. Malleus b. Incus c. Stapes 10. The 3 bones inside the eardrum are called: a. Popsicles b. Icicles c. Ossicles 11. What do the hammer, anvil, and stirrup pass along to the cochlea? a. Vibrations b. Moisture c. Earwax 12. Which of the following is shaped like a shell changing sound into nerve impulses? a. Stapes b. Cochlea c. Canals 13. Which of the following is the location of the cochlea? a. Outer ear c. Inner ear 14. Nerve impulses travel along the auditory nerve to the: a. Ears b. Brain c. Body 15. Which of the following helps you balance your body? a. Stirrups b. Eustachian tube c. Semicircular canals 16. The middle ear is located inside the: a. Hammer b. Eardrum c. Stirrup 17. Tiny hairs lining the semicircular canals send impulses to the brain to help you maintain: a. Balance b. Hearing c. Sight 18. Which part of the ear do many people wear an earring? a. Eardrum b. Ear canal c. Ear lobe 19. Another term for the anvil is the: a. Malleus b. Stapes c. Incus 20. True or False: It is okay for you to stick something in your ear to clean the eardrum. 8
Homework ANSWER KEY Name Date 1. Which of the following parts of the body is also called the pinna? a. Eye b. Nose c. Ear 2. How many mains parts of the ear are there? a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 3. What is the pinna made out of? a. Cartilage b. Bone c. Wax 4. What helps keep the eardrum from drying out? a. Ear lobe b. Earwax c. Ear canal 5. Which of the following is similar to a pathway for water? a. Ear lobe b. Earwax c. Ear canal 6. When sound waves travel from the outer ear, the next stop is the: a. Inner ear c. Other ear 7. Which of the following connects the middle ear to the back of your nose? a. Stirrups b. Eustachian tube c. Semicircular canals 8. Which part of the ear is basically filled with air? a. Inner ear c. Outer ear 9. Which is the tiniest bone of the body? a. Malleus b. Incus c. Stapes 10. The 3 bones inside the eardrum are called: a. Popsicles b. Icicles c. Ossicles 11. What do the hammer, anvil, and stirrup pass along to the cochlea? a. Vibrations b. Moisture c. Earwax 12. Which of the following is shaped like a shell changing sound into nerve impulses? a. Stapes b. Cochlea c. Canals 13. Which of the following is the location of the cochlea? a. Outer ear c. Inner ear 14. Nerve impulses travel along the auditory nerve to the: a. Ears b. Brain c. Body 15. Which of the following helps you balance your body? a. Stirrups b. Eustachian tube c. Semicircular canals 16. The middle ear is located inside the: a. Hammer b. Eardrum c. Stirrup 17. Tiny hairs lining the semicircular canals send impulses to the brain to help you maintain: a. Balance b. Hearing c. Sight 18. Which part of the ear do many people wear an earring? a. Eardrum b. Ear canal c. Ear lobe 19. Another term for the anvil is the: a. Malleus b. Stapes c. Incus 20. True or False: It is okay for you to stick something in your ear to clean the eardrum. 9