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Rock Acoustics

Activity

Exploring Sound through Physics

One at a time, with the guidance of an instructor, throw rocks of different sizes and shapes into water. Listen to the different noises they make. How does the sound relate to their size and shape? Throw a handful of pebbles into the water and see how it sounds by comparison. Discuss how the size and shape of the rocks influence the sounds they make. This is physics!

A child throwing a rock into a lake with a woman looking on

a child holding a handful of small black, grey and brown rocks in both hands

a small girl picking up a rock beside a creek

Science Seed

When you throw rocks of different sizes and shapes into water, the sounds they make can tell you a lot about them. Size: Bigger rocks make louder, deeper splashes because they move more water out of the way when they land. Smaller rocks make quieter, higher sounds. Shape: Smooth, round rocks create different sounds compared to rough or irregular ones. Smooth rocks cut through the water more easily making less splash, while rough ones catch the surface of the water on each edge, creating more splashes. Pebbles: Throwing a bunch of small pebbles makes many tiny splashes and sounds all at once. The sounds come from the way rocks impact the water. By listening to these sounds, you can learn how size, shape, and impact affect the noises rocks make when they hit the water. Always be careful and make sure that no people or animals are around where the rocks are landing.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Ecologist School Pocket Guide: TSBVI edition is a collaboration between Families in Nature and the Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired as an effort to help our community learn more about the TSBVI campus, while getting outside into nature together! This booklet has 80 lessons across 16 different branches of science to help you play, learn, and volunteer on campus!

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Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.