Let's Visualize Soft Sound: Students' Drawings Reveal Insights Into the Physics of Sound

• In Event: Equity in Middle School Science

Abstract

We explore how 76 middle schoolers visualize their ideas in a Physics of Sound unit. The teacher implemented the unit featuring virtual experiments during remote instruction. We investigate: How do students visualize their ideas about sound? and How do students’ drawings of sound waves and written explanations align? In their first drawing, 47% of students accurately represented a wave with low amplitude, 25% labeled the example wave. In their second drawing, 71% of students accurately represented different frequencies. Although drawing accurately, explanations show students being confused about frequency, wavelength, and amplitude (33%). Mismatches between drawing and explanation can be used to guide students developing their ideas. Adding a drawing where students distinguish between frequency and amplitude will strengthen the unit.

Authors

• Sarah Bichler, University of California - Berkeley

• Marcia Linn, University of California - Berkeley