Musical Instrument Design Challenge

Maker design challenge in which students research how instruments produce sound, then build an original one-person instrument from cardboard, rubber bands, containers and other upcycled materials, testing and redesigning until it plays.
File type
Multiple File Types

Updated Oct 07, 2022

Subject
Physics, Science
Topic
Musical Instrument Design, Creativity
Resource types
Activities

From the author

About this resource

This innovative teaching resource has been carefully crafted to engage the creative minds of students. The challenge entails designing and building a new musical instrument, contemplating its functionality, its potential to create unique sounds, and identifying the core elements required for sound production.

Unlike typical classroom tasks, this hands-on experience extends learning beyond textbooks and can be incorporated in a variety of educational contexts such as Genius Hour projects or Makerspace activities.

Components

  1. Context: Clarity on why this task is important.
  2. The Task: A well-defined design challenge is laid out for students.
  3. Specifications: Clear instructions on what needs to be accomplished are presented.
  4. Constraints: The limitations of the project are defined.
  5. Materials Needed: List of required materials and corresponding tools.
  6. Steps: Following steps must be completed
  7. Students will receive tips that may prove helpful in accomplishing their task.

This design challenge brings a real-life scenario focus into learning which not only improves practical understanding but also encourages creative solutions exploration by students.

Thirdly, primarily aimed at Physical Science studies in school or homeschool settings , it also enhances Social Emotional Learning (SEL) opportunities by fostering collaboration abilities accompanied with problem-solving skills among students.

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

  • Explain how instruments make sound by blowing, strumming, bowing, striking or shaking

  • Design and build an instrument that meets stated specifications and constraints

  • Test a prototype and revise the design

Teaching tips

  • Collect the upcycled materials the constraints allow ahead of time: cardboard, cereal boxes, cardstock, rubber bands, rice or beans and plastic containers.

  • Plan a way for students to record audio or video of their instrument, since the final step asks for a recording.

Skills covered

  • Engineering design — students brainstorm, build, test and redesign within set constraints

  • Sound production — students choose a way to make sound and get their instrument to produce it

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Resource details

Concepts & topics

Core concepts

  • Sound production

  • Engineering design process

  • Specifications and constraints

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