Things I Can Hear Worksheet

The idea behind this worksheet is that children take it outside, listen to the sounds around them and tick the things they can hear.

There are three worksheets to choose from: things I can hear at the beach, in the forest and a general one.

Things I can hear worksheet

things I can hear at the beach worksheet

Things i can hear in the forest worksheet

How do we hear noise?

The simple explanation

Sounds are made when an object vibrates, sending waves of energy towards our ears. The stronger the vibrations, the louder the noise. When the air vibrations reach the ear, they shake tiny hairs connected to nerves. These nerves send a message to the brain, telling it that a noise has been heard.

Let’s make it a bit more complicated

Sound waves reach the eardrum and cause it to vibrate.

Eardrum vibrations are passed on to small bones in the ear called the ossicles, then through the semicircular canals and to the cochlea.

The cochlea turns the vibrations into electrical signals that are sent to the brain.

The brain interprets the signals as sounds.

labelled diagram of the ear including eardrum, ossicles, semicircular canal, cochlea, nerve to the brain

More activities about sounds and hearing

Make a model eardrum by stretching plastic wrap over a bowl and placing rice or salt on the top. When a noise is made, the salt or rice will jump.

Find out if you can hear sound in space.