Activity Time: 15 minutes
Recommended Grades: Young learner and up (with adult supervision)
Objective: Make sounds of different pitches with a simple model of human vocal cords.

• A large rubber band
• A plastic cup
• A straw

1. Place the rubber band on the cup so that it rests over the bottom and over the opening of the cup.
2. Set the cup so that the bottom of the cup points upward and the opening of the cup points downwards.
3. Place one open end of the straw to your lips and the other end rest close but not touch the rubber band.
4. Blow air through the straw and across the rubber band.
5. Listen for a high-pitched or low-pitched sound.
6. Make adjustments to the placement of the rubber band, and blow through the straw again.
7. Can you produce more than one pitch? Record your results!

Your vocal cords are located within the larynx and are attached to the thyroid cartilage, also known as Adam’s apple. If you place your hand gently on your throat and hum you can feel vibrations. The vocal cords behave like rubber bands. They can experience stretching, contracting, and pivoting. As you exhale, the vocal cords come together and stretch, vibrating quickly to produce a high pitch, or they contract and vibrate slowly to produce a low pitch. Vibrating at different speeds results in different pitches.