Activity Overview
This activity is a fun and simple one for kids and requires very little to execute. Grab a straw and some scissors and a whole lot of air power from your lungs and try making your very own duck caller. Experiment with the world of sound and vibration as you vary the sounds that you can make by simple modifications to your straw. You can even have a little band with your different toned straws. If you are having trouble getting a sound, relax your lips a bit while still holding it firmly between your lips. Don't give up. Once you get the hang of it, you won't want to stop quacking. Get outside and see what kind of wildlife you & your family can attract with your handy duck caller.
Materials Needed
- A Plastic drinking straw ( more than one if you want to experiment with different sounds)
- Scissors
How to Make It
- Use your fingers to flatten out one end of the straw as flat as you can get it.
- Cut the flattened end of the straw into a point.
- Flatten out again and make it as flat as you can.
- Put the pointed end of your straw to your mouth, take a big deep breath and blow. You should hear a silly sound coming from the straw.
- If you have trouble getting a sound out, try flattening it out again and try again. Smaller children may have a harder time getting a good sound out because of their smaller lung capacity.
- Make a second duck caller of different length or experiment and make note of the sounds that the straw makes when you snip away at it with the scissors making it smaller each time.
Scientific Explanation
All sounds are generated from vibrations. The small pointed that is flat vibrates very quickly when you blow through the straw. You should be able to feel that vibration with your lips. Those vibrations made the cool duck like sound that you heard from the straw.
