Our year 4 students in the first school have been studying the topic of sound in school. Since we made the recent transition to remote learning following the announcement by the Prime Minister in January, the teachers and students here at Scarisbrick Hall School have been looking for new and interesting ways to understand a topic.

One such success story comes from our wonderful 4S class, who have created their very own pair of ear defenders using items from around the home.

Understanding how loud noises damage the ears

The point of discussion for class 4S was that loud noises could cause long-lasting damage to our ears. In a bid to not be too exclusive, it was also considered that loud noises, such as fireworks could cause distress to our pet dogs because of their very sensitive hearing. Class 4S then worked on understanding how the ear works and how we can prevent loud noises from causing long term damage to our ears.

Interactive homeschooling with Scarisbrick Hall School

Since many of us are at home, we decided that it would be great fun to design and make a set of ear-defenders for one of our pets, a cuddly toy or even a relative who may be sound sensitive.

The 4S class explored their homes, searching for items that might be suitable. Some even riffled through their recycling bins, such was their commitment to the cause. Some of us used socks or hairbands to hold the ear defenders in place.

Having learned about the different types of insulating materials that help keep noise out whilst still in school, the students were well prepared. With this knowledge, all that was needed was a bit of hard work discovering suitable items from around the home to act as the padding. Some of the notable items found include cotton wool and bubble wrap.

Our willing volunteers were more than happy to try out our homemade ear defenders! Here are some of our favourite results.