Learn more

Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

Sign up now for tons of free lessons like this one!

Back > Share
How do phones work?
Back > Share

How do phones work?
Scroll for prep
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Slide Image
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Slide Image
What would happen if you pushed these keys on a phone’s keypad? (Hint: This is way too long to be a phone number!)
5
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Each key makes a different sound. If the keys are pushed in this order, the phone plays a famous song called "Frère Jacques."
5
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
One musician discovered that the keys on old calculators also make musical sounds—and they played something amazing!
5
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Sometimes angry people honk their car horns. What an annoying sound! Can you think of a way to make that noise into music?
4
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
When you lock a car by pushing a button on the key, the horn honks. These guys used that to play a song.
4
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Cars aren’t the only vehicles with horns. The captains of these cruise ships teamed up to slowly play “Happy Birthday"!
4
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
People play harps by plucking the strings with their fingers, like this. But no one is playing this harp. Why is it making sounds?
3
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Notice the grass and leaves moving in the wind. The wind moves the strings of the harp, too, making the sound you hear!
3
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
When wind blows, parts of this bridge move, just like the strings of the harp. That makes a strange humming sound.
3
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Close your eyes and listen. Some people are playing a song by hitting things with hammers. What do you think they are hitting?
2
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
These special rocks ring like bells when hit. These people found rocks that make the sounds in "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
2
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
For thousands of years, the Raglai people of Vietnam have been using ringing rocks to make musical instruments like this one.
2
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Slide Image
Suppose someone gave you a pile of plastic tubes and asked you to make music with them. What would you do?
1
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Here’s one way to do it! Short tubes make high sounds; long tubes make low sounds. Listen for the high and low sounds in the songs!
1
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Slide Image
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
🎉 That’s it for this lesson! How did it go?
Sign up now for more great lessons!
Sign up
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

Grades K-5

Current Events And Trending Topics

Sound & Communication

Overview

In this mini-lesson, students learn about early communication and how messages were sent in years past. They use that information to help them understand how telephones work!

Exploration

5 mins

Grades K-5

Current Events And Trending Topics

Sound & Communication

Extend this lesson

Writing

Activity

Slow internet or video problems?
Credits