Educational Activities in Schools for Noise Awareness Day
For Noise Awareness Day, young noise detectives follow acoustic clues. A noise education kit helps schools educate students and raise awareness about the importance of hearing in the classroom.
Today’s International Noise Awareness Day is themed “Is Everything So Loud?” and aims to draw attention to the causes and effects of noise. In Germany, this year’s focus is, among other things, on noise at schools. That’s because the noise level there is a real challenge not only for teachers but also for children’s ears.
On the Trail of Sounds
The activities in Germany are coordinated by the German Acoustical Society (DEGA e.V.). For example, the “Noise Detectives – Tracking Sound” noise kit was developed for use in the classroom. It provides measuring devices and lesson plans with instructions for experiments and crafts related to measuring sound and its effects. This helps children and teenagers become aware of their ears’ capabilities at an early age.
Schools, organizations, or public institutions can borrow the noise kit free of charge at www.tag-gegen-laerm.de to use it in the classroom or during activity and project days. The only cost is a flat-rate shipping fee.
Contest – This Is How My World Sounds
Diligent sound detectives can also participate in the “This Is HowMy World Sounds” contest. Students in grades 1 through 6 are invited to create a picture or video depicting the sounds that surround them and are especially important to them. These can be both pleasant and unpleasant sounds. From street trafficto the sounds of the forest, there are no limits to the imagination. The best entries will be awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals. The schools of the top-ranked students will win a cash prize as well as a workshop using the “Noise Kit.” Teachers in charge can upload entries by July 31, 2019, via the website www.so-klingt-meine-welt.de. There you will also find further information on the competition process and the terms and conditions of participation.
Test your hearing!
If you notice that you or your children don’t always understand everything right away in everyday life, it’s time to see an ENT doctor or an audiologist. The earlier hearing loss is detected, the better it can be treated. This is especially true for children and adolescents. Healthy hearing is crucial for the development of language and social skills—and thus also lays the foundation for success in school.
To learn how important it is to educate students about noise as early as elementary school, read our article “Protecting Children’s Ears in Everyday School Life.” To find out how noise prevention is linked to academic performance, read our article “Fromthe Ear to the Mind: Noise Prevention for Better Grades.”
