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Presentation Video of the Dangerous Decibels Classroom Program:


Dangerous Decibels Program Evaluation

Your goal is to have as few zeros as possible. We all continue to get better each time we deliver the program.

It may take more than one practice session to minimize errors, so try to do your VERY BEST!

Omitted, incorrect = empty    
Satisfactory, minimal errors or problems = checked

# Module Name Content/Activity Self Admin
1 Introduction
(3 minutes)
Introduce yourself (name, organization, interest, why here)
Hearing loss caused by loud sound is a problem for people of ALL ages
Decibel = A Measurement of sound sign explained
When sounds are too loud, they can damage your hearing! If it is a very loud sound, just one exposure can damage your ears.
What are 3 ways to fight dangerous decibels? Caution signs introduced
Kleenex, toilet paper, and cotton balls are not good ear protection
Being around loud sounds a lot will not help your ears get used to it
Show earmuffs as a good example of hearing protection
Discuss class rules/expectations
Subtotal: (9 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Transition Let's start by learning about sound
2 What is Sound?
(5 minutes)
Sound is energy
Sound is made when objects vibrate
Sound/vibrations travel through molecules as sound waves
Demonstrate how to use a tuning and give use warnings
Tuning Fork seeing, listening, feeling activity
Ping Pong Ball Activity
Vibrations have enough energy to move an object
It is the power in the sound vibrations that can damage our ears
Subtotal: (9 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Transition Now we know what makes a sound, but how do we hear?
3 How Do We Hear?
(2 minutes)
Use the anatomy poster to identify the parts of the ear (pinna, dear canal, eardrum, 3 small bones, cochlea, hair cells, hair bundles, hearing nerve)
Use the anatomy poster to explain how we hear
The vibrations travel to the cochlea. The cochlea is filled with fluid and thousands of tiny sensors called hair cells. On top of the hair cells are even smaller hair-like structures called hair bundles that are moved by vibrations in the fluid.
Subtotal: (4 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Transition We know that we detect sound vibrations with the tiny hair cells in our ear. We also know that vibrations from loud sounds have power. Let’s see how loud sound can permanently break our hair cells and cause hearing loss. Let’s build a model!
4 How Do We Damage Our Hearing?
(10 minutes)
Show the picture of the single hair cell and identify parts
Demonstrate how to build the model of a hair cell with pipe cleaners
Point out the healthy hair bundle on top of a hair cell standing straight
When our hair bundles are exposed to sound vibrations they sway back and forth, this creates signals that are sent to the brain where we hear sound
Tell the story of the imaginary day
Pipe Cleaner Activity: Damage
Sound that is too loud can damage the hair cells of our inner ear
Once hair cells are damaged, we have lost that little bit of hearing forever
Pipe Cleaner Activity: Attempt to repair damage, show healthy hair bundle
Once your hearing is damaged, there is nothing that will make you hear as well as you do now.
Hearing an extremely loud sound even one time can also cause you to lose some of your hearing.
Explain what tinnitus is and that it is sign of hair cell damage
Collect the pipe cleaners
Subtotal: (14 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Transition We have learned about what happens inside the ear when loud sound breaks hair cells. But what is it like to have hearing loss? Our next activity will show us what it is like to listen to sounds with noise-damaged ears.
5 What's That Sound?
(7 minutes)
dBZone! technology setup
What’s That Sound Activity instructions
What’s That Sound Activity student engagement
Discussion of how difficult it is to hear some sounds with hearing loss
Hearing loss doesn’t mean you completely lose the ability to hear anything
Subtotal: (6 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Transition Having a hearing loss is a struggle. You miss out on a lot of wonderful and important sounds. We know that loud sound can cause permanent damage to our ears. Let’s learn how loud some sounds are and how long we can safely listen to them before our ears can be hurt.
6 How Loud is Too Loud?
(10 minutes)
Reminder that decibel is a measurement of sound
Display 85 dBA 8 Hours sign and explain that 85 dBA is the sound of an average factory or a busy street corner in the city
The softest sound a healthy human ear can hear is around 0 dBA
The higher the sound level, the less time you can listen to it safely
Flashcard Activity: selected flashcards for each caution sign, plus 85 dBA and less than 85 dBA AND did not use rock concert or headphone flashcards
Is each sound source safe or dangerous?
What could you do to protect your hearing if you are exposed to that sound?
Used a flashcard for each of the caution signs
Subtotal: (9 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Transition Now that we know how much sound energy it takes to damage our ears, let’s learn about the 3 ways to protect ourselves.
7A Protecting Our Hearing:
Turn It Down
(2 minutes)
Show the headphone flashcard and discuss if listening at full volume is safe or dangerous?
Turn it down so you can enjoy your music for a lifetime
Turning music down will allow us to listen safely for longer periods of time
Subtotal: (4 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Transition Sometimes we are around intense sounds, and we cannot turn down the volume. We are going to do an experiment to learn another way to protect our hearing.
7B Protecting Our Hearing:
Walk Away
(4 minutes)
Blender Sound Level Meter Activity Setup
Blender Sound Level Meter Activity explanation and student instructions
Engage the students in a guess and discussion of sound levels at each location
Did you see that simply moving back or WALKING AWAY a few steps, you moved from a clearly dangerous sound to a safe one.
Sound energy decreases as you move away from the source
Subtotal: (6 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Transition The third way to protect our ears is to use ear plugs. Would like to have your own pair of earplugs and learn how to use them the right way?
7C Protecting Our Hearing:
Protect Your Ears
(4 minutes)
Demonstrate how to insert the earplug into your own ear
Give clear instructions how to insert the earplug into their own ears
Give instructions how to remove the earplugs
Discuss where to get replacement earplugs
Subtotal: (5 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Transition Up to this point we have learned:
  • How vibrations make sound, and sound has energy
  • How we hear, and how loud sounds can damage hair cells
  • How many different things have dangerous sound levels
  • 3 easy ways to project ourselves from the effects of dangerous sounds
Now let’s talk about what YOU would do if you knew you needed to use your earplugs, but your friends didn’t think so.
8 Rock Your World
(3 minutes)
Show the Rock Concert Flashcard and discuss how to protect your ears
Hand out Rock Your World cards, review options, take a vote, reassure no right or wrong answers
Subtotal: (3 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Wrap Up Thank the participants and review the 3 ways to protect your ears
(50 minutes total) TOTAL (70 = all satisfactory) 0 0
Ready to deliver Dangerous Decibels Classroom Program