Mystery sound shakers: a 20-minute kindergarten science activity about sound
What it is: a science of sound activity where kindergarten students shake closed containers, listen carefully and guess what is inside: rice, water, a bell, cotton balls or nothing. Students practice using one sense to make an evidence-based guess.
Time: about 20 minutes. Grade: kindergarten.
Materials: 6 identical opaque containers with lids taped shut, filled by an adult with different things (rice, water, a jingle bell, cotton balls, a few crayons, nothing), plus a matching set of the real materials on a tray.
- Shake one container. Ask: "What do you hear? Loud or soft? Rattling or swishing?"
- Show the tray of materials. Students predict which one is inside.
- Pairs shake each container and write or draw their guess on a chart.
- Talk about the clues: "Why does the empty one make almost no sound?"
- Open one container at a time and compare to the guesses.
Safety: an adult fills and tapes the containers before class; students do not open them. Keep the small materials on your tray, out of reach.
Differentiation: students who need support compare only two containers. Students who are ready sort the shakers from loudest to softest. Students with hearing loss can hold the shaker against their palm to feel the vibration.
Quick check: shake two containers and ask a student which one is louder and what might cause that.
For more ideas at this grade, browse the other free activities on the Hub.
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About this resource
- Shared by
- @UpOnlyLearning · Curriculum team
- Posted
- Oct 30, 2026
- Type
- Lesson plan
- Grade
- Grades K–2
- Subject
- Science
- Language
- English
- License
- Free for classroom, co-op and tutoring use. Please don't resell.