Making Noises
Now show students the video Wok in fullscreen:
or have students view it at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QKdRZ_YWU4
Next, tell students that you are going to show the video again. This time, they should write down every sound they think they would hear if the video were unmuted. (For younger students, have them just shout it out when they “see” a sound.) Show the video again.
Now make a class list of all the sounds that students thought they would hear. It will likely include the following:
- Lighting the gas flame
- Pouring vegetables into the wok
- Oil sizzling
- Stirring vegetables
- Shaking the wok
- Tossing vegetables in the wok (how would that sound different from stirring or shaking?)
- Stirring cooked vegetables (how would they sound different now that they’ve been cooked?)
In-class option:
Have the whole class work together to think of ways to make those sounds, either using objects found in the classroom or vocally.
Media production option:
Ask students to consider:
What would be the best way to create the sound effects? (E.g. live performance, recorded audio, downloaded audio). For instance, students might make sounds using things that are already in the classroom, bring things in from home, or find appropriate sound effects online.
(Note: Some sources of royalty-free and copyright-cleared sound effects include Pixabay, Mixkit and the Internet Archive. You can use the Council of Ministers of Education’s Fair Dealing Decision tool to determine whether your students can use other online sources for this project.)
Divide the class into groups and have each group prepare a version of the video with sound effects added.
Make sure students consider:
- Available equipment
- Familiarity with any technology, and time involved to learn it if unfamiliar
- Requirements of this particular task
If students want to create a version using digital sound effects, they can either cue the sound effects from an audio device to play while the video is running, or use video editing software.
(You can download the video without sound here: tiny.cc/woksilent . If you choose to offer this option, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with a few simple editing programs or apps. For a comprehensive list, see https://alternativeto.net/category/video/video-editing/. Confirm with your school or school board that the tool has been approved for classroom use.)
Now have students add the sound effects to the video.
If you are delivering the in-class option or students have chosen to perform or play audio live, play the video with students providing the sound effects. If students have used editing software, play their finished videos.
If you are delivering the media production option, have each group share the thinking behind the choices they made:
How did they decide when to add sound effects?
How did they choose the tools they used to make the different sound effects?
When all groups have presented, have the whole class discuss:
Did different groups identify the same points in the video to place sound effects?
How similar were different groups’ choices?