Boomboxes: Electricity, Light and Sound
“I Can’t Live Without My Radio” - LL Cool J
Growing up in the 80s, I’ve always been fascinated by the cultural impact of technology and how it has developed over the last few decades. Occasionally, I will tell my students that I was part of the “beginning of the end”. Usually when engaged in this discussion, I often emphasize the dominance of technology, especially the Internet, and how it, in some ways, has been detrimental to human interaction, experiences, and overall development. On the other hand, information (whether accurate or not) has been phenomenally accessible. We no longer have to depend on the radio, go to a record store, or hit up the closest flea market to get the latest album or mixtape. Streaming is the new wave. But while we cannot turn back the hands of time, we can at least expose our students to previous devices that have essentially become artifacts. This is why I decided to have my students research boomboxes and its prominence in the 1980s and 90s. Not only were students responsible for gaining more insight on the importance of the boombox, but they were also responsible for analyzing how they utilize electricity to produce light and sound.
Objective: SWBAT analyze everyday devices, which use electricity to produce light and sound. (TEKS 5.6A)
Essential Questions: What are the major components of a boombox? How does a boombox produce sound? How does the boombox connect to other devices? How does the boombox display information?
Activity: Prior to this activity, the students explored the concepts of electricity, light, and sound. A great resource for videos and activities can be found at Flocabulary.
After identifying the objective, the students were responsible for gathering information about boomboxes and answering the essential questions.
Then, students illustrated a diagram that labels the various components of a boombox that use electricity, light, and/or sound.
Overall, the students had a wonderful time illustrating their boomboxes and learning more about its use of light and sound energy.