Overview

Math and Music: Algebra Featuring Mickey Hart is a lesson collection aligned to 7th to 9th grade math standards that invites students to explore the mathematical and scientific principles of sound and music.

In this 4-lesson unit, students:

  • Conduct hands-on activities to discover the physical principles of sound waves, and why sounds vary so widely
  • Calculate, plot, and graph sound waves based on measurable, real-world acoustic data
  • Calculate pitch, tension, and frequency using Mickey Hart’s famous beam instrument
  • Discover the math and science behind Pythagoras’ calculations of ratio, tuning, and harmony

As a summative assessment, students draw upon the skills they gained in the lessons to create with mathematics their own custom musical riffs, which they present to Mickey Hart.

Lessons

lesson:
The Science of Sound

Grades: High, Middle
Subjects: Science, STEAM

What is sound, and how are its characteristics explained scientifically?

lesson:
The Mathematics Behind Sound

Grades: High, Middle
Subjects: Math

What are the mathematical variables that give a sound its particular quality, and how can these variables be measured, visualized, and calculated?

lesson:
Calculating Pitch

Grades: High, Middle
Subjects: Math, STEAM

How do musical instruments produce different pitches, and what variables allow you to calculate the pitch of an instrument?

lesson:
Musical Ratios

Grades: High, Middle
Subjects: Math

What role do ratios play in the Western musical concepts of rhythm and harmony?

Featured Artists

Trace It Back:
Mickey Hart

Subjects: Art/Design, General Music, Math, Science