Presentation

  1. 1

    Take out one box of cylinders and place them at random.

  2. 2

    Shake each one and find the loudest; place it at the left.

  3. 3

    Shake the others and find the next loudest; place it to its right.

  4. 4

    Continue to the softest.

  5. 5

    Shake each in order to hear the sounds go from loud to soft.

  6. 6

    Give the three-period lesson with three cylinders: "loud, louder, loudest" and "soft, softer, softest".

Extensions, easiest to hardest

  1. Grade both boxes, then pair across the two lines.
  2. Grade with eyes closed.
  3. Grade the second box from softest to loudest.

Control of error

Marks on the bases show the correct order in many sets; otherwise the guide checks by shaking the line in order.

Ready to move on when the child…

  • Grades six cylinders correctly
  • Uses loud/louder/loudest and soft/softer/softest
  • Pairs across two graded lines

Try “pink tower”, “tummy”, “diaper”, “grace and courtesy”, or “October”.