Making Music with the Engineering Design Process

Here’s another fun engineering design project!

Step One

Gather materials from around the house. You will need some objects that make clinking sounds when they strike each other, some string, and a piece for the top. We started with a biscuit cutter.

Step Two

Tie pieces of string evenly around the top piece.

Step Three

Attach the small objects to the string. You could use keys, washers, shells, spoons, or any other items that make a nice sound when they strike each other.

Step Four

Attach a string at the top to hang the wind chime by.

Step Five

Try it out! This version did not make much sound, even in the wind.

Step Six

If the first version doesn’t work, try some changes! For this engineering design iteration, the top was replaced with a smaller choice - a cookie cutter. This one worked!

Need a full lesson plan? Check out our Make a Wind Chime Engineering Design Lesson or grab the whole set of engineering design lessons! Each lesson has instructions for a classroom collaborative, student instruction sheet and response sheet, extension activities, and related resources. Enjoy!