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Presenter view · When Your Ears Deceive You · Grades 5–8 · Music · 30 minutes

Sound Illusions

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Before you start

Materials

  • Audio clips: Shepard Tone, McGurk Effect video, Yanny/Laurel clip
  • Two versions of same scene with different music (happy vs. scary)
  • Speakers or headphones for clear audio playback
  • Optional: Mini Museum stereoscope for visual/audio comparison

On the classroom screen

MSeeing is DeceivingSound Illusions

Lesson · When Your Ears Deceive You · Grades 5–8 · Music · 30 minutes

Sound Illusions

Students will experience auditory illusions firsthand, analyze how music and sound manipulate emotions, and connect sound deception to visual deception explored in the Mini Museum exhibition.

30minutes

Press Start when the class is ready

Hook 5 minIllusions 8 minEmotion 10 minElements 5 minClose 2 min

Up next

The Endless Staircase of Sound 5 min

Play the Shepard Tone (an auditory illusion that seems to rise forever).

Ready

30:00

Print

  • Green Level handout More Support (PDF, opens in a new tab)
  • Yellow Level handout Grade Level (PDF, opens in a new tab)
  • Red Level handout Go Deeper (PDF, opens in a new tab)
  • Poster 1 Projector mode (opens in a new tab)
  • Poster 2 Projector mode (opens in a new tab)
  • Lesson plan Teacher (PDF, opens in a new tab)

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