Date: August 1998

Grade Level(s): 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

• Indisciplinary
• Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies

Duration:
While this activity may be completed in as few as two class sessions, it may easily be conducted as a week long learning center activity or an ongoing classroom project.

Description:
Students will learn about local and regional US geography through the use of a simple AM radio at home in the evening. By practicing listening and note-taking skills, and completing a listener's log sheet, students will identify radio stations by call sign, frequency, and city. Class results will be marked on a wall map in the classroom. This activity integrates technology (radio) with social studies, science, math and language arts curriculum.

Goals: By operating an AM radio, students will practice listening and note taking skills, learn about local and regional US geography (cities, states) as well as topics in other academic subjects as appropriate for their specific grade level. It is important to understand that the radio is a general purpose tool for learning, like a computer, and may be used by students to practice information seeking and communication skills across a variety of academic subjects.

Objective(s):

1. Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to use an AM radio through completion of a log sheet. On their log sheet they will list the AM radio stations they have heard by recording date, time, station call signs, frequency, and city.

2. Students will demonstrate listening skills by indicating the types of programming heard on each station: news, music, sports, feature story - categories listed on their log sheet.

3. If using analog tuning radios, students will also be able to demonstrate their ability to "estimate on a number line", since tuning is done on a number scale on the tuning dial.

4. If using digital tuning radios, students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of decimals and place value from approximately 530 to 1710 kHz (the AM Band).

Materials:

1. Two AM radios: Preferably one with analog tuning and another with digital tuning, so that students may learn how to tune both kinds of radios. Students will listen at home on family owned radios such as those commonly found in a kitchen, in a stereo system, or in a car.

2. State and United States Wall Maps: Students' logs will contribute information that will be marked on large wall maps in the classroom. One local map will show nearby radio stations, and a United States map will show any distant stations that are logged.

3. Student Log sheets: Students are given copies of simple log sheets that make it more convenient for them to record essential facts while listening to the radio: date, time, station call sign, frequency, and program type. In this way, students' data as a class will be easy to collect and discuss.

4. WRTH - World Radio & Television Handbook (optional): WRTH is published annually and lists all the radio and TV stations in the world. This is an ideal reference to verify the call signs, frequencies and locations of the radio stations heard by students. Other similar publications may be also be useful, but WRTH is commonly available in bookstores. This activity can be done without a copy of WRTH, but having it handy is very helpful.

Procedure:

1. Ask how many students have used a radio at home. Ask what kinds of information they have heard on the radio. Point out that there are two kinds of stations: AM and FM. Do a survey of favorite stations, if time allows. Do students favor AM or FM stations, and why?

2. Demonstrate an AM radio to the class. If possible show both an older style, analog (slide rule) tuning radio, and a newer, digital tuning radio. Analog tuning requires that the listener estimate the frequencies represented on a number line, labeled from 530 to 1710 kHz. Digital tuning will show the exact frequency being tuned, and requires no estimation. Digital radios usually move up and down in 10 kHz units.

3. Explain that students will be listening to an AM radio at home after dark, and that they will be asked to complete a log sheet based on what they hear. Ask if they think they will be able to hear an AM radio station from out of town, and if so, how far away it might be. Students who live near each other may be grouped into listening teams to share radios. Parents may also be invited to participate.

4. Demonstrate how to fill out a log sheet by listening to an AM radio in class, preferably to a well known local station. Explain how all stations are required by the federal government (FCC) to give station breaks periodically, where they state their call sign, frequency and location. It may take some patient listening for students to wait for a station break, but they always occur before news programs, on the hour and half hour.

5. Students take their log sheets home and listen to AM radios after dark, which increases the reception of distant stations. This occurs because after the sun sets, AM signals more easily bounce off the Earth's atmosphere and skip off the ground. The result is that AM stations from hundreds of miles away may be heard at night that are not heard during the day. For reference, FM signals travel only 40-50 miles at any time of day. Students may recognize this fact from having tuned FM stations on car trips, and noticed them go out of range. They will also notice that some AM stations are more powerful than others and have greater range. Stations often state their transmitting power in watts during station breaks.

6. Makes a copy of the log sheet on the blackboard. Then call on students and records their log sheet information, moving around the class, and skipping any duplications. Stations are also marked on the state and US wall maps. Disagreements about call signs, frequencies or locations can be checked in the WRTH reference book. Keep in mind that stations sometimes change ownership and their call signs.

7. As stated earlier, this activity can be done in two sessions, as one overnight activity. Another choice is to continue it for a week, beginning on a Friday and finish a week later. Since reception varies daily and across the seasons, students will have a variety of experiences depending on the month and their location.

8. Some teachers may prefer to organize this activity as a learning center, after an introductory class session and one session of sharing log sheet information. Others may organize this activity using cooperative groups, with each group completing a log sheet while listening during the school day. This allows for hands-on practice in preparation for the overnight activity which is done individually at home.

Extension activities:

Explore the metric measurements used in measuring AM and FM radio frequencies: kiloHertz and MegaHertz. Why is one capitalized and the other not? Why are AM frequencies measured with kHZ and FM with MHz? And who was Mr. Hertz?

Explore the history and science of radio. How does it work? Who invented the radio? Who is Guglielmo Marconi? What is a crystal radio? Have students construct a crystal radio from a kit. How does it work without batteries or a power cord? Technology classes and older students may construct one from scratch, such as the famous "Foxhole Radio" built by U.S. soldiers in WWII.

Bring a shortwave (SW) radio to school and have students explore the world of international broadcasting. To begin shortwave listening (SWL) read the book, "Passport to World Band Radio", published annually. PWBR provides information on purchasing a SW radio, getting started in SWL, and identifying stations by country, time and frequency. Some schools have stablished SWL Clubs. SW radios cost as little as $50, with digital models running $100 or more. Social studies, science and foreign language teachers will find SW radios invaluable.

Amateur (ham) radio communications may be demonstrated by the adult members of a local amateur radio club. Ham radio requires a license from the F.C.C., while shortwave listening does not. The advantage of ham radio is that it is interactive. Students will be able to practice speaking, as well as listening skills. There are now many middle and high schools around the world with their own amateur radio stations. It may be possible to have short wave and amateur radios donated by parents or local businesses. My own school radio equipment was purchased with teacher center grants at one school and with federal magnet school funding at another. The school's technology classroom is often chosen as the school station site, and the technology teacher may wish to serve as the club advisor.

Assessment:

Have students' log sheets signed by their parents and turned in for completion credit. Neatness counts!

Have students write a report on their personal listening experiences. The topic may related to a specific classroom assignment from science or social studies.

Give a test covering the concepts covered in the grade level curriculum, and/or about the operation of an AM radio.

Have students write letters to distant stations to give a listener's report that includes their log sheet facts. Stations usually respond with a thank you letter, and often send advertising novelties such as key chains, bumper stickers, posters, etc. These items will add color and excitement to a classroom display or learning center.

Useful Internet Resources:

WRTH - World Radio & Television Handbook (published annually)
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/books/1000.html

How Things Work - Radio
http://landau1.phys.virginia.edu/Education/Teaching/
HowThingsWork/radio.html

F.C.C. - AM Radio Station Database Query
http://www.fcc.gov/mmb/asd/amq.html

BRS Radio Directory - listing of radio stations on the Web
http://www.radio-directory.com/

The MIT List of Radio Stations on the Internet
http://wmbr.mit.edu/stations/list.html

National Radio Club - for long-distance AM radio listeners
http://nrcdxas.org/

Surfing the Aether - A Radio History & Technology Timeline
http://www.northwinds.net/bchris/

The Electric Club Activities Handbook (hands-on science fun)
http://www.schoolnet.ca/general/electric-club/e/index.html

Antique Electronic Supply - crystal radio kits online
Crystal radio kits are also sold at Radio Shack stores, less than $10.
http://www.tubesandmore.com/

Children’s Music Web
This is a resource for teachers, parents, and students.
http://www.childrensmusic.org

The Bellingham Antique Radio Museum
http://www.antique-radio.org/

Museum of Broadcast Communications
http://www.mbcnet.org

Old Time Radio - radio programs from "radio's golden age"
http://www.old-time.com/

Radio Days: A Sound Bite History (Capt. Midnight & others)
http://www.otr.com/

Short wave Radio Information for Beginners
http://www.castino.com/radio.htm

Grove Enterprises & Monitoring Times Magazine (monthly)
http://www.grove-ent.com/
http://www.grove-ent.com/hmpgmt.html

Universal Radio, Inc. - free print catalog
Excellent source for all kinds of radios and radio books:
http://www.universal-radio.com/

Passport to World Band Radio, 1999 (published annually)
The best beginner's book for short-wave radio listening.
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/books/1000.html

Receiver Shopping List - Radio Nederlands
Excellent reviews of short-wave radios and related books.
http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/rx_index.html