Overview

This learning package connects two exciting strands: musical ratios (from TeachRock) and acoustic science using Raven Lite from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It is designed for a 13‑year‑old (Years 8–9) and aligns to ACARA v9 outcomes (ACMNA166 for mathematics and ACSIS098 for scientific inquiry). The materials below include step‑by‑step instructions, a printable data sheet, an assessment rubric written in a warm Nigella Lawson cadence, many example teacher feedback phrases, a numeric marking grid for summative marking, annotated spectrogram exemplars, and a filled sample student report with annotated spectrograms.

Learning objectives (clear, measurable)

• Mathematics: Use proportional reasoning to explain musical intervals and ratios (ACMNA166). Identify frequency ratios that produce octave, fifth, fourth, major third, etc.
• Music: Apply ratio ideas to rhythm and pitch, and practise transcribing simple melodies or rhythms mapped to ratios.
• Science (Biology/Ecology): Use Raven Lite to record and visualise bird vocalisations, classify species by sound, and collect reliable observation data (ACSIS098).
• Interdisciplinary: Compare spectrograms of birdsong and musical notes; reflect on how natural acoustics inform musical ideas.

Materials

• Computer with Raven Lite installed (https://ravensoundsoftware.com/raven-lite/)
• Headphones or speakers
• Microphone (if making local recordings) or sample audio files from TeachRock / Cornell Lab
• Calculator (or phone calculator), ruler (for printed spectrograms), and printouts of the data sheet

Step‑by‑step Raven Lite guide (for students)

1. Open Raven Lite: Launch the app. If it asks to create a new project, choose a folder you’ll remember.
2. Import or record audio: File > Open to import a WAV/MP3, or use Record > Start to capture live birdsong. If using sample Cornell files, open the downloaded WAV.
3. View the spectrogram: In the main view, you’ll see a waveform and below it a spectrogram (frequency vs time). If you don’t see a spectrogram, enable it via Display > Spectrogram.
4. Adjust spectrogram settings: Use settings to change window size (FFT), overlap and color map. For birdsong, a medium FFT (e.g., 1024) and moderate overlap often shows clear harmonics.
5. Zoom and select: Click and drag on the time axis to zoom into a syllable or note. Use the selection tool to mark a phrase.
6. Measure frequencies: With a selection, Raven Lite shows frequency and time cursors. Record start and peak frequencies (Hz) and duration (s) in your data sheet.
7. Export images: Use File > Export Image or a screenshot tool to save the spectrogram for annotation and assessment.
8. Annotate: Add text boxes (or annotate externally in an image editor) to indicate key features: fundamental frequency, harmonics, frequency modulation (sweeps), repeated motifs.
9. Save and back up: Save your Raven project and exported images; include file names in your data sheet for traceability.

Musical ratios activity (TeachRock inspired) — step by step

1. Warm up (5–10 min): Listen to short clips of single musical notes and identify whether the second sounds "the same" but higher (octave) or different. Discuss why musicians tune by intervals.
2. Match notes to frequencies: Using sample tones (sine waves) or a frequency generator, play notes at known frequencies: e.g., A4 = 440 Hz, A5 = 880 Hz (octave = 2:1). Have the student record frequencies.
3. Calculate ratios: For each pair, calculate frequency ratios (higher/ lower). Identify standard intervals: octave = 2:1, perfect fifth ≈ 3:2, perfect fourth ≈ 4:3, major third ≈ 5:4 (equal temperament will be approximate).
4. Compare to birdsong: Open a bird syllable in Raven Lite. Measure the main pitch (Hz) of repeated motifs. Ask: are there integer relationships or harmonic stacks visible? Do repeated patterns show octave leaps or simple ratios?
5. Reflect: Write a short explanation connecting the maths (ratios) to what you see in the spectrogram: for example, "This bird syllable has a harmonic at about 2x the fundamental, which looks like a strong octave harmonic."

Printable data‑sheet template (printable)

Copy or print this table and use it to record each recording/selection.

Tip: include file names and exported image names so your spectrograms are traceable for assessment.

ACARA v9 alignment (Years 8–10)

• ACMNA166: Apply previous knowledge of ratios and proportional reasoning to musical intervals; interpret frequency ratios and map to musical intervals.
• ACSIS098: Plan and conduct investigations using Raven Lite, collect measurements accurately, and interpret visual sound data (spectrograms) to support species identification and biological interpretation.

Assessment rubric — descriptive + evaluative (Nigella Lawson cadence)

The rubric below blends warm, encouraging language with precise descriptors. Use this both formatively and summatively. Scale: Emerging (1), Developing (2), Proficient (3), Excellent (4).

Rubric notes in Nigella Lawson cadence

Imagine your words are a spoonful of the richest sauce—warm, considered, and nourishing. The best reports do not shout; they invite the reader to taste the reasoning, to savour the clarity of the measurements, and to relish the neatness of a well‑annotated spectrogram.

Example teacher praise and feedback (Nigella Lawson cadence)

Below are 6 warm, specific feedback statements for each rubric area (total ~30–36 statements). Use them for in‑line comments or report writing.

Mathematical reasoning — musical ratios

1. "That calculation tasted simply perfect — your octave ratio was clear and confidently explained."
2. "You have a lovely way of making numbers sing; the 3:2 explanation for the fifth was savoury and satisfying."
3. "A solid start — your work shows promise; try showing the step where you divided the frequencies to make the ratio crystal clear."
4. "You missed a little seasoning in your ratio computation; please include units (Hz) next time so the dish reads complete."
5. "Bravo for trying — your answer would benefit from one more tidy calculation to remove the mild tang of uncertainty."
6. "Superb — your mathematical notes were elegant, like a dessert that rounds off a meal: precise and memorable."

Scientific method — Raven Lite usage

1. "I admired how you wrestled with the spectrogram settings — next time try a slightly larger FFT to reveal the harmonics more clearly."
2. "Your selection was neat and tidy; excellent practice. Don't forget to export the image with labels so your work reads like a finished plate."
3. "A promising approach — consider making a note of your FFT and overlap values so we can reproduce your result without guesswork."
4. "You recorded the audio well; the measurements were a touch scattered. A small checklist before exporting will make a world of difference."
5. "Elegant use of Raven Lite — the spectrograms were clear, and your process notes were like a recipe someone else can follow."
6. "Impeccable technical care — your method is reproducible and the exported images are ready for publication."

Analysis & interpretation

1. "Your interpretation felt like a comforting story — clear, but it could savour more detail about the harmonics."
2. "Good instincts in spotting repeated motifs; a little more linking to ratios will deepen the flavour."
3. "Solid and thoughtful; you explained how the spectral lines map to musical intervals with pleasing clarity."
4. "You’ve created a delectable explanation — subtle, thoughtful and grounded in the data."
5. "A delightful, nuanced analysis that makes one listen differently the next time — well done."
6. "Exquisite insight — you not only interpreted the spectrogram, you told us why it matters in ecological and musical terms."

Communication & presentation

1. "Warm and earnest. A few labels on the image and the report would make your thoughts shine even more."
2. "Nicely organised. A slight tidy of the headings will make your work irresistible to read."
3. "Clear and well presented; the annotations help the reader savour the technical detail."
4. "Gorgeously presented — your spectrograms were labelled like little works of art, and the narrative complemented them perfectly."
5. "You’ve achieved harmony between words and images — a truly polished piece of work."
6. "This is presentation at its best: elegant, precise, and utterly delicious to read."

Ethics & citizen science awareness

1. "A thoughtful start — you’ve noticed data reliability issues; now let’s add a short checklist for field recording."
2. "You show good awareness — consider explicitly naming any uncertainties in species ID to be kind to future researchers."
3. "A conscientious reflection; practical suggestions for improving data quality would make this even stronger."
4. "You have a wise voice on ethical practice — concrete steps for provenance and consent would make your piece exemplary."
5. "Beautifully considered: your comments on citizen science demonstrate a mature respect for data and for the living things you study."
6. "Brilliant and generous thinking about ethics and methodology — this would guide novice citizen scientists towards best practice."

Sample marking grid (converts rubric into numeric scores)

Use this grid to total marks for summative assessment. Each criterion scored 1–4. Total possible = 20. Convert to percentage.

Conversion example: Total 16/20 = 80% → High proficiency. You may map percentages to A–E grades locally.

Assessment exemplars with annotated spectrogram images

Below are three exemplar spectrograms (simple illustrative SVGs). In practice, export real spectrogram images from Raven Lite and annotate similarly: label fundamental (f0), harmonic lines, time intervals and peak frequencies.

Exemplar 1 — Simple tonal syllable (bird with harmonic series)

Exemplar 2 — Frequency sweep (modulated call)

Exemplar 3 — Repeated motif (rhythmic pattern)

Sample student report (filled‑in example)

Below is a concise, model student report that you can adapt or use as a marking exemplar. Replace the spectrogram placeholders with real exported images and their measurements.

How to use these resources in class (stepwise teacher plan)

1. Introduce musical ratios with live demonstration (10–15 min): show sine tones at known frequencies and have students compute ratios.
2. Demonstrate Raven Lite (10 min): import an audio file, show spectrogram features and export images.
3. Student practical (40–60 min): students work in pairs to analyse 2–3 recordings, fill the data sheet, export annotated spectrograms and write a brief report.
4. Peer review (15 min): pairs exchange reports and give feedback using 2–3 rubric statements.
5. Summative submission: student submits final report and spectrogram images. Teacher uses marking grid to score out of 20.

Practical tips & troubleshooting

• If spectrograms look too noisy, reduce gain or use a bandpass filter before export.
• For accurate Hz readings, ensure Raven Lite displays the frequency axis with sufficient resolution (increase image height or zoom on Y axis).
• Encourage students to save settings they used (FFT size, window) so work is reproducible.

Final note

These activities let students taste the delicious overlap between maths, music and biology. The result is a richer understanding: numbers that sing and songs that tell scientific stories. If you want, I can now produce printable PDF versions of the data sheet, rubric and the sample student report, or convert the exemplar spectrograms into teacher‑ready PNG files tailored to your recordings. Tell me which export you'd like.