Students create a musical instrument from empty 1-liter bottles and use fractional equivalents to tune the bottles.

Students will explore the following concepts in this activity:

• multiplication
• division
• measurement
• problem solving

To introduce this activity, students will fill one 2-liter bottle half-full with water and blow across the mouth of the bottle to make a sound. They will then take an empty 2-liter bottle and blow across the mouth of the bottle to make a sound. Discuss the two different pitches. Students will then use this experience to solve a new problem.

The Problem: How can an eight-note scale be made with 1-liter bottles?

Review the four problem solving steps with students:

• Understanding the problem
• Making a plan
• Carrying out the plan
• Evaluating the solution