Play It Safe With Your Ears. Play It Safe With Your Health.
For Elementary
School Students
&EPA
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What's that sound you Hear?
It's the siren of a fire truck, bark of a dog, and ring of a telephone.
Your ears allow you to hear many different sounds. Some sounds can be
pleasant to hear and some not so pleasant. 3ut either way, the louder the
sound and the longer you listen to it, the more likely it is to cause damage
to your hearing.
Some sounds not only harm your hearing, but can also make it hard to
concentrate while reading or doing homework and prevent you from falling
asleep. It is important that you learn about sound and how to identify when
it is harmful to you and others.
This fun booklet w/// teach
you how to identify which
sounds are loud and ways
to protect your hearing and
health. Hearing is a very
important part of your life.
You only have one pair of
ears, so treat them well by
protecting them from
harmful sounds.
US. Environmental "Protection Agency
Office of r\\r and "Radiation
ft:
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Test how well you know sounds. Choose a word from the list below and match it to the
picture that makes that sound. After you have matched the sounds to the picture, you can
color them.
bang
tick tock
woof
vroom
squeak
crack
meow
moo
buzz
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What happens inside the ear when you hear sounds?
Outer
Ear
Middle
Ear
Inner
Ear
Your ears are amazing
instruments! Each ear is
divided into three parts: the
outer ear, middle ear, and
inner ear. The three parts
work together so you can
hear sound.
Hearing starts at the outer
ear, which carries sound
from the air through the
ear canal to the eardrum.
The eardrum vibrates,
which causes three bones
(malleus, incus, and stapes)
in the middle ear to move
mechanically.
The middle ear sends
mechanical vibrations to the
inner ear (cochlea) where
they are picked up by hair
cells, which send electrical
impulses to the brain.
The tiny hair cells in the inner ear are very important. Why? Because
when those hair cells are damaged, they do not heal and can cause
hearing loss. Think of hair cells as blades of grass. When you walk on
grass the blades spring back up but if you walk over them too much,
the blades stop springing back, and the grass flattens out. The same
thing happens in your ears when you listen to sounds that are too loud
for a long timethey may damage the tiny hair cells in your inner ears.
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Sound is measured in units called
decibels (des-iv/?-bels).The greater the
number of decibels, the louder the
sound and the more harmful it is to your
ears. The sound thermometer gives you
an idea of how loud some sounds are. If
you are exposed to sound at 85 decibels
and above, it may harm your hearing.
Sound Thermometer
(courtesy of Dangerous Decibels)
180 Rocket Launch
175
170
165
155
145
Fireworks, Gunshot
1*3O Airplane (from 100 ft.)
125 Police Siren, Jack Hammer
* * I- Rock Concert,Thunderclap
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Stereo Headphones
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Roar of Crowd at Sporting Evenl
Gas Lawn Mower
Busy City Traffic
Washing Machine, Vacuum Cleaner
Talking Normally
Rainfall
Whisper
Softest Sound You Can Hear
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Circle the 5 pictures that produce sounds that can be harmful to your hearing. To help you,
use the sound thermometer on the previous page. After you have circled all 5 pictures, you
can color them.
ooo
000
ooo
Cell Phone
Garbage Truck
Airplane
Bird
Fire Truck
Washing Machine
Rocket
Stereo Headphones
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Sound can harm more than just your hearing; it can also cause harm to your health. While at
home, school, or play, think quiet.. .to keep your ears and health from being harmed by sound.
While at home, sound can cause problems like:
Trouble sleeping
Headaches
Trouble concentrating on your homework
Difficulty hearing your family members
While at school, sound can cause you to:
Have trouble concentrating
Become frustrated when you can't hear
Not think clearly
Have difficulty hearing your teacher and classmates
While at play, the sound is too loud if:
You can't hear the person next to you
It shakes or vibrates your body
You hear a ringing sound in your ears after exposure to loud sounds
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There are 18 words hidden in this word search that relate to sound and your hearing.
Can you find them? Don't forget to look up, down, forward, backward, and diagonal!
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eardrum
earplug
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hair cells
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outer ear
protection
quiet
sounds
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Connect the dots below to complete the picture. And remember, some sounds may be
enjoyable but listening to them for too long and too loud can damage your hearing.
4«
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11
12
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There are some sounds that can harm your hearing or interfere with your sleep and study.
Can you find and circle the 7 objects in the picture below? After you have circled the
7 objects, you can color the page.
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Finish unscrambling the letters below for words that relate to sound and your hearing.
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Start protecting your hearing and your
health today!
Homework and studying should be done in a quiet place.
Turn down the volume on your television, video game, radio, and music player.
Walk away from sound that is too loud.
Wear hearing protectors while attending or participating in loud activities.
Inform your parents or teacher when you are having difficulty hearing.
If you hear a ringing sound in your ears after exposure to loud sounds,
please tell your parents.
Teach classmates, friends, and family about sound.
List other things you can do:
To learn more, visit
www.epa.gov/air/noise.html
Other Resources:
www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/noise
www.dangerousdecibels.org
www.hearingconservation.org
www.listentoyourbuds.org
www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov
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Cut out the bookmark below. Use it to mark your page and to remind you of the sounds
that can be harmful and how to protect your hearing and health.
oV Cut along
the dotted line.
What is Too Loud?
Sound at 85 decibels and
above can harm your hearing.
180 Rocket Launch
175
170
165
155
145
Fireworks, Gunshot
135 Airplane (from 100ft)
125 Police Siren, Jack Hammer
lie Rick Concert, Thunderclap
I ID
Stereo Headphones
105 (with the volume turned up)
Garbage Truck
Roar of Crowd at Sporting Event
Gas Lawn Mower
Busy City Traffic
Washing Machine. Vacuum Cleaner
Talking Normally
Softest Sound You Can Hear
www.dangerousdecibels.com
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&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Air and Radiation
Washington, D.C. 20460
EPA-410-F-09-001
www.epa.gov/air/noise.html
November 2009
Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper
with a minimum 50% post-consumer
waste, processed chlorine-free, using
vegetable-based inks.
Protect
Your Hearing and
Your Health!
Remember, not all sounds are
harmful. But the louder the
sound and the longer you listen
to it, the more harmful it is to
your ears and your health.
Turn down the volume on
your television, video game,
radio, and music player.
Walk away from sound that is
too loud.
Wear hearing protectors when
needed.
Tell your parents, a trusted
adult, or a teacher when you
can't hear or if you hear a
ringing sound in your ears
after exposure to loud sounds.
Visit www.epa.gov/air/noise.html
for more information.
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