How the Ear Works
6th Grade Science
Parts of the Ear

The ear is divided into 3 main parts:
Outer Ear
 Middle Ear
 Inner Ear

The Outer Ear*

Contains: pinna (lobe), ear canal, & ear drum.
The Middle Ear*

Contains 3 bones: hammer, anvil, & stirrup.
The Inner Ear*

Contains: cochlea and auditory nerve.
Outer Ear
Label the Parts of the Ear*
Hammer Anvil
Eardrum
Pinna
Ear Canal
Middle Ear
Inner Ear
Stirrup
Cochlea
Auditory
Nerve
How Does the Ear Work?
Animation 1
Animation 2
Animation 3
Steps to Hearing:*
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Vibrations move through the outer ear canal and
vibrate the eardrum.
The eardrum passes its energy through a chain of three
tiny bones, the anvil, hammer, and stirrup, in the
middle of the ear.
The anvil, hammer, and stirrup pass the energy onto
the cochlea.
The vibrations activate hair cells and fluid inside the
cochlea.
Electrical signals are sent to the brain through the
auditory nerve.
Video on how the ear works:
A Black Box Problem : How Do I Hear?
http://science.education.nih.gov/suppleme
nts/nih3/hearing/activities/lesson4.htm
Storyboard – Sound traveling to
the brain.
On a sheet of copy paper, you will create a
storyboard (comic) that illustrates how
sound waves travel from a source to your
brain.
 You can choose any sound you want.
 You must have at least 11 boxes in your
comic…see example. Lots of creativity and
color!!!

Storyboard parts.
STEPS
1. Object making a sound
6. Vibrating the anvil
2. Sound entering Pinna
7. Vibrating the stirrup
3. Sound traveling down ear canal
8. vibrating/tapping on cochlea
4. Waves vibrating ear drum
9. Sending message through auditory
nerve
5. Vibrating the hammer
10. Reaching the brain
11. Person’s reaction to sound!