For pre-activity:

• one pair of working headphones (the kind that covers the entire ear)

Each group/individual needs:

• various materials such as cloth, sponges, foam, cotton balls, cotton batting, small carpet samples, and any other materials that will absorb sound (see example list of Materials below with their assigned "cost" for students to choose for their designs)
• something to hold the earpieces together, such as old headphones without the earpieces or a piece of material that will bend without breaking (vinyl strips from a mini-blind or inexpensive plastic headbands)
• Dixie cups (work well as earpieces and can be stuffed with sound-absorbing materials)
• rubber bands
• duct tape
• masking tape
• scissors
• 2 copies of Headphone Design Planning Sheet

Example materials list with assigned costs for students to choose from 

• Paper cup - $4
• Egg carton cup - $3
• Cupcake wrapper - $2
• Coffee filter - $3
• Paper bag - $3
• Bubble wrap - $8
• Cotton stuffing -$8
• Mesh netting - $2
• Marshmallow (2) - $5
• Masking tape (6 in.) - $3
• Pipe cleaner - $5
• Rubber band - $1
• Plastic straw - $2
• Sponge/foam - $7
• Paper bag - $3
• Felt - $6
• Ball of clay - $10
• Tissue paper - $5
• Aluminum foil (6 in.) - $3
• Decorations (each) - $2
• Paper towel roll - $4
• Toilet paper roll - $2
• Plastic bottle - $9