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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Buoyancy

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students use materials found at a resource table to design simple devices that will house instruments to take water samples from a tub of water. They design 3 instruments, each varying in density so that one will float, one will hover...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pumpkin Science

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine pumpkins and use the scientific method to explore its contents.  In this Pumpkin Science lesson, 4th graders measure pumpkins for circumference. Students dress as if they were in a lab and work in pairs to...
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Unit Plan
Arizona State University

Physics of Boats

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Let's go sailing! An instructive unit includes six lessons with multiple activities to teach scholars about density, center of gravity, buoyancy, and the Archimedes Principle. They can complete the final project of building a boat on a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density Studies of the Earth

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Density comes to life as investigators place soda cans into containers of various liquids to find if they sink or float. They layer different density liquids, compare densities of different gases, and more. A total of six different...
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Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Buoyancy Bulls-Eye

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Why does a seastar sink, but a jellyfish float? Through a fun investigation, learners examine the concept of buoyancy using simple household items. The challenge: create neutral buoyancy for an action figure in water. With ample teacher...
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Lesson Plan
DiscoverE

Foil Boats

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
How many pennies can an aluminum foil boat hold? That is the challenge in a collaborative activity designed to explore the concept of buoyancy. Learners use aluminum foil to build makeshift boats and test the weight they hold before...
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Activity
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Teach Engineering

Clay Boats

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
Clay itself sinks, but clay boats float. Why? Young engineers build clay boats to learn about buoyancy. They test the weight the boats can hold using washers and then tweak their designs to make improvements, following the engineering...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Come On Down!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Begin with an introduction to famous deep-sea submersibles. Learners work in groups to gather information on different vessels and then share with the class. Each group then uses water displacement to help calculate the density of...
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Interactive
Concord Consortium

Molecular Sorting

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Can scientists sort molecules based on their interaction with oil and water? The simulation demonstrates how this is possible. Pupils decide when to insert a molecule and observe how they sort themselves based on polarity.
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Activity
Exploratorium

Bubble Suspension

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Create a cushion of carbon dioxide gas to float some soap bubbles on. Many concepts can be demonstrated through this activity: Carbon dioxide gas is more dense than air Bubbles are semipermeable, allowing only carbon dioxide to diffuse...
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Activity
PBS

Watercraft

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Whatever floats your boat—with some additional weight. The first activity in a five-part series challenges pupils to design a boat to hold pennies. Using the design process, learners design, build, and test their boats, making sure they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Cheerios Don't Sink

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students investigate Archimedes' Principle and show how it relates to density. For this Archimedes' Principle lesson plan, students experiment with a beaker of water, a Styrofoam "boat" and a weight. They predict what will happen when...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Role of Density in Sinking or Floating: Relational Causality

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students watch the teacher do a demonstration of density with diet and regular soda. Note: try this first, as different types of artificial sweetener have different densities. Students discuss density and volume. They discuss "Relational...
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Lesson Plan
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Center for Learning in Action

Density

For Teachers 2nd - 5th Standards
Explore the concept of density within states of matter—gases, liquids, and solids—through a group experiment in which young scientists test objects' texture, color, weight, size, and ability to sink or float.    
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Going Fishing

For Students 6th - 12th
Why do some things float and others sink? A creative simulation allows learners to adjust mass and volume of an object to affect its buoyancy in water. A graph records the effect of each manipulation.
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Scuba Training

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
How does a scuba diver control whether they sink or float? Scholars observe the relationship between absolute pressure and depth below the surface in an undersea simulation. They control the diver size and depth to center of mass to see...
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Activity
University of Waikato

Temperature, Salinity and Water Density

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
The difference between sinking and floating may be a little salt. Young experimenters analyze the effect of salt and temperature on the density of water. They use their results to predict the effect of climate change on ocean ecosystems.
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Activity
PBS

Reading Adventure Pack: Oceans

For Parents 1st Standards
Flotsam by David Wiesner and The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen, begin a reading adventure pack focusing on oceans. With story listening and thoughtful discussion, scholars complete several...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build Your Own Submarine

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students construct their own submarine following a certain procedure. In this physics lesson, students calculate the density of objects using a mathematical formula. They explain why some object floats in water while some do not.
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Unit Plan
Anglophone School District

Fluids: Force in Fluids

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
Discuss Archimedes' Principle and fluid forces with your young scientists as they describe the relationship between mass, volume, and density during a series of engaging activities. They use the Participle Theory of Matter to explore the...
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Activity
DiscoverE

Design a Flotation Device

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Save the soup! Scholars devise a flotation device using straws, balloons, foam, corks, and other objects. A can of soup must stay afloat for at least a minute with this device—your dinner might depend on it!
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Buoyant Boats

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners design and construct a boat out of aluminum foil and a few other simple materials. The boats then be tested by floating them in water, then adding mass until they sink. They explore the various shapes of boat construction.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density and Mass

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students experiment to find which liquids are more dense.  In this density and mass lesson, students predict and then test objects to observe and measure their density. students observe which items sink and float. Students complete...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Design a Plankton

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore animal and plant adaptation.  For this ecosystems science lesson, students view websites to gain information about plankton and its  interdependence within ecosystems. Learners identify ways in which plankton has adapted...

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