Curated OER
Sink or Swim
Students explore sinking and floating. In this buoyancy lesson, students conduct an investigation dealing with regular and diet soda. Students drop various soda cans into water and then discuss why some float and some sink.
Curated OER
Buoyancy: Integrating Science and Literature
Integrate science and literature by using the scientific method to test the veracity of the floating peach described in Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach. Clips from a Bill Nye: The Science Guy episode about buoyancy frontload...
Curated OER
Why Do Certain Things Float, While Some Sink?
First graders conduct an experiment. In this density lesson, 1st graders work in groups to test 10 different objects to see which ones sink and float. Students discuss why certain objects float and others do not.
Curated OER
Sinking and Floating
Students examine why some objects float or sink. In this physics instructional activity, students engage in several mini-experiments which challenge them to draw their own conclusions regarding why certain objects sink or float. An...
Curated OER
Which Objects Will Sink or Float?
First graders work in cooperative groups and utilize a variety of materials to test objects ability to sink or float. In this sink or float lesson, 1st graders discover why some object sink and others float. Students will graph results...
Curated OER
The Magical Diving Sub
First graders discuss and predict if a given object sinks or floats. They record their predictions on a data sheet. Pupils test the objects and organize them into floating/sinking groups. Students observe the floating and sinking of a...
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Ocean Acidification - the Chemistry is Less than Basic!
A video and laboratory investigation are highlights to this lesson on acidification of ocean water due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. Using bromothymol blue (BTB) as an indicator, pupils analyze the amount of carbon dioxide...
Curated OER
Types of Marine Debris
Young scholars conduct an experiment. In this marine debris and environment protection lesson, students categorize trash into piles, predict whether these trash items will sink, float or be picked up and carried by the wind and then...
Curated OER
Activity: Float a Clay Boat
Written to introduce pupils to buoyancy, this activity has collaborative groups work to design a floatable clay boat. They first observe that a stick of clay sinks in water and then are given their own stick to reshape into a floating...
Curated OER
Liquids: Floating and Sinking
Third graders conduct an experiment. In this floating and sinking liquids instructional activity, 3rd graders discuss density and investigate it using syrup, vegetable oil and colored water. Students observe the results and complete a...
Curated OER
Sink or Float Water Play Activity
Students experiment with different objects to see if they sink or float. They can also choose certain colored items if more review is necessary.
Curated OER
Sink or Float
First graders explore items that sink or float. They cut and glue pictures of objects that they predict will sink or float. Students place thir pictures on a picture of a bucket of water. Students then color the objects that they had...
Curated OER
Sink or Float?
Students examine how weight and balance can effect if an item sinks or floats. They listen to the book "Who Sank the Boat?" by Pamela Allen, and discuss how the smallest animal sank the boat. Students then conduct an experiment in...
Curated OER
Will it SINK or Float?
Pupils predict whether objects will sink or float in water. They classify objects as sinking or floating in water. Students identify and explain similarities between objects that sink and float.
Curated OER
Floating and Sinking
Learners conduct experiments in which they investigate which materials float and which sink. They examine what qualities the materials that float have in common. They carry out a scientific investigation, predict, and test their...
Curated OER
Density in Relation to Float and Sink
Students explore the concept of density. In this density lesson, students determine the density of various objects. Students use the density of the various objects to predict the density of various unknown solutions.
Curated OER
The Floating Golf Ball
Young scholars explore density by floating golf balls. They explore having their golf balls float halfway in a container of water and discuss density and its realtionship to where the golf balls are floating. After adding food coloring,...
Center for Precollegiate Education and Training
Buoyancy Boats
What did the sea say to the boat? Nothing, it just waved. An inquiry-based lesson starts with a simple concept on the Archimedes Principle and challenges pupils to make something out of clay that floats. Then, they design an object out...
Curated OER
Construct a Buoyant Scuba Diver
Groups of young oceanographers get to use action figures to experiment with the property of buoyancy! This memorable lesson plan provides detailed background information, a link to the laboratory worksheet, and thorough instruction...
Curated OER
Sink or Float
Third graders sort objects into those they think will float and those that will sink and test their predictions. They experiment with clay molding it into shapes that float. They place pennies in them until they sink. They test other...
Curated OER
Make An Egg Float!
Students analyze density. In this density lesson plan, students experiment with floating an egg. Students discover that salt added to water changes the density of the water allowing an egg to float.
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
Middle schoolers are introduced to the concept of buoyancy. The Video used in this lesson demonstrates and explains the characteristics of objects that sink and float. It presents the concepts of displacement, weight, and buoyancy.
Curated OER
I've Got That Sinking Feeling
Students design a simple boat and predict how much weight it can carry. They should also discover why objects float or sink and how this can be determined experimentally. A great lesson on buoyancy!
Curated OER
What is Density?
Students explore physical science by conducting an in-class experiment. In this density lesson, students define vocabulary terms dealing with physics and discuss their knowledge of density. Students conduct several "sink or float"...