Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chinese Floating Fabric

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the multifaceted Chinese culture and how its traditions and holidays have spread around the world. They discover that the Chinese word for carp has almost the same meaning as the Chinese word for profit. Therefore, a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Will the Pumpkin Sink or Float?

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Learners participate in a sink or float activity using pumpkins.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Could the Hindenburg Float?

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders experiment with floating and sinking objects and heavy and light liquids, using correct terms, like density, to explain what happens.  In this Hindenburg lesson, 10th graders watch a demonstration called the invisible...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Does the USS Alabama Float?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students investigate buoyancy. In this buoyancy lesson, students apply the Archimedes Principle of Buoyancy to the experiment conducted in class to determine how battleships float.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sink or Float?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students analyze the relationship between density, buoyancy, and salinity. In this chemical properties lesson plan, students read a background activity for the lesson plan and experiments to the topics. Students discuss the questions and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density: Floating, Sinking, and Suspending

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students observe teacher demonstrations that illustrate density. For this density lesson, the teacher demonstrates how air bubbles in a carbonated drink can cause a raisin to float and how an egg sinks in fresh water, but floats in salt...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density: Float or Sink

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discover density.  In this density lesson, students discover the properties of objects that allow them to float or sink in water.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Role of Density in Sinking or Floating: Relational Causality

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils consider density and how it affects sinking and floating. Students make predictions, test liquids, and observe why some liquids sink and others float. They perform experiments to determine relational causality and how liquids...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aztec Floating Gardens

For Teachers K - 7th
Aztecs created amazing hydroponic gardens called Chinampas, to grow their crops. Learners in grades k-7 engage in four mini-experiments to understand just how amazing floating gardens are. Tip: A perfect way to bring science into your...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Floating Pencil

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students discover how salt water makes a pencil float better than freshwater by measuring and comparing the lengths of the portion of the pencil that floats above the water surface. They then determine if an unknown water sample is...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let the Good Times Roll

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read an online New York Times article and investigate the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. They examine how Hurricane Katrina affected the celebration. They design a float that represents the Mardi Gras celebration.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Float or Not to Float - A Lesson on Density

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students observe and experiment with the concept of density. This is done using a simple experiment that helps them to apply scientific principles of observation and proving a hypothesis.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Made to Sail

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students use simple materials to make model sailboats which must stay upright and sail straight in a testing tank.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Float a Hot Air Balloon

For Teachers 5th - 8th
This activity will lift spirits in your class, but there is little scientific explanation for what makes a hot air balloon rise. As you are teaching middle school scientists about density and convection, you can incorporate this...
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Changing the Density of an Object - Adding Material

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
In this sixth of seven activities revolving around the concept of density, physical science fans figure out if anything can be done to change the density of an object. Demonstrate by placing a can of regular and a can of diet soda into a...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Buoyancy

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Swimmers know to float by turning their bodies horizontally rather than vertically, but why does that make a difference? In an interesting instructional activity, scholars explore buoyancy and the properties of air and water. They test...
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Changing the Density of an Object - Changing Shape

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Continuing with the concept of volume and its effect on density, learners now work with a piece of clay to see if they can get it to float in water. This is a memorable end to a seven-part investigation of density. Make sure to check out...
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Comparing the Density of an Object to the Density of Water

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Investigators construct a makeshift balance and compare equal volumes of wax and water. They do the same for clay and water. Then they discover whether the wax and clay will float or sink in water. Ultimately this is a comparison of...
Lesson Plan
Center for Precollegiate Education and Training

Buoyancy Boats

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Regular Coke vs. Diet Coke: Which is Denser?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners define the terms "mass," "volume," and "density." The relationship between these three terms is established. They observe the differences between Regular and Diet Coke. They develop an hypotheses about why a can of Regular Coke...
Lesson Plan
American Chemical Society

Changing the Density of a Liquid - Adding Salt

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Fourth in a set of several little lessons on density, this one compares the density of fresh and salt water. First by demonstration, and then by a hands-on activity, learners find that adding salt increases the density, as is evidenced...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How to Clean Up an Oil Slick

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students explore how an oil spill is contained and cleaned up. They investigate an oil absorbing polymer that is hydrophobic, absorbs up to 19 times its own weight in nonpolar liquids, floats on water, and can be reused or disposed of by...
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density of Rocks

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Given a variety of rocks, junior geologists calculate densities and correlate them to Earth's layers. As a simulation of continental crust, they experiment with how materials of differing density float in water. Finally, they...

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