Curated OER
Leaky Seal
Junior high schoolers explore possible theories for the cause of the Hunley submarine sinking. Through hands on activities, they investigate how to create a waterproof seal. Afterwards, they discuss how seals work and various...
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, 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?
Young scholars are introduced to the concept of buoyancy. The Video used in this lesson plan 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 instructional activity, students define vocabulary terms dealing with physics and discuss their knowledge of density. Students conduct several "sink...
Curated OER
Does Soap Float?
Students form hypotheses and carry out an investigation in order to answer a central question: Does soap float? The focus of this lesson plan is on scientific inquiry, but it incorporates scientific topics such as sinking and floating.
Curated OER
To Float or Not to Float, That is the Question?
Ninth graders develop operational definition of density, do computations using density equation, categorize pieces of matter as being able to float on
water or not, based on density, explain why some objects sink or float based on...
Teach Engineering
Floaters and Sinkers
Whatever floats your boat. Young engineers learn about density by measuring the masses and volumes of boxes filled with different materials. Using their knowledge of densities, they hypothesize whether objects with given densities will...
American Chemical Society
Changing the Density of an Object - Adding Material
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...
American Chemical Society
Comparing the Density of an Object to the Density of Water
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...
Cornell University
Buoyancy
Swimmers know to float by turning their bodies horizontally rather than vertically, but why does that make a difference? In an interesting lesson, scholars explore buoyancy and the properties of air and water. They test cups to see which...
American Chemical Society
Temperature Affects Density
Different substances can have different densities, but can the same substance have different densities? Lesson explores the effect of temperature on the density of water. Extension idea connects the concept of how melting ice in lakes...
NOAA
Come on Down!
What do we do when a dive is too dangerous for humans to accomplish? Send in the robots! Middle school scientists get acquainted with several different models of submersible robots in the second lesson of six from NOAA. Lab groups then...
Curated OER
Sink or Float
Students explore water properties by conducting a class experiment. In this buoyancy lesson, students make predictions as to whether or not specific objects will sink or float in water. Students conduct the experiment and record their...
Curated OER
Vegetable Olympic Swimming: Will it Float?
Students inspect nutrition by conducting a science experiment in class. In this vegetable identification lesson, students examine a group of different veggies and predict whether they will sink or float in a tub of water. Students check...
Curated OER
Floating Soap
Learners use the Scientific Method steps to complete an experiment on various brands of soap to determine their floating capabilities. In this scientific method lesson, students write a hypothesis about the ability of various soap bars...
Curated OER
Floating Soap
Students explore the density of soap. In this science lesson, students conduct an experiment to find which types of soap will float. Students make a hypothesis and record their observations.
Curated OER
Sink or Float
Students construct clay boats and predict whether the boats will sink or float. Students will hypothesize what caused the boats to sink or float.
Curated OER
Dragon Boats
Students create a model boat. In this art lesson, students identify what makes a boat float and use milk cartons to create their own boat.
Curated OER
What's The Matter: A Sinker or Floater?
Students conduct an experiment. In this water lesson, students watch the lesson "Float and Sink" on an interactive website. Students learn how to test items in water and then work in groups to test their items. Students discuss their...
Curated OER
I'm Warm Now
Third graders graph how much water is wasted while waiting for it to get warm in the spigot in the sink. In this graphing lesson plan, student first predict how much water is wasted. That night they test it out at home and the next day...