Curated OER
MEASURING THE DENSITY OF WATER
Students perform an experiment to measure the density of tap water vs. salt water.
American Chemical Society
Changing the Density of a Liquid - Heating and Cooling
During a unit on density, pupils ponder whether or not temperature affects this property. By carefully inserting blue cold water and yellow hot water into a room-temperature sample, they will see the answer. Make sure to have done the...
Curated OER
Determining the Density of a Liquid
Students find the density of diet soda and regular soda. In this density lesson plan, students measure the mass of a graduated cylinder with 10 different volumes of each soda. They find the mass of the liquid alone and use the volume to...
Science 4 Inquiry
A Whole New World: The Search for Water
Scholars find Earth won't support humans much longer and need to identify a planet with water to inhabit. They test four unknown samples and determine which is the closest to water. Then they explain and defend their results.
American Chemical Society
The Density of Liquids
It's in your destiny to study density! Young scientists conduct an experiment to study the relationship between weight and density. They compare weights of liquid samples of different substances and predict how their densities are related.
Curated OER
Density of Rocks
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 compare the...
Curated OER
Density Dynamics
Students set up working models demonstrating lake turnover and the formation of deep water masses in the oceans.
NEED Project
Calibrating Thermometers
Engage young scientists in the upper-elementary and middle school grades with this collection of simple experiments. Whether you're teaching about heat transfer, density, or potential energy this resource has a lab for you.
Aquarium of the Pacific
Rainbow Water Stacking – Density and Salinity
Create layers of water. Pupils investigate different densities of colored water caused by salinity by trying to stack layers of water. Scholars compare two water samples to determine which is the most dense. As the class members work...
Centers for Ocean Sciences
Ocean and Great Lakes Literacy: Principle 1
Is your current lesson plan for salt and freshwater literacy leaving you high and dry? If so, dive into part one of a seven-part series that explores the physical features of Earth's salt and freshwater sources. Junior hydrologists...
Curated OER
Investigating the Effect of Salinity on the Density and Stability of Water
Water with varying amounts of dissolved salt are dyed and then used to compare densities. The objective is to discover the effect of salinity, and therefore density, on ocean water on the stability of the ocean. Many branches of science...
Curated OER
Iceberg Ahead: How Does Temperature Affect the Density of Water?
Demonstrate how ice floats on water and get the class thinking about why icebergs are so deceiving. Investigators then experiment with mixing water of the same temperature and water of different temperatures. Make sure to explain the...
Curated OER
The Role of Density in Sinking or Floating: Relational Causality
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...
Curated OER
The Great Ocean Conveyor
Students investigate water density. For this water density lesson, students conduct an experiment with food coloring, water and salt to see how the salt effects bodies of water.
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...
NOAA
Ocean Layers I
How is it possible for ocean water to have layers? The sixth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program investigates factors that cause different water densities to occur. Experiments...
Curated OER
Stacking Water
Learners experiment with different salinities of water using straws and different colors of water. They collect and interpret data from the experiment.
Curated OER
Water Pressure in the Ocean
Students compare the pressure of water at different depths and gain an understanding of how increased water might affect animals living in deeper waters. They participate in an experiment to show that depth, not volume, affects water...
Curated OER
Investigating Properties of Water: Temperature
Investigate how temperature affects the density of water and stratification that occurs in bodies of water when temperatures vary. Water of differing temperatures is given different colors to see the layers that form. The lesson is meant...
Curated OER
Water
Students conduct a series of investigations on the unique properties of water. In this general science lesson, students explain what causes water's surface tension. They explain the different stages in the water cycle.
Curated OER
The Weight of Water
Students examine how salt water is more dense than fresh water. They discuss how manatees need to float and sink, conduct a sink or float experiment, and conduct an experiment with eggs and salt and fresh water.
Curated OER
Properties of Water with a Splash of Color
Young scholars explore the properties of water. In this cross curriculum art and physical science instructional activity, students experiment with a variety of materials to demonstrate the cohesive forces and adhesion of water. Young...
Curated OER
Water Layering and Circulation
Students examine relationships and interactions between different types of water. They experiment with colored water of different temperature and salinity and discuss how the results relate to real ocean currents.
Curated OER
How Dense is Salt Water?
Young schoolers explore the concept of linear regression. They determine the mass and density of salt water. Pupils add salt to water and record the density as salinity increases, and perform a linear regression on the data to model the...