American Chemical Society
Inquiry in Action: Changing the Density of an Object: Adding Material
In this activity, students see that a can of regular cola sinks while a can of diet cola floats. As a demonstration, bubble wrap is taped to the can of regular cola to make it float. This high-volume but light-weight material increases...
American Chemical Society
Inquiry in Action: Changing the Density of an Object: Changing Shape
Throughout the activities in this investigation, students may have wondered how a boat made out of steel, which is more dense than water, can float. This activity addresses that question. Students will see that changing the shape of an...
American Chemical Society
Inquiry in Action: Compare the Density of an Object to the Density of Water
In this activity, students use tea light candle holders and a student-made balance to compare the weight of equal volumes of wax, water, and clay. Students will discover that since the wax weighs less than an equal volume of water, it is...
American Chemical Society
Inquiry in Action: Changing the Density of a Liquid: Heating and Cooling
In this activity, students will investigate whether the temperature of water affects its density. Students will place colored hot and cold water in a cup of room-temperature water to see that cold water sinks while hot water floats. Then...
American Chemical Society
Inquiry in Action: Defining Density
Do heavy things always sink and light things always float? In this introductory demonstration and activity, students are introduced to the concept of density as they explore a rock and a wooden block in water.
American Chemical Society
Inquiry in Action: Changing the Density of a Liquid: Adding Salt
In this activity, students will see that a carrot slice sinks in fresh water and floats in saltwater. Considering the placement of the carrot slice in water and salt water, students will infer that the density of salt water must be...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Density of Solid Objects
In this science inquiry, students investigate whether volume or density of objects determine the floating or sinking in water. Using a rock and a block of wood teachers engage students in the discussion of density, mass and volume.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Sink or Float? Inquiry Investigation
For this activity, students make predictions about whether different objects float or sink, then test them. They are asked to record their observations and results for each, and compare their results to others'.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: "Does It Float?" an Inquiry Based Activity Investigating Buoyancy
This is an inquiry-based activity in which students will need to work together as a class to solve the following problem: they must construct a "boat" entirely out of modeling clay that is capable of supporting 150 grams of cargo without...
University of Florida
Florida Museum of Natural History: Investigating Water
This guide engages children in the process of scientific inquiry using the context of a favorite early childhood pastime-water play.
Utah Education Network
Uen: 1st Grade Act. 01: Exploration Tubs
In this lesson, students will investigate different categories related to safety, organisms, sink or float, boats, seeds, and water droppers. Students will use exploration tubs to make observations.