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Activity
Exploratorium

Descartes' Diver

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pique interest in water pressure, demonstrate buoyancy, and explore water displacement concepts with a homemade Cartesian diver. You may want to change the name of the toy, however, as is is not documented the Rene Descartes actually...
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Lesson Plan
Foundation for Water & Energy Education

How is Flowing Water an Energy Source? Activity B

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Explore the world's water without leaving the classroom! In this second of three uncomplicated but wonderful activities, physical science learners feel the pressure of water. They discover that the deeper the water, the stronger the...
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Lesson Plan
National Geographic

Exploring Pressure

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Begin by discussing pressure and showing a video clip of James Cameron's record-setting deep-sea dive. Then assign lab groups to explore how depth affects pressure and to construct a manometer. There is another video to follow the...
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

The Science of a Historic Sinking

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Incorporate science investigations to expand pupils' understanding of the Titanic.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Floating Fishes: How do Fishes Control Buoyancy?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Playing with balloons, water, oil, and bottles help put this instructional activity over the top! Participants use air-filled balloons in water tanks to experience gas compression. They also use oil-filled bottles to experiment with...
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Lesson Plan
NOAA

A Matter of Density

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
Larvae transportation on the New England seamounts is based on the density of the water. Scholars calculate density and graph salinity versus temperature to better understand the distribution of organisms in a water column. Discussions...
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Scuba Training

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
How does a scuba diver control whether they sink or float? Scholars observe the relationship between absolute pressure and depth below the surface in an undersea simulation. They control the diver size and depth to center of mass to see...
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Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Down to the Deep Virtual Lab

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
At a depth of 3,000 m in the ocean, the pressure is 300 times that at sea level! In the activity, individuals predict what will happen to Styrofoam cups submerged 3,000 meters into the ocean. They then convert these units to soccer...
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Activity
Teach Engineering

Tippy Tap Plus Piping

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Getting water to a tap requires an understanding the fundamentals of fluid flow. Groups design, build, and test a piping system to get water from the source — a five gallon bucket — to a tippy tap. The objective is to be able to fill...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Pressure Blaster

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders complete an experiment to introduce them to the concept of water pressure. In this water pressure lesson plan, 3rd graders create pressure in a water bottle and observe the force of water that is created.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Just Drank George Washington's Water!

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Guide your learners through the water cycle with this lesson plan. Over the course of the lesson, they read two Magic School Bus books, discuss the water cycle, come up with water facts, complete a diagram of the water cycle, recognize...
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Lesson Plan
Foundation for Water & Energy Education

Perpetual Flow Activity

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Set up a demonstration of how gravity can drive the perpetual flow of water during your hydro power unit. Science learners work in teams to make observations and formulate questions about how it works. They compare the model to what they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Pressure in the Ocean

For Teachers 4th - 8th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water to the Max

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners experiment with the angle that yields the greatest distance of water at constant pressure.  In this experiment with the angle that yields the greatest distance of water at constant pressure lesson, students shoot water out of a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ups and Downs of Diving

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Young scholars explore the science and sport of scuba diving. In this scuba diving lesson, students build Cartesian divers and observe their behavior under water pressure.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Non-Compressibility of Water

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars will observe a property of water. In this inquiry-based properties of air lesson, students observe how a change in water pressure impacts the positioning of an eye-dropper in the water container and they make hypotheses...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocket Angles

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders create rockets that be launched at varying angles to determine which angle is best to launch at for the longest distance.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Burn, Baby Burn (Or Not)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Physics learners apply the concepts of fluid pressure input and output to firefighting. Divide your class into small groups and give them each a few cards that list nozzle type, hose length, hose size, and structure dimensions, They are...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan of a Thematic Project - Water

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate the properties of water. In this life science lesson, 6th graders create a concept map of water. They share their work with the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Exploration Station

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore the characteristics of water. In this water exploration lesson, students participate in various learning centers to inquire how water drains and how to increase the flow of water. Students use estimation and measurement...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air and Water Pressure

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Students examine buoyancy and fluid pressure. They conduct a series of fun experiments to discover the effects of pressure and explore how pressure differences can be used to float, lift, transport, or hold a material in place.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Locks and Dams

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students learn about locks and dams when it comes to blocking water. In this dam lesson, students learn about the structure, function, and purpose of locks and dams. They also learn about water pressure and gravity.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Under Pressure

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students work in small groups to conduct an investigation focusing on the questions included in this activity. Upon completion of activity, they respond to a set of questions in their science journals.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Wet Can You Get?

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students visit a swimming pool and brainstorm different water sports and what benefits swimming has over other types of exercise. They then discuss buoyancy and water pressure and when how objects sink or float before playing a game of...