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...

Don't be dense—use a robust resource. The second installment of a five-part Floaters and Sinkers unit has learners determine the densities of several objects. As part of the activity, they learn the displacement method for finding...

Students discover fluid dynamics related to buoyancy through experimentation and optional photography. Using one set of fluids, they make light fluids rise through denser fluids. Using another set, they make dense fluids sink through a...

Students explore the relationship between density and buoyancy. After watching a video explaining buoyancy, students discuss displacement and floating. Students have a raft building competition. Afterward, they conduct experiments to...

First graders discuss why some things sink and some float after dropping a variety of items into water.

Students explore how density can cause things to sink or float by experimenting with a jar, oil and corn syrup.

Students define density in their own words. In this physics instructional activity, students calculate density using mass and volume. They explain why some objects sink and some float.

First graders discuss with the teacher if everything will float in water. They observe a marble and determine whether it will float making predictions as a class. After observing the results, they discover that liquids exert an upward...

Students get into groups or watch one demonstration of the game. They observe an orange floating in the pool, pretending it is a little boy/girl wearing a life jacket. Next, they watch as the orange is peeled and thrown back in, with the...

Can scientists sort molecules based on their interaction with oil and water? The simulation demonstrates how this is possible. Pupils decide when to insert a molecule and observe how they sort themselves based on polarity.

Whatever floats your boat—with some additional weight. The first activity in a five-part series challenges pupils to design a boat to hold pennies. Using the design process, learners design, build, and test their boats, making sure they...

This open-ended boat building exercise is meant to be part of a three-lesson series on ships. Links to the other two lessons are included. This particular part is mostly a group lab activity in which they build a boat, find its load line...

This is a brief survey of the states and properties of matter directed toward upper elementary physical scientists. Solids and liquids are compared. Density and buoyancy are related. Use this presentation just prior to demonstrating...

Clay's as good a material as any to build a boat, right? An introductory lesson plan sets the stage for two activities associated with buoyancy. The first involves building boats out of clay, while the second uses these boats to measure...

Why do some things float and others sink? A creative simulation allows learners to adjust mass and volume of an object to affect its buoyancy in water. A graph records the effect of each manipulation.

Students explore physics by conducting a class experiment. In this density lesson plan, students examine a list of items and discuss whether they will sink or float and then determine their density. Students examine the objects over five...

In this deducing density worksheet, students follow the procedures to set up an experiment about objects floating in water and liquids of different densities, answer questions, collect data and complete charts.

Students participate in a sink or float activity using pumpkins.

Students observe teacher demonstrations that illustrate density. In this density instructional activity, 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...

Students analyze the relationship between density, buoyancy, and salinity. In this chemical properties lesson, students read a background activity for the lesson and experiments to the topics. Students discuss the questions and complete...

High schoolers 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...

Third graders recognize that different materials have different properties which can be observed such as texture and bouyancy, and compare and contrast, through observation, ability of some objects to float because of action of...

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...

Students investigate buoyancy. In this buoyancy instructional activity, students apply the Archimedes Principle of Buoyancy to the experiment conducted in class to determine how battleships float.