Curated OER
Properties of Matter: "Sink or Swim"
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...
Curated OER
How Does the USS Alabama Float?
Students investigate buoyancy. In this buoyancy lesson, students apply the Archimedes Principle of Buoyancy to the experiment conducted in class to determine how battleships float.
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
Regular Coke vs. Diet Coke: Which is Denser?
Learners define the terms "mass," "volume," and "density." The relationship between these three terms is established. They observe the differences between Regular and Diet Coke. They develop an hypotheses about why a can of Regular Coke...
Curated OER
Pumpkin Science
Fourth graders examine pumpkins and use the scientific method to explore its contents. In this Pumpkin Science lesson, 4th graders measure pumpkins for circumference. Students dress as if they were in a lab and work in pairs to...
Arizona State University
Physics of Boats
Let's go sailing! An instructive unit includes six lessons with multiple activities to teach scholars about density, center of gravity, buoyancy, and the Archimedes Principle. They can complete the final project of building a boat on a...
Curated OER
Technology of the Deep: Experiments with Buoyant Forces
Students conduct a series of experiments to study the effects of temperature and salinity on the buoyancy of an object in water. They devise ways to make floating and sinking objects neutrally buoyant.
California Academy of Science
Buoyancy Bulls-Eye
Why does a seastar sink, but a jellyfish float? Through a fun investigation, learners examine the concept of buoyancy using simple household items. The challenge: create neutral buoyancy for an action figure in water. With ample teacher...
Teach Engineering
Clay Boats
Clay itself sinks, but clay boats float. Why? Young engineers build clay boats to learn about buoyancy. They test the weight the boats can hold using washers and then tweak their designs to make improvements, following the engineering...
Curated OER
Come On Down!
Begin with an introduction to famous deep-sea submersibles. Learners work in groups to gather information on different vessels and then share with the class. Each group then uses water displacement to help calculate the density of...
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
Why Cheerios Don't Sink
Students investigate Archimedes' Principle and show how it relates to density. In this Archimedes' Principle lesson plan, students experiment with a beaker of water, a Styrofoam "boat" and a weight. They predict what will happen when the...
Curated OER
Float My Boat
Fourth graders, in groups, experiment with density and the displacement of water by creating and designing their own boats and seeing which boat holds the most centimeter cubes without sinking..
Curated OER
What Floats Your Boat?
Young scholars discover the Archimedes principle through a buoyancy experiment. They measure the water displacement of a lump a clay which is denser than water then reshape the clay into a bowl which floats but displaces more water.
Curated OER
Designing and Floating Boats
Students participate in an experiment to determine if a toy boat will sink or float. They make the boats out of different materials and determine its carrying capacity by adding pennies. They graph their findings on a classroom graph.
Curated OER
Solve a Problem: Build a Boat
Students build a boat that float and hold as many pennies as possible, then discuss the process of building the boat and relate the experience to experiences they encounter in life.
Curated OER
Marine Debris
Pupils perform experiments to examine if debris float, or blow in the wind. The effects of these characteristics on the marine debris are then discussed. They determine how a material can influence what becomes marine debris.
Curated OER
Gift for the Indians: Model of the Mayflower in the Ocean
Students build a miniature replica of the Mayflower. They make the boat float in a cup of water while studying the concept of gift giving on Feast Day.
Curated OER
Prime and Composite Numbers - Kenwood Academy
Learners investigate prime and composite numbers. They use a number chart and cross out multiples of 2,3,5 etc. up to 100. Pupils fold pieces of masking tape around pennies and label them with composite numbers, then fold masking tape...
Curated OER
Float Your Boat
Students investigate buoyancy, displacement and density. In this flotation lesson students study the Archimedes' Principle, analyze data and draw conclusions.
Curated OER
The Weight of Water
Students participate in an experiment about the weight of water. They work together to discover that seawater is more dense than fresh water. They also determine which objects float and sink.
Curated OER
i-Density Crisis
Eighth graders determine the density using mass and volume. For this science lesson, 8th graders explain why some materials float or sink. They estimate the density of objects based on whether it floats or sinks in a liquid of known...
Curated OER
Density and Mass
Students experiment to find which liquids are more dense. In this density and mass lesson plan, students predict and then test objects to observe and measure their density. students observe which items sink and float. Students complete...
Reach Out!
Paper Clip Sailing
Young scholars explore water, molecules, and surface tension. In this floatation lesson, students discover why some objects are able to float on water as they follow the procedures included in this activity.