Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Weight of Water

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students examine how salt water is more dense than fresh water through experimentation with eggs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Letter Ww

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students explore letter Ww. For this letter recognition lesson, students participate in country, state, food, literature, physical education, colors, careers, music, and game activities that are linked to the main lesson page. Students...
Activity
DiscoverE

Water Sampling

For Teachers 6th - 12th
What is the best way to test water quality? Using plastic bottles, scholars create monitoring sensors to test water quality. Creating three different sensors allows individuals to measure water quality at different water levels.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Boat Design

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Learners build a boat and make predictions. In this geometry instructional activity, students design a cargo boat. They must show that the boat they designed can carry the cargo.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fishy Physics

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Students explore how fish are able to move easily from one depth to another in water.  In this fish lesson students create their own balloon fish. 
Interactive
Curated OER

Student Exploration: Density Laboratory

For Students 4th - 6th
In this density laboratory worksheet, students complete 2 prior knowledge questions, then use the "Density Laboratory Gizmo" to complete several activities, answering short answer questions when finished.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who Sunk the Titanic

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students discuss possible reasons for the Titanic sinking. They are split into small groups to research a historical figure involved in the sinking of the Titanic. They formulate a way to prove their characters guilt or innocence....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Dense Are You?

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Young scholars examine how density is a value that describes what type of a material an object is made of regardless of its shape or size.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning Lesson: Salt 'n Lighter

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students participate in a demonstration showing that as salinity increases density increases as well. They also examine the different densities of air. They discuss the amount of water displaced by large ships.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changing Matter

For Teachers 1st
First graders investigate the changing states of water.
Interactive
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Floating and Sinking: Hot Air Balloons

For Students 9th - 10th
Why do hot air balloons float? This resource from the NOVA Web site offers a series of interactive activities that illustrates the physics of hot air balloons.
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: Floating and Sinking Sorting in Science

For Teachers K Standards
Students sort objects according to whether they sink or float.
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Density in Relation to Float and Sink

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students find the densities of objects based on sinking or floating in this activity that demonstrates Archimedes Principle.
Interactive
PBS

Pbs: Sesame Street: Science

For Students Pre-K - 1st
A collection of interactives, videos, and documents on a variety science concepts.
Activity
Science is Fun

Science Is Fun: Sinking and Floating Soda Cans

For Students 4th - 6th
An experiment to determine if either a regular or a diet can of soda will float or sink when placed in water, and what causes this.
Activity
Science is Fun

Fun Science: Bowling Balls: Sink or Float?

For Students 9th - 10th
For a dramatic illustration of density check out this demonstration. It's simple to do, only requiring a bowling ball and some water.
Activity
Museum of Science

Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science: Design a Submarine

For Students 3rd - 9th
Become an engineer, and design a submarine that moves in the water like a real submarine. Try making it sink, float, and hover in the water.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: How Much Weight Can Your Boat Float?

For Students 3rd - 8th
Have you ever wondered how a ship made of steel can float? In this project you'll investigate how much weight boat hulls of various shapes and sizes can support without sinking.
Activity
Science is Fun

Science Is Fun: The Cartesian Diver

For Students 3rd - 5th
A simple experiment in buoyancy where you discover how to make a packet of sauce or candy float or sink at will, and why you are able to do this.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating Density in Solutions: How Can You Make an Egg Float?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
For this activity, students will learn about density by determining how to make an egg float in water. By the end of the lesson, students will understand that density and weight are different and that density matters in floatation. They...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Density of Solid Objects

For Teachers 9th - 10th
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.
Activity
Center of Science and Industry

Cosi Columbus: Buoyant Bubble [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th
Learn about density in this hands-on science experiment. Includes full list of materials, procedures, and scientific explanation of what makes an object float or sink. [PDF]
Activity
My Science Site

Density Demonstration: Coke vs. Diet Coke [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Help students brainstorm and find a solution as to why Diet Coke floats and Coke sinks. Student will learn to define what density is as they engage in this creative lab. This resource is in PDF form; requires Adobe Reader.
Activity
Science is Fun

Fun Science: Sinking and Floating Soda Cans

For Students 9th - 10th
Why do some pop cans float in water while others don't? This easy experiment is a great example of the principle of density.