Students will predict and observe a variety of items and determine whether or not they will float or sink.
Books:
This is a discovery-type lesson in which students will predict and observe a variety of items and determine whether or not they will float or sink. The lesson begins with a short story about animals in a boat. Students often have a misconception that the last animal to get on the boat is the one who caused it to sink. Performing this experiment a variety of times and having an open-class discussion will often produce questions such as, "Whose fault is it?" and "Why is the last animal in the boat always the one that sinks it?" Through guided discussion, your students should come to the conclusion that the boat sinks when the weight becomes too heavy, regardless of which animal is the last in the boat. Some students may need an initial demonstration to help them clearly define floating and sinking. Helpful vocabulary words include float and sink. It is important for the teacher to let the students make this discovery on their own and not give too much direct instruction or information. When the children are allowed to experiment and try it out on their own, they will gain a deeper understanding and can then participate in the class discussion.
This lesson is only a small part of a larger unit about how objects move. Several additional activities at the end of this lesson may be used in conjunction with this lesson to provide students with a better understanding about how objects move. The lessons may be taught individually or in a small group rotation-type activity.
The math connection related to this lesson requires students to record information on a graph. The teacher may need to demonstrate simple graphing skills prior to this activity.
Invitation to Learn:
Launch (Introduction): (10 minutes)
Begin by reading the story, Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen. Ask the children to think about why the boat would sink. Have them watch as you model what floating and sinking means with two objects. Quickly review vocabulary to assess if students have an understanding of the vocabulary. Invite them to act out the story for themselves to find out who really sank the boat and why.
Instructional Procedures:
Explore: (15 min.)
Discuss: (10 min.)
Students return to the carpet where the teacher has a bucket, boat, and animals. Lead a discussion about each group's discoveries.
Solidify: (15 min.)
Students return to their desks with their math notebooks. Instruct them to respond to the prompt, "Why did the boat sink?" Students can draw pictures, write words, label, and draw arrows to explain their thinking. As they are doing this, interactively observe and question students' work, checking for understanding.
Practice: (15 min.)
Additional Lesson Activities:
Making Tracks
The purpose of this lesson is to teach the motions of "back and forth" and "zigzag." In the activity each student is given a cookie sheet, a piece of white paper that fits inside the cookie sheet, and paper plates with various colors of paint on each one. The students are also given several cars and some marbles (preferably one car and one marble for each paint color). The student will then roll the car or marble in one paint color and place it on the cookie sheet. The student will pick up the cookie sheet and tilt it in various directions to make the tire tracks or marble tracks on the paper. The student may repeat this method as many times as he or she wishes using a variety of cars and marbles dipped in paint. Discussions following this lesson should emphasize the motion vocabulary back and forth, and zigzag.
How Far Will It Go?
In this lesson students will explore the way objects roll. Divide students in to small groups and provide them with a ramp made from PVC pipe cut lengthwise and several balls of various sizes and weights, made of a variety of materials. Have the students angle the ramps using books or small boxes. Let the children explore by rolling each ball down the ramp and placing a piece of masking tape to show where the ball stopped. Students should keep the ramp at the same angle for each of the balls. After each one has been rolled and measured, change the angle of the ramp by adding more books or placing the ramp on a desk. Repeat the activity by rolling and measuring each ball as it rolls down the ramp. Children may change the angle of the ramp as many times as you would like. Discuss with the children whether or not changing the height of the ramp changes the distance each ball will roll.
Family Connections:
Assignments to do with parents:
Extensions