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Neeti Agarwal

The Science of Floating and Sinking #willitfloatchallenge

Updated: Oct 5

As a kid, I was always fascinated by water and dirt. Let's talk about my fascination with water. We'll discuss dirt some other day. I remember spending rainy days making paper boats and setting them afloat in the streams that formed in the streets, wondering how far they’d sail before they sank. I also vividly recall the countless times I threw stones into ponds, mesmerized by the splash and curious about why the stones disappeared into the water while the leaves and twigs floating nearby stayed on the surface. These childhood moments sparked endless curiosity about why some things float and others sink.

Looking back, those simple, playful experiments were my first encounters with the science of buoyancy and density. The joy of discovery in those moments is something I’ve carried with me into adulthood, and it’s why I’m so passionate about project-based learning. That childlike wonder is what I hope to inspire in today’s young learners through fun, hands-on projects that allow them to explore and question the world around them—just as I did with my paper boats and pond stones.



Here’s how you can transform this science concept into a range of fun and educational projects for your learners.


Project 1: The Floating and Sinking Challenge (Age 4 to 6 years)


Objective:

Students will explore why some objects float while others sink by testing different materials and recording their results.


Materials:

  • A large tub of water

  • A variety of objects (plastic bottle, sponge, metal spoon, rock, wooden block, clay, etc.)

  • Clipboards, paper, and pencils for recording observations


Activity:

  1. Introduce the Concept: Start by asking students what they already know about floating and sinking. You can show them a few objects and ask them to predict which will float and which will sink.

  2. Make Predictions: Give each student a list of the objects they’ll be testing. Have them make predictions about whether each object will float or sink.

  3. Conduct the Experiment: One by one, students will place the objects into the water and observe what happens.

  4. Record Observations: Students should note whether each object floats or sinks, and they can discuss patterns they notice (e.g., lighter objects often float, and heavier ones sink).

  5. Conclusion and Discussion: After testing, gather students to discuss why some objects floated and others sank. Introduce the concepts of density and buoyancy in simple terms: objects that are less dense than water float, while those that are denser than water sink.

  6. Step by step instructions are available in "Ria and Vik's Explorations : The Science of Floating & Sinking"



Project 2: Build a Floating Boat


Objective:

Students will design and build a boat that can float and carry weight without sinking.


Materials:

  • Aluminum foil

  • Popsicle sticks

  • Plastic cups

  • Straws

  • Tape

  • Pennies or small weights for testing


Activity:

  1. Set the Challenge: Tell students their goal is to build a boat that can float and hold as many pennies (or small weights) as possible without sinking.

  2. Design Phase: Students can sketch their boat designs, thinking about what materials they’ll use and how they’ll construct the boat to stay afloat.

  3. Build and Test: Allow students time to build their boats. Once built, they will place their boats in the water and slowly add pennies, one by one, to see how much weight their boat can hold before it sinks.

  4. Reflection: After testing, students can reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Encourage them to think about how they could improve their designs to make the boats hold more weight.


Conduct these experiments with your learners, and share the results #willitfloatchallenge.


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