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Science- Floating and Sinking

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Observing the way different shaped objects move


Sharing observations with others and communicating their experiences
Exploring and observing using hearing, smell, touch, seeing and taste
Respond to questions about familiar objects and events
Taking part in informal and guided discussions relating to students
observations

Learning Focus: For children to gain a more in depth understanding of the basic
science principles of floating and sinking, what floats and sinks, and why.
Resources: Plastic bottles, treasure chest, tub, water
Time: 1 Hour
Rationale:
This lesson was chosen to extend on the childrens previous learning and interest
in Treasure Islands and treasure chests. Continuing with this theme we are able
to introduce new scientific concepts to the children. Based on observations of
children prior knowledge we know that the children
Through creating a largely child orientated lesson, we are supporting their
problem solving skills, independent thinking and cognitive development through
the science domain.
Students commonly believe that:

heavy objects sink and light objects float regardless of their size, shape or the type of material
used to make them
all objects that float must contain some trapped air and that is the only reason why they float

This experience will allow children to make predictions and experiment with
varying resources to challenge these common beliefs and in turn create a more
in depth understanding of the basic science concept of floating and sinking.

Beginning
Place resources on desk before beginning of lesson
Predictions Worksheet

Go through the list of items and encourage children to predict as a group if


they think each item would float or sink and why
Once they have made their predictions, children can then experiment with
these objects and see whether they predicted correctly

Middle
Children are then to design a submarine to retrieve the sunken treasure. Explain
it is to be filled with sand to make it sink.
Children to predict how much sand they will need in order to sink the submarine,
each child gathers the amount of sand they think they will need.

End
Children to test submarines

Each child to fill empty containers with sand and test their submarine-see
how much sand it takes before the container sinks to the sunken treasure

Teaching Strategies
Maintain student behaviour through guidance e.g. voice change, clapping
techniques, praising of well-behaved students.
Questioning to support problem solving, independent thinking and cognitive
development
Who Sank the Boat- Pamella Allen- Could be read to further extend childrens
learning and include literacy domain

Questions to consider
How to cater for learners at varying developmental stages
How to I cater to early finishers? How do I make it harder for stronger students?
How to make it accessible for developing students?

How to make the lesson engaging throughout?


Reflective Questions to assess what the children have learnt
1. What did all the objects that float have in common?
2. What did all the objects that sink have in common?
3. How can we make something that sinks, float?
4. How can we make something that floats, sink?

Reflection on Teaching

Children were very engaged in the activity, was a good size group (4
people)
Children were very excitable which often made the task a little difficult to
focus on the learning rather than just playing
It was interesting to see what childrens predictions were and how they
changed depending on what other children in the group said, as well as
what their rationale for their choice was.
The children were engaged from the beginning as they were able to set up
the entire activity from collecting the water and the sand.
I forgot to print off the worksheets beforehand which meant that the
children had to wait a few minutes for me to be able to begin-need to
remember to have all resources ready
Everyone was able to have a turn
Worksheets worked well however did get a little wet and dirty, however
Im not sure if this is avoidable
Reflection questions worked really well as I could see children curious as to
what made some item float and sink, and even that some items floated at
first and then sank as they took on or absorbed water (colander, cotton
wool)

Goals
1. To have better control of the group from the beginning
2. Have all my resources prepared
Next time
If I were to do this lesson again the main thing I would change would be to better
explain what the learning intention of the investigation and that we are not just
playing, we are investigating and experimenting.

Floating and Sinking for Sunken Treasure

Make submarines- fill with sand

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