TCNJ Lesson Plan

Sink and Float

Name: Caroline Woo and Alyse Watson School Name: East Amwell Township School District
Grade: Pre-K Host Teacher’s Name: Mr. MacDuff

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

Which objects will sink or float? Why does a certain object sink or float?

Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge (ex. background knowledge,

possible misconceptions, prior lesson content)

The teacher will conduct a brief discussion with the class that allows children to share past
experiences with water and discuss actions that resemble the topic of sinking and floating. (Such
as toys going under the water in the tub, a play ball floating on the waves at the beach, etc.)

Standards:

CCCS.Science.Content P 5.1.P.B.1
Observe, question, predict, and investigate materials, objects, and phenomena (e.g., using simple
tools to crack a nut and look inside) during indoor and outdoor classroom activities and during
any longer-term investigations.

CCCS. Science.Content P 5.1.P.C.1

Communicate with other children and adults to share observations, pursue questions, and make
predictions and/or conclusions.

Learning Objectives and Assessments:

Learning Objectives Assessments

Students will observe the physical properties Students will fill out a worksheet labeled
of different objects and make predictions about “float” and “sink” by drawing the objects that
which items will float or sink based on their floated and sunk in their corresponding
attributes. sections.

Students will be able to give reasoning behind Teachers will monitor and record the
their predictions based on observations they responses of the students regarding their
make about their objects. ideas and thoughts on which objects will or
will not float.

Materials:

- Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy0S1Pv0eOE
 - Three wide bins
- Water
- Q-tips
- Apples
- Lemons
- Bouncy balls
- Counters (teddy bear)
- Unifix cubes
- Cars
- Erasers
- Magnets
- Rubber bands
- Pennies
- Quarters
- Styrofoam balls
- Bottle caps
- Plastic forks
- Clothespins

Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:

Bins will be filled with water and placed on the tables before the start of the lesson. Bags of
items will be distributed after students sit at their tables. Bins and objects will be cleaned and
dried at a later time.

Step by Step plan (numbered):

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy0S1Pv0eOE
Students will watch an interactive video that demonstrates the sinking and floating
experiment. The students will get to choose which objects they would like to experiment
with in the video and predict whether they think it will sink or float. The object they
choose will take them to another video that actually tests it out and will allow them to see
whether their predictions were right or not.
2. The lesson will begin with a brief discussion with the students and how they have seen
objects sink or float in their daily lives.
3. Following the discussion, students’ will view an interactive video by Sesame Street on
the topic of sinking/floating.
4. After the video concludes, the teacher and the students’ will recap the highlights and key
points from the short clip of the experiment; and give an introduction to the group about
the activity.
5. Students’ will be broken into groups in preparation for the activity.
6. Once the children are at their tables, they will receive a worksheet that allows them to
record their predictions and the results from the experiment and various materials that
will be tested out in the experiment they will conduct.
 7. Students will be encouraged to predict which items will sink/float and give a brief
explanation of “why” before placing their objects in the water.
8. After they have tested out their materials, they will record their results through drawings.
Closure: The teacher and students will discuss their results as well as their reasoning in
regards to why some of their items floated and sunk.

Key Questions (that you will ask):

Have you ever played with toys in the water?

What do those toys do?
Why do you think they go under the water or stay on top of it?
What other objects do you think would float or sink?
What does it mean to sink?
What does it mean to float?
Which items sink and which items float? Why do you think they sink or float?

Logistics:

Classroom Management:

- Students will be monitored by a teacher or an aide at each table

- They will be given clear directions before beginning their activities and instructed in the
proper usage of the materials
- Students may only take out one item out of their bag at a time
- 2-3 students at a time will take turns placing their objects in the water and observing what
happens to their items

Transitions:

- Students will transition from the rug when their table is called (red, blue, green, rainbow).

Differentiation:

- Worksheet will have an image of sinking and an image of floating

- Students may add writing to their worksheets if able
- Every student will receive different items