Why Do Objects Sink or Float?

Grade 1

I. Section One: Identifying Standards and Objectives

A. National Standards
1. Content Standard A: Science of Inquiry
a) Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
b) Understanding about scientific inquiry
2. Content Standard B: Physical Science
a) Properties of objects and materials
b) Position and motion of objects
3. Content Standard E: Science and Technology
a) Understanding about science and technology
4. Content Standard G: History and Nature of Science
a) Science as a human endeavor

B. Pennsylvania Standards (NGSS STANDARDS)

1. 3.1.4.A. Know that natural and human-made objects are made up of parts.
2. 3.1.4.B. Know model as useful implications of objects.
3. 3.1.4.E. Recognize change in natural and physical systems.
4. 3.2.4.C. Recognize and use the elements of scientific inquiry to solve
problems
5. 3.4.4.A. Recognize basic concepts about the structure and properties of
matter.
6. 3.44.C. Observe and describe different types of force and motion
7. 3.8.4.A. Know that people select, create, and use science and technology
and that they are limited by social and physical restraint.
8. 3.8.4.B. Know how human ingenuity and technological resources satisfy
specific human needs and improve the quality of life.

C. Enduring Understandings
1. Objects sink and float because of their density. If the object’s mass is
greater than its volume, the object will sink. If the object’s volume is
greater than its mass, the object will float.
2. Manipulating an object’s volume to be greater than its mass allows the
object to float. However, if the object’s mass is manipulated to be more
than the volume, the object will sink.
D. Essential Questions
1. Why do certain objects sink and certain objects float?
 2. In what way can we manipulate objects to allow them to either sink or
float?

E. Knowledge and Skills

1. Students will know:
a) What the concepts sink and float mean
b) What the concepts mass and volume mean
c) What objects sink and float
d) Why objects sink and float
2. Students will be able to:
a) Identify the difference between mass and volume
b) Determine which objects sink and which objects float
c) Work collaboratively in groups
d) Make predictions about sinking and floating
e) Use evidence to justify their predictions and results
f) Determine patterns between mass and volume and the object's
ability to sink or float
g) Communicate with classmates and teacher(s)
h) Create and manipulate objects to float and compete with
classmates to see the most mass (in pennies) that can be held in the
structure
i) Create poster to display findings

II. Section Two: Identifying Assessments

A. Pre-Assessment:
Demonstration with predictions
B. Formative Assessment(s):
When students uncover the pattern that exists between mass and volume to
determine whether objects sink or float. They will then use this information to
determine how to make foil sink and float.
C. Summative Assessment:
Creating posters to justify their own findings from the elaborate investigation
Bringing the lesson back around to the marble and the pool noodle by having
students explain why the marble sinks and why the pool noodle floats (in light of
the information they have learned)
D. Adaptations:
1. For students who appear to be struggling with understanding the concepts,
provide individualized attention, ask more probing questions, be more
deliberate, ask students questions with demonstrations
 2. For students who appear to be mastering the concepts rather quickly, we
will provide additional resources to promote further investigation

III. Section Three: Identifying Lesson Activities

1. Materials:
a. Large containers of water (large enough to accommodate objects)
b. Towels for cleaning up spills and drying hands
c. Objects that will sink and/or float
i. Pool noodle
ii. Marble
iii. Rubber duck
iv. Ping pong ball
v. Stretchy bug
vi. Q-tip
vii. Small paper clip
viii. Snake/lizard
ix. Farm animal
x. Jack
xi. Baby food jar lid
d. Clay
e. Aluminum foil
f. Pennies
g. Note taking charts
h. Large post-it notes
i. Markers
j. Pencils

2. Procedures:
a. Engage (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)*:
i. Teachers will present the class with a pool noodle (FLOAT) and a marble
(SINK) They will ask the students to predict whether these objects will
sink or float.
ii. Ask Questions:
1. Why do you think this will occur? Have them justify their
predictions.
2. Teachers will ask the students what it means for an object to float
and what it means for an object to sink. What will this look like?
3. What does SINK mean? (What does it look like for an object to
sink?)
 4. What does FLOAT mean? (What does it look like for an object to
float?)
iii. Teachers will then test the objects in a bucket of water.
iv. Teachers will then ask the students why they believe this result took place.

b. Explore (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)*:

i. Have students count off by eight
1. Each group is assigned one brown paper bag with items in bag
2. Encourage each five team group consisting of eight students
collaboratively create a team name and write the designated name
on blackboard
ii. Have students examine and explore the nine objects in brown paper bag
iii. Students will be given a bag of objects (rubber duck, pong ball, stretchy
bug, q-tip, small paper clip, snake/lizard, farm animal, jack, lid) and a
small tub of water and asked to predict whether they think these objects
will sink or float. Students will record their predictions on worksheet
provided by instructors.
iv. Record item in the table under OBJECT (teacher can record or child can
draw picture)
v. PREDICT based on activity discussion whether objects will sink or float
vi. Record in column titled, PREDICT: SINK OR FLOAT?, either by letter
(F for FLOAT or S for SINK, YES/NO, +-, or ?)
vii. Test each item and record in column titled, ACTUAL: SINK OR FLOAT?
1. The mass and volume will be provided for students
viii. Students will then begin putting the objects in their tub of water and
writing down whether each object sunk or floated. They will record these
results on their worksheet next to their predictions.

c. Explain (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)*:

i. Ask questions
ii. What’s happening with the object?
iii. Why do you think the ______ floated/sank?
iv. Have the children sort objects into two groups: those thank SANK and
those that FLOAT
v. Ask children to describe the similarities and differences these two groups
of objects
vi. Use data from the chart to create explanations regarding why objects sink
or float
vii. Give students time to look at the chart and find a pattern that can explain
why objects sink and/or float
 viii. Using this data, students should arrive at the conclusion that if the mass of
an object is greater than its volume, it will sink; if the volume is greater
than the masss, it will float
ix. Students will look for patterns between objects that sink and float based on
the mass and volume data given to them. This data will be displayed on a
large poster in front of the classroom (m>v=s; v>m=f)

d. Elaborate (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)*:

i. Give students a set amount of aluminum foil and ask them to work with
their groups to try and make the foil float in any way they see fit.
ii. Ask children what they think is most effective; instruct students to form a
structure using only the aluminum foil.
iii. Provide students with a set amount of pennies.
iv. Encourage students by having the groups race to see which team can place
the most number of pennies in their structure prior to the structure sinking
v. Ask children to describe the similarities and differences between these two
groups of objects
vi. Use data from the chart to create explanations regarding why objects sink
or float
vii. Give students time to look at the chart and find a pattern that can explain
why objects sink and/or float
viii. How does this sequence compare to the sorting of objects into two
categories of SINK and FLOAT
ix. Ask questions:
1. What would happen if we changed the shape of the structure into a
circular ball?
2. What would happen if we changed the shape of the structure into
_____?
3. Did students spread weight of pennies out on the structure?
4. Did students stack the pennies on top of one another on the
structure?

e. Evaluate (1, 2, 3, 4, 5):

i. Give students a large post-it note and ask them to display their findings.
ii. On this poster they should include a justification as to why the results
came out the way that they did.
 iii. Students will connect their justifications to what they have already learned
during previous stages of the lab.
iv. Give children a piece of clay and have them try to make it sink and float
(using the entire piece of clay).
v. To conclude the lesson, we will revisit the initial demonstration of the
pool noodle and marble. We will talk about why the pool noodle floated
and the marble sank.

*Essential Features of Classroom Inquiry (NRC, 2000):

1. Learner engages in scientifically oriented questions
2. Learner gives priority to evidence in responding to questions
3. Learner formulates explanations from evidence
4. Learner connects explanations to scientific knowledge
5. Learner communicates and justifies explanations

Answer Key:
Object Sink or Float? Mass Volume

Rubber Duck Float 36.2 g 70 ml

Ping Pong Ball Float 5g 40 ml

Stretchy Bug Float 1.3 g 2 ml

Q-Tip Float 0.1 g 3 ml

Small Paper Clip Sink 0.5 g 0.1 ml

Snake/Lizard Sink 3.9 g 2 ml

Farm Animal Sink about 14.4 g 10 ml

Jack Sink 2.4 g .5 ml

Lid Both 6.4 g