Learning+Experience+8

Session 1
Learning Targets:
 * I can turn a sinker into a floater.
 * I can reason about what makes objects float.

Materials:
 * oil-based clay, one golf-ball sized ball per student
 * clear containers of water
 * science notebook page


 * Review sinking / floating from last time in different liquids, and students' ideas about what makes things sink or float.
 * Show students a ball of clay. Ask if they think it will sink or float.
 * Put it in water and check their prediction. (see that it sinks)
 * Tell them that today their challenge is to turn this sinker into a floater. Give each student a ball of clay. Students need to make it into a shape they think will float, and sketch it, then test it in a container of water. (It is suggested that teachers carry the containers to the students for testing.) They then record what happened on their science notebook page, and make a new shape to try.
 * As they work, ask them what different shapes they might try.

Session 2
Learning Targets:
 * I can turn a sinker into a floater.
 * I can reason about what makes objects float.

Materials:
 * oil-based clay, one golf-ball sized ball per student
 * clear containers of water


 * Go over problems and what kids discovered. Did anyone make the clay float? If so, what shape did they use? Did anyone make it drift slowly down instead of sinking quickly?
 * Why do you think your shapes did not work? Why do you think some drifted slowly down instead of sinking quickly?
 * Students work to make a shape they think will float. They have to be able to say why they think it will float. After everyone has a shape, come to the rug to test them together. Sort the shapes after each test: shapes that float, shapes that drift down, and shapes that sink quickly.
 * Together work on a list of How to Make a Piece of Clay Float.
 * Questions for discussion: What can you do to make a sinker into a floater? What can you do besides change the shape? What might make a floater sink?