My name is David and I am currently teaching in Learning Support
I would use the following inquiry based activity in the classroom-Floating and sinking
The “Sinking or Floating: Buoyancy Exploration” experiment introduces young children to the concept of buoyancy through hands-on exploration. By predicting and observing the behaviour of different objects in water, children develop critical thinking skills and gain an understanding of why objects sink or float.
Engage:
Present the children with a wide range of materials.
Pose various questions to the children such as “ Do you think this plastic will float or sink?”
Materials:
Container of water
Various objects (wooden block, plastic toy, metal spoon, rubber ball, foam ball, paper clip, etc.)
Notebook or chart paper
Pencil or markers
Paper towels for cleanup
Wondering- The children will brainstorm ideas on what makes an object float or sink.
Exploring- Allow the children to go through the items and try classify objects according to whether they float or sink
Investigate:
Starter question-why do some things float and why do some things sink?
Prediction-Do you think the items will float or sink-record your predictions on worksheet
Introduce buoyancy and discuss sinking and floating objects.
Have children predict whether each object will sink or float based on its characteristics.
Fill the container with water and invite children to take turns placing objects in it.
Record observations in notebooks or on chart paper.
Facilitate a discussion on patterns and similarities between sinking and floating objects.
Summarise buoyancy concept and encourage reflection on predictions
Reflection-
Ask children to consider what materials they would use to construct a boat. Pose questions such as ‘ What other factors other than buoyancy would you need to consider in order to make a boat ‘