Reply To: Module 1 – The Curious Minds/ESERO Framework

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Profile photo ofFrances.McCarthy@bco.ieFrances McCarthy
TeachNet Moderator

    Aoife,

    Floating and sinking and observing different objects to see if they float or sink is a standard of infant classes- and has some lovely complexity to if you choose flat objects like plastic rulers – where surface tension comes into play.

    I’d be sure to ask the children to give a reason why “they think [it] can sink or float.” Then you are connecting their understanding to the investigation. If they are only guessing, then give them some time to play with water and objects and see what they notice and what concepts they form to explain what they see.

    I’d be cautious about density as a concept – it appears nowhere in the Science Curriculum for primary school except in the glossary as

    floating: the tendency of an object to remain on the surface of
    a liquid; an object will float if its density is less than that of the liquid; the weight of a floating body is equal to the weight of fluid displaced; the force up and the force down on the body are equal.

    You might use “heavy for its size” “light for its size” instead, considering that measurement of weight and measurement of capacity is higher up the progression criteria in Maths / Measuring.

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