Water Activity
Summary
These activities will investigate water, its different forms, and the ability of items to float in water. Students will investigate water by estimating how long it takes to freeze water, then see if the ice cube will float in water, and eventually work with other items to see if it sinks or floats in water. The intended objectives are to introduce water in its three different forms and relate it to weather. With the sink and float activity, density will be introduced and discussed.
CollapseLearning Goals
Students will learn about and be able to identify the different forms of water. Then students will discover what items sink or float in which they will be introduced to density.
Context for Use
These activities can be accomplished within a K-3 classroom, given adaptations for student needs. Activities may take anywhere from 1 - 3 days.
Description and Teaching Materials
DAY 1: WATER TO ICE
Materials:
1. Water
2. Paper cups
3. Ice cube trays
4. Science word bank chart
5. Water to gas video
Introduce the topic giving each student a small cup of water
a. possibly do an O-K-W-H-L chart (Observation, Knowledge, Want to learn, Hypothesis, & Learned)
Introduce the term liquid and put it in the science word bank
a. pour water into ice cube trays
Ask students what would happen when you put water in the freezer?
a. taking temperature of the freezer as compared to the refrigerator
Take student estimates on how many ? hours/hours it will take to freeze water
a. depending on how far the nearest freezer is
Each ? hour/hour check to see when the water freezes
a. time by the ? hour/hour
b. tally/chart/journal observations
When you have ice, introduce the term solid, put it on the science word bank
Show a video of water in the 3rd form: gas, put the word on the science word bank
Use weather to show different water forms: rain, snow, fog, etc.
Then you can see how fast/slow ice melts and jot observations
DAY 2: FLOATING AN ICE CUBE
Materials:
1. Ice cube from Day 1
2. Water
3. 2 clear cups (1 for the ice cube, 1 for water)
4. Plastic spoons
5. Paper
6. Pencil
7. Science word bank chart
How many spoonfuls of water does it take to make the ice cube float?
-Take estimations
Put an ice cube from Day 1 into 1 cup
Fill the other cup with water
OBSERVE and jot down noticing in science journals
Demonstrate:
Using the plastic spoon, spoon up a full spoonful of water and pour it into the cup with the ice
then record how many spoonfuls of water you used, each time after you pour it in using tally marks
After a few tries, have students re-evaluate their estimates and make changes if necessary
When students have finally floated the ice cube, introduce density, add it to science word bank
Graph class results of tallies and find the average
DAY 3: SINK OR FLOAT
Have different items in the classroom & items student brings in
Water
Large bowl
1. Have students journal their estimates of items that will float/sink
2. Students perform experiment
3. Class discussion of results Water Activity (Acrobat (PDF) 54kB Sep8 08)
Materials:
1. Water
2. Paper cups
3. Ice cube trays
4. Science word bank chart
5. Water to gas video
Introduce the topic giving each student a small cup of water
a. possibly do an O-K-W-H-L chart (Observation, Knowledge, Want to learn, Hypothesis, & Learned)
Introduce the term liquid and put it in the science word bank
a. pour water into ice cube trays
Ask students what would happen when you put water in the freezer?
a. taking temperature of the freezer as compared to the refrigerator
Take student estimates on how many ? hours/hours it will take to freeze water
a. depending on how far the nearest freezer is
Each ? hour/hour check to see when the water freezes
a. time by the ? hour/hour
b. tally/chart/journal observations
When you have ice, introduce the term solid, put it on the science word bank
Show a video of water in the 3rd form: gas, put the word on the science word bank
Use weather to show different water forms: rain, snow, fog, etc.
Then you can see how fast/slow ice melts and jot observations
DAY 2: FLOATING AN ICE CUBE
Materials:
1. Ice cube from Day 1
2. Water
3. 2 clear cups (1 for the ice cube, 1 for water)
4. Plastic spoons
5. Paper
6. Pencil
7. Science word bank chart
How many spoonfuls of water does it take to make the ice cube float?
-Take estimations
Put an ice cube from Day 1 into 1 cup
Fill the other cup with water
OBSERVE and jot down noticing in science journals
Demonstrate:
Using the plastic spoon, spoon up a full spoonful of water and pour it into the cup with the ice
then record how many spoonfuls of water you used, each time after you pour it in using tally marks
After a few tries, have students re-evaluate their estimates and make changes if necessary
When students have finally floated the ice cube, introduce density, add it to science word bank
Graph class results of tallies and find the average
DAY 3: SINK OR FLOAT
Have different items in the classroom & items student brings in
Water
Large bowl
1. Have students journal their estimates of items that will float/sink
2. Students perform experiment
3. Class discussion of results Water Activity (Acrobat (PDF) 54kB Sep8 08)
Teaching Notes and Tips
Have all the materials ready.
Assessment
Ongoing:
observation, participation, etc.
Written assessment:
matching different forms of water to weather related picture
students draws at least 3 items that would float and/or 3 items that would sink
observation, participation, etc.
Written assessment:
matching different forms of water to weather related picture
students draws at least 3 items that would float and/or 3 items that would sink
Standards
The student will raise questions about the natural world, make careful observations, and seek answers.
The student will investigate weather cycles.
The student will investigate weather cycles.