Grade Levels: K-3

These family and homeschool activities are designed to complement the Sink or Float topic on BrainPOP Jr.

Boat Float

Have your child make boats out of different materials, such as toothpicks, cork, paper, craft sticks, fabric, and clay. Have him or her make predictions about which boat will sink or float and write them down. Then have him or her try out their boats in a bathtub. Which boat floats? Which boat sinks? Do any boats float for a while, and then sink? Encourage your child to explain what happened. Then have him or her think of ways to make a sinking boat float and vice versa. Allow your child to experiment using different shapes and adding weight to the boats.

Floating Animals

Together go to a local zoo and find animals that float. Animals like ducks, seagulls, beavers, and otters can all float on top of the water and walk on land. Have your child draw comparisons between the animals and write down their observations. Then have your child research on the Internet or at the library about his or her favorite floating animals. What body parts help them float and swim? How long can they hold their breath? How do they stay beneath the surface of the water, and how far do they travel? How much time do they spend in the water? Can their offspring float right away, or do they have to be taught? Encourage your child to think of adaptations the animals have that allow them to live in the water.

Filed as:  Forces, K-3, Science, Sink or Float