Floating Objects

Looking Around 2 — simple sink-and-float play activities with a tub of water and classroom objects.

• Some things float on water — they stay on top and do not go down.
• Floating things are usually light, or they have air trapped inside, or they are spread out flat.
• Examples of things that float: a dry leaf, a feather, a paper boat, an empty capped plastic bottle, a piece of wood, a cork, a rubber duck, a dry sponge, an air-filled balloon, a piece of thermocol.

Verbal: An object that stays on top of water without going down is floating.

Level 1 — Things that float

Level 2 — Air helps things float

Things with air trapped inside (a capped bottle, a balloon, a rubber duck) float easily because air is very light.

You drop a dry leaf into a bucket of water. What happens?

Step 1 — The leaf is light and flat.
Step 2 — It stays on top of the water.
Answer: The leaf floats.

• Name three things that float on water.
• Why does an empty capped bottle float?

Stretch: Will a wet paper boat float as long as a dry one?

Revision tip: Drop a leaf, a cork, and a coin into a bucket of water and watch what happens.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Floating Objects.