ClassX Video Lessons Grade Grade 1 Sink Or Float | Water Science Experiment for Kids | Surf’s Up | Circle Time with Khan Academy Kids
Hello, friends! I’m Caroline from the Khan Academy Kids team, and I’m here with my friend Sophie. We’re so excited to have you join us for Circle Time today!
Let’s start by checking in on how everyone is feeling. Some of our friends are excited, some are happy, and one friend is a bit frustrated because they want to go outside. Another friend is feeling very energetic. It’s great to see all of you!
Today, we’re going to have some splashy water fun with a story called “That Won’t Float!” by Cynthia Platt. In the story, Kodi and Sandy can’t play outside because it’s raining, so they decide to play a game called Sink or Float. Have you ever played this game?
They fill a container with water and start making predictions about whether objects will sink or float. Kodi tries a ball, which floats, and Sandy tries a rock, which sinks. Sandy predicts a wooden block will sink, but it floats instead!
A prediction is when you guess what might happen. Sandy predicted the block would sink, but it floated. Kodi and Sandy have fun with their game, and when the sun comes out, they decide to go for a swim.
Now, let’s play Sink or Float together! I have a bowl of water and some objects. First, let’s try a rock. It’s heavy, so it sinks to the bottom. Next, we have a paper boat. Boats usually float, and this one does too!
Why do some things sink and others float? It has to do with tiny molecules. If molecules are close together and dense, like in a rock, the object sinks. If they’re spread out, like in a boat, the object floats.
Let’s try a shaker egg and a hollow egg. The shaker egg sinks a bit, but the hollow egg floats on top because it’s filled with air. Finally, let’s see what happens with bubbles. They float on the water because they’re full of air!
Now, let’s do some Show and Tell. Ari sent us a drawing of bath toys, which we think might float. Veda sent a drawing of a dinosaur and a submarine. Quillin showed us how to surf, and Semi reminded us how important it is to wash our hands properly.
What a fun day of learning about sinking and floating, seeing cool Show and Tell stories, and learning how to wash our hands. Thank you all for joining us, and we’ll see you next time. Goodbye from Caroline, Sophie, and the Khan Academy Kids team!
Sink or Float Experiment at Home: Gather a few household items with the help of an adult, such as a spoon, a leaf, a small plastic toy, and a cork. Fill a bowl with water and make predictions about whether each item will sink or float. Test your predictions by placing the items in the water one by one. Discuss why you think each item behaved the way it did. Were there any surprises?
Create a Floating Boat: Use materials like aluminum foil, paper, or small plastic containers to create your own boat. Test your boat in a bowl of water to see if it floats. Try adding small weights like coins to see how many your boat can hold before it sinks. Think about what makes a good boat design and how you can improve it to hold more weight.
Observation Walk: Take a walk around your home or garden with an adult and look for things that might sink or float if placed in water. Make a list of your predictions. Later, you can test some of these items in a safe water container. Discuss with your adult why you think some items float and others sink, and how this relates to the materials they are made of.
