This half term we were looking at materials, and started with floating and sinking. This doesn’t really feature highly in the p levels, and isn’t mentioned at all in the ks1 or 2 science curriculum, but it’s always a good excuse for some water play.
It was interesting that some students couldn’t get enough of the water, while others had to have a lot of encouragement to get involved. Most of my group head the motor skills to fill and pour from the containers.
While looking at what floated and what sank, students were encouraged to collect a range of things from around the classroom. We tried each in turn, and were able to sort them into the two categories ‘on top’ and ‘under’ water. We used the terms floating and sinking and encouraged the verbal students to do the same.
Extension work this term will be done while we are in the swimming pool, encouraging students to notice the things around them, and begin to make links to their science learning in everyday life.
