P7 were exploring factors that determine whether an object floats or sinks.
After choosing some items and playing a game of 'sink or swim' we came to the conclusion that 3 factors determine whether an item floats or sinks....Shape, material and weight.
We did a small experiment with a needle and made a prediction. Most of us decided that it would sink and it did. However, when we placed the needle on top of toilet paper, which eventually soaked and dropped to the bottom, the needle remained floating on the top. After a lot of discussion, we came to the conclusion that the needle hadn't broken the 'skin' of the water so retained it's buoyancy.
Then we were tasked with taking a piece of clay and shaping it in such a way that it would stay afloat.
As you can see from the photos, we had mixed results!
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