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KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT


LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate:

Gina Laureti

Date: November 7 & 10

Cooperating Teacher:

Dr. Varano

Coop. Initials

Group Size:

20

Subject or Topic:

Allotted Time 2 days: 50 minutes each Grade Level 3rd

Factors That Make Something Float Section

STANDARD:
3.2.3.A1. Differentiate between properties of objects such as size, shape, weight and
properties of materials that make up the objects such as color, texture, and hardness.
I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
A. Students will explore the factors that make an object float by designing and
testing their own boats.
B. Students will explore how the shape of a boat affects it density and how much
weight it can float by testing their boats and adding pennies.
II. Instructional Materials
A. How do ships float on water? YouTube video:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx2pJ1_TYQg
B. Chart paper
C. Aluminum foil
D. Pennies
E. 5 tubs of water
F. Lab recording sheet
G. Class bar graph
H. Largest aluminum foil boat YouTube video:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6sWTvNCagg
I. End of unit assessment
III. Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, outline of
additional content)
A. Prerequisite skills
1. Understanding the definition of density.
2. Understanding the definition of buoyancy.
3. Knowing how to read a bar graph.

B. Key Vocabulary
1. Density: The weight or heaviness of an object when it takes up a
given amount of space. It is an objects weight relative to its size.
2. Buoyancy: The ability of a substance to float. It is the upward force
produced by liquid on an object. Buoyancy depends on the density
of the object.
C. Big Idea
1. How do characteristics of an object factor into whether an object will
float or not?
2. Does the shape of an object contribute to its ability to float?
D. Additional content
IV. Implementation
DAY 1:
A. Introduction
1. The teacher will ask the class if they have ever wondered how
something so huge, like a ship, floats while other objects that are
much tinier, sink?
2. Teacher will have students turn and talk to their partner to name
things that are huge that float and small things that sink.
3. Teacher will show the How do ships float on water? YouTube
video.
4. The teacher will explain to the class that today we will explore how
the shape of an object affects whether an object will sink or float.
B. Development
1. Teacher will have a T chart on chart paper. The teacher will ask the
students to name some of the objects the partner groups came up
with that are huge that float or small that sink. The teacher will write
the objects on the T chart.
2. Teacher will present a PowerPoint to the students about why some
bigger objects float while smaller objects do not.
3. Teacher will have a tub of water in the front of the room. Teacher
will explain that today the class will be making boats out of
aluminum foil. But, does aluminum foil even float?
4. The teacher will take a piece of aluminum foil and make it into a
ball. Teacher will place the ball of aluminum foil in the tub of water
and it will sink to the bottom. Teacher will ask the students, how
can we make the aluminum foil float?
5. Students will reply that if the foil was made into a different shape,
the aluminum foil may float.
6. The teacher will have the students break up into their lab groups.
Students will be provided with aluminum foil and a tub of water to
test their boat. Each group will design their own boat. The group

will test the boat in the water to make sure it floats. Students will
draw and record their findings on their lab-recording sheet.
7. Once their boat will float, students will begin to add pennies to their
boat to see how much weight their boat can hold up. Students will
complete the pennies portion of the experiment three times to assure
accuracy. Students will record how many pennies were in the boat
before it sank on their lab-recording sheet.
8. Teacher will record the findings of the groups on a bar graph on the
board. The group that had the most pennies in their boat will share
with the class their boat design.
DAY 2
C. Closure
1. Teacher will review what the students explored yesterday with
making boats out of aluminum foil.
2. Students will share some of the problems they encountered when
designing their boats and what were some of the things they
attempted to solve the problems.
3. Teacher will show the video of the largest aluminum foil boat.
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6sWTvNCagg
4. Teacher will administer a summative assessment from the entire
unit.
D. Accommodations/Differentiation
1. A.P. has a learning disability and will receive a copy of the
PowerPoint to take notes on.
2. A.P. will work in a lab group with his peer tutor.
E. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
1. Formative
a. The teacher will walk around the room while the students are
experimenting with their groups. She will use the following
checklist to assess student participation in the groups:
+
Students worked
together and
discussed their
predictions about
what objects will
sink or float.
Students filled
out their
predictions before
actually
conducting the

experiment. The
students filled out
the results after
the experiment
was conducted.
Students used
their new
vocabulary
(density and
buoyancy) when
discussing if an
object will sink or
float.
a. The teacher will assess the lab-recording sheets the students
complete during the experiment to check for understanding.
She will use the following checklist to assess the sheet:
The student mentioned drew their boat design and
accurately explained it.
The student completed every part of the table
accurately.
2. Summative
a. Students will complete an end of unit assessment. The
assessment will be a multiple-choice test that will be graded
out of 20 points. Students will receive two points for every
question they answer correctly.
V. Reflective Response
A. Report of Student Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (Reflection on
student performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for
students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement)
Remediation Plan
B. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective
answers to question recorded after lesson is taught)
1. Were the students able to understand why a ship floats from my
instruction?

2. Was my instruction able to provide students with the right amount of


information so they could apply their new information when building
their own boats?

3. Did the students enjoy making the boats out of aluminum foil?

4. Did the lab groups work well together?

VI. Resources (in APA format)


"Why can boats made of steel float on water when a bar of steel sinks?" 01 April
2000. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vsmyth/everyday-myths/question254.htm> 19 November 2014.

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