Floating Boats
A toy inventor's boat keeps sinking when the last animal figurine is added — and your students are recruited to figure out why. They explore why some objects float and others sink, discover how dense materials can be shaped to stay afloat, and build boat models to test how much weight each design can hold. The unit ends with a partner design challenge: a toy boat that carries as much cargo as possible without sinking.
What Students Learn
How the properties of materials determine whether objects float or sink
How reshaping a material can change how it behaves in water
How waterproofing works and why material choice matters
How hull shape affects stability and weight capacity
How scientists and engineers ask questions, gather evidence, and defend their thinking through all 8 Science and Engineering Practices
What's Included
10 slide-based lessons with embedded graphics and media
Step-by-step teacher guide with facilitation notes
Student worksheet packet with pre/post assessment
All hands-on building materials (clay, foil, chipboard, water bins)
Maker skill video tutorials
Standards Alignment
Grades 2-3 NGSS Performance Expectations
Properties of Matter: 2-PS1-1 · 2-PS1-2
Engineering Design: K-2-ETS1-1 · K-2-ETS1-2 · K-2-ETS1-3
Grades 4-5 NGSS Performance Expectations
Physical Science: 5-PS1-1 · 5-PS1-3 · 5-PS2-1
Engineering Design: 3-5-ETST1-1 · 3-5-ETST1-2 · 3-5-ETST1-3