There's a Pumpkin
in the Water Table

Ages/Grades

Preschool

 

Learning Domains

Science, Approaches to Learning

 

Materials

• Water tub or water table (it should be deep enough to accommodate the larger items)

• A collection of items that represent fall apples (that vary in color and size), mini pumpkins, full size pumpkin, acorns, pine cones, etc

• Small squares of paper

• Crayons

 

Preparation

Fill the tub about ½ way with water. Make a simple chart with 2 columns. Label one column Floats and one column Sinks.

 

Activity

Make predictions. Tell the children that you’re going to do an experiment. The first step is to make predictions about which of the fall items will float in the water and which will sink to the bottom. For this activity, we’re going to do our thinking in our head, not out loud. When you predict something there is no wrong answer.

Ask a child to select one item from your collection. Tell children to predict (or guess) if this item will float or sink. Give every child a small piece of paper and ask them to use a crayon to write the letter F if they think it will float; and the letter S if they think it will sink. Don’t show anybody the paper until after the experiment.

Invite a child to perform the experiment. Remind the children it’s important to observe what happens when the object goes into the water. Then invite all the children to hold up the papers with their predictions.

Record the result on the Float and Sink chart.

Repeat.

 

Modifications

Bring in different size containers. Invite children to predict which fall items will fit inside which containers. Encourage children to use trial and error as one strategy. Provide measuring tools as another strategy.

 

Vocabulary Boosters

Here are some new words and phrases to introduce during this activity.

Predict – When you predict, you guess what you think will happen.

Float – In this activity we’re referring to the definition of something staying above water. Ask children if they’ve heard that word in different contexts? Do you float in a swimming pool? Do you wear floaties? Did you ever drink a root beer float?

Sink – In this activity, sink describes something that goes to the bottom of the water tub. Think of other definitions of the word sink.

Experiment – When you experiment, you do an activity to learn something that you didn’t know before.