Floating and Sinking: Raising FUNdaMENTAL Questions

by: Thomas O'Brien

Learning science is FUNdaMENTAL—that is, it is a combination of hands-on FUN and minds-on MENTAL activity. It builds on students’ prior knowledge that has been acquired both from formal instruction and from daily life experiences. In this activity, raisins are observed to alternately rise (float) and fall (sink) in a cup of clear, colorless, carbonated soft drink. This cycle continues until the drink goes “flat.” This activity can be used to explore density and buoyancy, the solubility of gases in liquids under different temperatures and/or pressures, and diffusion and osmosis. It is a visual participatory analogy for, and a concrete example of, interactive learning experiences that challenge learners to raise questions and “question answers” about science and challenge teachers to learn more about the science and art of teaching.

Details

Type Book ChapterPub Date 3/1/2010Stock # PB271X_31

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Keyerra
Keyerra

Floating and Sinking

Floating and Sinking is a very helpful resource. It shows how to implement engaging activities for students that build on prior knowledge. It also provides lots of Higher and Lower Order Thi... See More

Wendy Miranda (Beltsville, MD)
Wendy Miranda (Beltsville, MD)

Floating and Sinking

Floating and Sinking raising Fundamental questions is a great resource. It provides you with an example of a science concept and then lists the materials, procedures, and the debriefing port... See More

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