MISS FARRELL

Lesson Plan

PS1 FALL 2016

Grade 2 Science Lesson #8 (Experiment #4 Survival of the Floatest) Unit: Boats and Buoyancy

Dec. 8th 2016

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General Learning Outcomes:

2-7 Construct objects that will float on and move through water, and evaluate various designs for
watercraft. (Knowledge)
2-4 Demonstrate positive attitudes for the study of science and for the application of science in responsible
ways. (Skills)
Specific Learning Outcomes:

(2.3) Assemble materials so they will float, carry a load and be stable in water.
(2.4) Modify a watercraft to increase the load it will carry.
(2.3) Construct, with guidance, an object that achieves a given purpose, using materials that are provided
(2.3) Identify the purpose of the object to be constructed: What structure do we need to make? What does it
need to do?
(2.8) Adapt the design of a watercraft so it can be propelled through water.
(2.4) A willingness to work with others and to consider their ideas
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Students will work with materials so that they will float, be able to carry a load, and be stable in water.
3. Students will edit a watercraft to increase the load it could carry.
4. Students will build an object that fits a specific task with guidance and materials provided.
5. Students will identify the purpose of the object being built.
6. Students will modify the design of a watercraft so that it could be propelled through water.
7. Students should be cooperative with others and their ideas.

ASSESSMENTS
Observations:
Are students applying scientific concepts of
buoyancy to their designs?
Are students making informed observations and,
consequently, informed edits of their design based
on our previous studies?
Are students developing their scientific predictions
based on information they learned about buoyancy?
Are students being respectful to their peers and
their ideas?
Are students being cooperative and positive even if
their designs fail to float and sail? (trust it, learn
from it)

Big Ideas:

Improvised boat designs that could be propelled

through water
Adaptability
Creativity
Leadership and cooperation
Participation and inclusion of others
Teamwork
Hands-on experience with science concepts
Critical thinking skills and experience
Collaborative = sharing of ideas and designs
Introduction to transfer of weight, stability, and
sails

Written/Performance Assessments:
Performance assessment (formative) : Participation and engagement in the experiment
Informed designs and discussions/conversations with team members or with me
Written assessment (formative) : science lab workbook:
Are they making informed designs?
Is there evidence of previous knowledge of stability, sails and transfer of weight factors?

MISS FARRELL

PS1 FALL 2016

Is there evidence of an understanding of scientific concepts in their preliminary designs and constructions?

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED

Resource #1: Alberta Program of Studies
Resource #2: Buoyancy and Boats Edmonton Public Schools Resources

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Big clear bucket

Science lab booklets printed off
Ziploc bags sealed with all materials for each group
Hairdryer (wind)

PROCEDURE
Introduction (15 mins.):
Hook/Attention Grabber: Hmmmgrade 2sI wonder what we will be doing in Science today! I see the water bin at
the back of the classbut I dont see our plasticence boats around.
Now, Im going to draw cards for partners, and when I call your names I want you to come back to the U-table and sit
next to your partner. Bring a pencil!
Then, I will read them this scenario:
You and your partner are stranded on a desert island with nothing but the clothes on your back and the shoes
on your feet. You are running out of food to eat, and are missing your families terribly, so, in an effort to send
an S.O.S. message for help and rescue, you both scavenge all around the island to find any supplies that would
help you make a little boat for your message to float in and sail off to get help.
With your partner, I will give you these papers to write your S.O.S. letters on. Does anybody know what an
S.O.S letter is? = exactly! It is a short note that is a call for help or for rescue in desperate/emergency situations.
You have 1 minute to write these letters! Just as if we were in a hurry to be rescued in a real situation like this!
Work together!

Show me you are done. (Sit quietly heads in their arms on the desks)

Next, we will need to make a boat that will float and transport our S.O.S notes to another boat or to land to come
rescue us! The boat wont need to be very big, but it will need to float. What else will it need to be able to do?? If we
are trying to send our letters out to sea.
Right! They will need to move on water. But, we wont have any gas or motors on these little makeshift boatsso
what natural source could we use to move our boats?
Recall our Boat Types activity(sailboats)
Right! We will need to make some sort of sail that could help move it with wind!
In these Ziploc bags are your supplies that you found around the island. You all have the same materials,
except half of you have bowls, and the other half have Styrofoam plates. Both can float, but I want to see you
use them in different/creative ways!
Notice all the different poles and sticks, and all the different papers, flags and sails that you can use.
Take a minute to look at the materials, without opening the bags!! Then, after I say GO, we can begin
constructing.

Body (35 min.): EXPERIMENT

MISS FARRELL

PS1 FALL 2016

1,2we know what to do!

Work quietly
Work together = teamwork!
Remember all the qualities of buoyancy
Remember all the different sailboats that we looked at

STEP ONE: PLAN

STEP TWO: BUILD
Use all your materials!
STEP THREE: Test!
Everyone could observe and make comments as we go through!
STEP FOUR: Record!
STEP FIVE: RE-TEST (TIME-PERMITTING)
different shape?
different size?
what did you change?

Closure (5 mins)
CLEAN-UP
What did we learn today boys and girls? Weve only worked with plasticene befored::{{{
{}+=id any of your ideas about boats and sails change?
Time to clean-up!!
(Help clean the tables, someone collect our labs, someone help dump out our bucket etc)
Transition To Next Lesson: Next science class, we will be working more with sails and learning about wind factor
in boat movement