World Around Us Week 9.
Orange sink or float experiment.
Info for parents:If an orange is dropped into water it will float, but remove the peel from that same orange and it will sink. The unpeeled orange floats because the rind is very porous and filled with tiny pockets of air. Even though you're removing mass when you peel the orange, the peeled orange is more dense and sinks in the water. Linked to last weeks water safety activities, we use this little experiment to reinforce with children the importance of wearing a lifejacket at sea and the appropriate floating equipment when in a pool, until they are strong swimmers.
1. You’ll need a basin or large bowl and an orange!
2. Fill a large bowl or container with water. Ask your P1 to predict whether the orange should float or sink. Place the orange in the water. (it should hopefully float with the skin still on!) Discuss how floating on water keeps us safe.
3. Ask your P1 about floating on water, have they ever floated in a pool with their armbands on? Have they ever worn a life jacket before?
4. Take the orange out and peel it. Place it in the water now, does it float or sink? (hopefully it should sink to the bottom!) Talk to your P1 and reinforce that the orange didn’t float because it wasn’t wearing its ‘jacket’. In the same way, adults and children should always wear a lifejacket when they are out on a boat or in the sea.
5. You can walk around your house with your child and collect other items you’d like to test out. Each time before the item is placed in the water, ask them to predict what they think will float or sink. You can use the prediction sheet sent via seesaw or make up your own.
Orange sink or float experiment.
Info for parents:If an orange is dropped into water it will float, but remove the peel from that same orange and it will sink. The unpeeled orange floats because the rind is very porous and filled with tiny pockets of air. Even though you're removing mass when you peel the orange, the peeled orange is more dense and sinks in the water. Linked to last weeks water safety activities, we use this little experiment to reinforce with children the importance of wearing a lifejacket at sea and the appropriate floating equipment when in a pool, until they are strong swimmers.
1. You’ll need a basin or large bowl and an orange!
2. Fill a large bowl or container with water. Ask your P1 to predict whether the orange should float or sink. Place the orange in the water. (it should hopefully float with the skin still on!) Discuss how floating on water keeps us safe.
3. Ask your P1 about floating on water, have they ever floated in a pool with their armbands on? Have they ever worn a life jacket before?
4. Take the orange out and peel it. Place it in the water now, does it float or sink? (hopefully it should sink to the bottom!) Talk to your P1 and reinforce that the orange didn’t float because it wasn’t wearing its ‘jacket’. In the same way, adults and children should always wear a lifejacket when they are out on a boat or in the sea.
5. You can walk around your house with your child and collect other items you’d like to test out. Each time before the item is placed in the water, ask them to predict what they think will float or sink. You can use the prediction sheet sent via seesaw or make up your own.