Primary Module 3: Float Your Boat

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Learning Objectives

Explain how gravity and buoyancy work together to determine whether objects float or sink.
Describe how density affects buoyancy and floating.
Apply understanding of forces to design and test a floating boat made of aluminium foil.
Conduct fair tests by predicting, testing and redesigning a boat to hold the greatest mass before sinking.
Identify different hull types and explain their advantages and disadvantages in relation to stability, speed, and use.

Lesson Description

This module is broken into four lessons:

Lesson 1 - Forces and Density:
Explore how gravity, buoyancy, and density affect whether objects float or sink.

Lesson 2 - Tin Foil Boat Challenge - Predict, Design, Build and Test:
Design, predict, and test foil boats to investigate buoyancy and stability.

Lesson 3 - Tin Foil Boat Challenge - Redesign, Retest and Discussion:
Use results from Lesson 2 to improve and retest designs, and draw conclusions from the data.

Lesson 4 - Investigating Different Hull Shapes (Plasticine Activity):
Model and test different hull shapes using plasticine to explore stability in water.

Resources

Access resources here

Primary Teaching Program (Linked to Australian Curriculum)
Primary Module 3 Student Activity Sheets
Primary Module 3 Teaching PowerPoint
Primary Module 3 Teacher Guide

Other Modules

Module 3