Explore Together (indoors): How Much Weight?

  • recycled food trays and containers
  • plastic bottles with caps
  • plastic containers with lids (butter, yogurt, etc.)
  • plastic plates
  • pebbles
  • marbles
  • cubes
  • paper clips
  • toothpicks
  • craft sticks
  • sponge pieces
  • bin with water
  • marker
  • chart paper
  • paper towels (for spills)
  • camera or cellphone with camera
  • boat
  • float
  • sink

MA Standards:

Language/L.PK.MA.6: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, listening to books read aloud, activities, and play.
Mathematics/Counting and Cardinality/PK.CC.MA.4: Count many kinds of concrete objects and actions up to ten, using one-to-one correspondence, and accurately count as many as seven things in a scattered configuration.
Mathematics/Counting and Cardinality/PK.CC.MA.5: Use comparative language, such as more/less, equal to, to compare and describe collections of objects.
Mathematics/Measurement and Data/PK.MD.MA.2: Compare the attributes of length and weight for two objects, including longer/shorter, same length; heavier/lighter, same weight; holds more/less, holds the same amount.

Head Start Outcomes:

Logic and Reasoning/Reasoning and Problem Solving: Classifies, compares, and contrasts objects, events, and experiences.
Science Knowledge/Scientific Skills and Method: Observes and discusses common properties, differences, and comparisons among objects.

PreK Learning Guidelines:

English Language Arts/Language 2: Participate actively in discussions, listen to the ideas of others, and ask and answer relevant questions.
Mathematics/Number Sense 2: Connect many kinds/quantities of concrete objects and actions to numbers.
Science and Technology/Physical Sciences 19: Explore, describe, and compare the properties of liquids and solids found in children's daily environment.

Explore Together (indoors): How Much Weight?

© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.

STEM Key Concepts: Objects behave differently in water; Some things float; Some things sink; If you add enough weight to a floating object, it will sometimes sink; Solids have physical characteristics that can be observed and described

ELA Focus Skills: Cause and Effect, Compare and Contrast, Follow Directions, Listening and Speaking, Predicting, Vocabulary

Safety Tips: 

  • Be sure to clean and disinfect the water table and the plastic containers daily and fill the table with fresh water each day.

Be sure to have plenty of towels and/or a mop handy for clean-up of spills.

Tell children they are going to continue to explore how much weight boats can hold and still float. Have children use the different materials to explore how much a boat will hold before it sinks. Encourage them to fill some the containers with water and other materials available. As children explore circulate, take photos, listen, and engage with children when you notice something has caught their interest. Ask questions such as,

  • I noticed your boat could hold twelve toothpicks—what do you think will happen if you put twelve pebbles in the same boat?
  • What happens when you fill the bottle with water? Does it still float?
  • Which boat is holding the most weight, or heaviest load?
  • If the sponge pieces become wet, do they still float?

Reflect and Share

Gather children and share any photos taken during the week for them to use as they share their observations. Allow children time to demonstrate new findings. Ask questions such as,

  • Why do you think the bottle filled with water sank and the one without water did not?
  • Which boat could hold the most weight before sinking? Why do you think this boat can hold more weight than the other boats?
  • What did you notice happened to sponge pieces when they became wet? Why do you think that happens?

Adaptation: If the weather is warm, you may want to bring the materials outside. You can take materials and do the activity without worrying about spills.

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Email this page Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Email this page