- float
- sink
MA Standards:
Speaking and Listening/SL.PK.MA.1a: Observe and use appropriate ways of interacting in a group (e.g., taking turns in talking, listening to peers, waiting to speak until another person is finished talking, asking questions and waiting for an answer, gaining the floor in appropriate ways).
Head Start Outcomes
Social Emotional Development/Self-Regulation: Follows simple rules, routines, and directions.
Logic and Reasoning/Reasoning and Problem Solving: Classifies, compares, and contrasts objects, events, and experiences.
Language Development/Receptive Language: Attends to language during conversations, songs, stories, or other learning experiences.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Language 1: Observe and use appropriate ways of interacting in a group (taking turns in talking; listening to peers; waiting until someone is finished; asking questions and waiting for an answer; gaining the floor in appropriate ways).
English Language Arts/Reading and Literature 12: Listen to, recite, sing, and dramatize a variety of age-appropriate literature.
Sing Together: “Fish Is Waiting”
© 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, Follow Directions, Listening and Speaking, Predicting, Vocabulary
Tell children you are going to teach them a song. Explain that the song is about a fish waiting in the pond. Say, After I sing “What will he bring? What will he bring?” I will name something to put in the Fish Museum. Explain that after you name an object you want children to predict whether it floats or sinks. Say, At the end of the song, I want you to shout out Float! or Sink! Let’s try it.
- Sing the song. At the end, say, Quack has . . . <bowling ball>.
- Let the group decide and shout out if the object would sink or float.
Fish is Waiting
(sung to the tune “Frère Jacques”)
Fish is waiting, fish is waiting,
Down below, down below.
Quack is diving down now,
Quack is diving down now,
Quack brought a <tennis ball>,
Quack brought a <tennis ball>,
Will it float? Will it sink?
Let’s make a good prediction,
Let’s make a good prediction,
Will it float? Will it sink?
Adaptation: You may want to watch the video a second time and make a list of the objects that float or sink as a reference. Allow children to illustrate the chart so they will be able to confirm their predictions.
Social Emotional Tip: Having children express their opinions helps them back personal ideas while understanding that others have different, valid views.