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Sink or Float?

Activity

Testing Buoyancy in Water

Fill a tub/bucket with water and gather various small items (like rocks, leaves, sticks, and plastic). Predict which items will sink or float, and then test your predictions.

Science Seed

When you put something in water, it can either sink or float. This is because of a property called buoyancy, which is the force that pushes objects up when they are in water. Buoyancy depends on an object’s density, or how heavy or light it is for its size. If an object is denser than water, like a rock, it will sink. If it is less dense, like a leaf or a stick, it will float. Buoyancy is what makes boats float on water and rocks sink to the bottom.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Geraldine Palmer Elementary

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

This project was made possible by HEB.