10/25/16 Draft
Early Childhood Education
Name: Emma Baker
Date: March 18, 2019
Content Standard(s)/Guideline(s): Cognition and General Knowledge: Science inquiry and application: Inquiry: Make predictions
Pre-assessment of current knowledge: Have the students give them prior knowledge about things that sink and float. Ask them
to describe things they have seen sink and float and give ideas of things they think will sink and float.
Objectives
Assessed Content
Objective(s)
The students will be able
to make predictions about
objects that sink and float.
Safety Considerations:
-Students could put the
objects in their mouths.
-Water could spill on floor
making it slippery
Learning Experience Template
Lesson Title: Float or Sink
Grade Level: Preschool ECE PKSN
Assessment of Student Learning Learning Experience
Identify Evidence: ( Academic Language:
While the students are determining whether -Sink
objects float or sink, I will be taking notes about -Float
which students seem to understand the concept -Dense
and those that do not.
Procedural steps:
Program Monitoring: 1. Have students discuss their prior knowledge
I will compile the data into a spreadsheet about things that sink and float.
2. Have students predict whether objects will
sink or float when places in the water.
3. Discuss why students think some objects
float and others did not. If time, have
Differentiation: students choose an object from the
Prompting (as needed) to name object predict if classroom to see if it will sink or float.
object will sink or float and whether object sank or 4. Have students work as a whole group to
floated determine if certain objects not accessible in
the classroom can float and sort them
accordingly.
Student Grouping:
Small group of students
Authentic Materials:
-Water tub
-Styrofoam peanuts
-Pencil
-Paper clip
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-Spoon
-Cork
-Eraser
-Stick
-Rock
-Play-Doh
-Ball of tinfoil

Adult Roles:
The adult will facilitate students placing the
objects in the tub of water.

Resources & References:

Reflection: (What have you learned about your students? How will this inform future instruction? Hint: Look at rubric for guidelines on what to write about.)

The float or sink lesson went over well with the students. The students enjoyed a hands-on experience to determine whether

objects float or sink in water. Many of the students in my group struggled to understand what determined if an object floated or not.

Before starting the activity, I asked the students to describe objects they knew floated and to list some of the characteristics of those

objects. During this part of the lesson, students were able to identify that heavy objects sink, and lighter objects tend to float. However,

during the activity, students did not seem to remember what we had talked about prior. The students were more focused on playing in

the water and putting anything they could find in the water just to see if it would float or sink, without grasping the idea of what it meant

to float or sink. After the activity, I had students list other objects that would float and objects that would sink and they were able to

identify some. To further instruction, I would focus on objects that sink vs objects that float at separate times in order to reach the

students understanding adequately. I would also limit the number of items that I would use to limit the student’s distractions during the

lesson.