SCIENCE 4

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS

Materials that Absorb Water; Float or Sink; Decay

Name of Learner :____________________ Q1W1

Section :_________________ Date : ____________

Background Information
There are different materials in our environment that can be
classified according to their properties. They can be classified based on
their ability to absorb water. Absorb means to take in something in a
natural or gradual way. Water soaks into many materials. Materials that
absorb water have small holes that allow air or water to pass through are
called porous materials. There are a lot of materials that water will not
soak in to. These materials repel water. These non-porous materials like
plastic and rubber do not allow water to pass through.Some materials
can absorb water more than others.
Another way of classifying materials is to group them based on
their ability to float or sink in water. Sink means to fall to the bottom of
water. The action of an object when it becomes submerged in a liquid.
Float is the action of an object when it sits on the surface of a liquid.
Factors affecting sinking or floating of objects are density, shape or form
of an object, weight of an object, and the material it is made of.
Density or compactness of an object affects the ability of an object to
sink or float. Some things sink very fast and some things sink very
slowly.. Some things float on top of water, some things stay submerged
partway down and some things sink.
An object’s shape can affect its ability to float, but some materials
float no matter what the shape-such as Styrofoam and balsa wood.
Some things float at first, but then sink as they absorb water or take
water on through holes.
When the conditions of the water/ liquid being used are changed,
such as the temperature of the liquid, this will affect the density of the
water/ liquid and will ultimately change the results of the sink or float
experiment.
 Some materials undergo decay. Decay means to be slowly
destroyed into bits in the presence of water, air and soil.
Not all plants and animals decay at the same time. Some factors that
contribute to the decaying process of the materials are sunlight, water,
soil, and microorganisms. Decaying materials become organic fertilizers
that enriches the soil. Refrigerating leftover food avoids or delays
spoilage because microorganisms that break down food do not grow fast
in cold temperature.
Learning Competency with code
The learners should be able to classify materials based on the ability to
absorb water, float, sink , undergo decay S4MT-Ia-1 Wk-1

Activity 1 - Word Search

Direction: Search for the materials that absorb water. Ring it diagonally,
horizontally or vertically.

C O C E P N S D F R T F
O A P A P E R U I R C A
T W E R A Y A I I B R C
T A S E S F G H J B E E
O G R O T N S W A E E T
N W E I I T R T R R K O
B A D F C E A H J B L W
A S P O N G E S V A N E
L A S D F T R E X L B L
S P A T E R A A D E S D
S Y S T R A W E R T Y A
Activity 2 – You Complete Me
Direction: Fill-out the blanks with the correct word that will complete the
statement.

Some things 1. _________ on 2. ______of water, some things stay

3. ___________________partway down, and some things sink.
Some things sink very 4. _____________________and some things
sink
5. __________________________.

slow submerged float top very fast

Activity 3 - Color Your World

Direction : Which of the materials enumerated below undergo decay?
Color the cell green if the material will decay or blue if the material will
not decay.
Blue Green
1. Plastic cups
2. Bread
3. Aluminum foil
4. Camote leaves
5. Apple
6. Paper
7. Boxes
8. Sando bags/plastic bags
9. Magazines
10. Styrofoam cup
Activity 4 - Guess What
Direction : Read the following situations . Predict what will happen.

What do you think will happen if: Write what you think will
happen.
1. You bring an umbrella because
the sky condition is overcast
due to rainy season
2. You prefer to use a plastic bag
than a paper bag when buying
fish.
3. You spilled your milk and used
a rug to mop it up.

4. You don’t know how to swim

and use floaters.

5. You peeled the orange fruits

and placed it in a pail of water.

6. You have a plastic spoon and a

metal spoon, then place the
material one at a time in water.
7. You leave the cheese bread on
the table for two weeks?

8. You leave the mineral water

bottle inside your bag for a
month.
9. You leave the papaya peelings
in a plastic container for a week.

10. You place the fish inside

the freezer for four days.
Activity 5 - Move me Up
Direction : Write the following materials on the box under the proper
heading.

Materials Materials
That Absorb Materials That
Water That Float or Decay
1. Sink 1.
2 1. 2
3 2 3
4 3 4
5 4 5
5

metal spoon left over food plastic bottle cotton balls

tissue paper coin rubber ball fruit peelings
face towel kangkong leaves colored paper fish intestines
large stone rug slice of bread
Activity 6 – Happy or Sad

Direction : Draw a Happy face when the statement is True and

Sad face if the statement is False
_____ 1. Some materials absorb water more than others.
_____ 2. Plastic does not allow water to pass through.
_____ 3. Materials that do not absorb water has small holes that allow
air or water to pass through
_____ 4. Materials made of metal usually sink.
_____ 5. Some materials float no matter what their shape is.
_____ 6. An object’s shape cannot affect its ability to float.
_____ 7. Perishable materials change its color, odor, and texture.
_____ 8. Fruits and vegetables are materials that undergo decay.
_____ 9. Changes on the physical characteristics of the materials that
undergo decay happened.
_____ 10. Plastic bottle and metal spoon do decay at the same time.

Activity 7 – Let’s Do It
Direction : Perform the two(2) activities below.
In doing this activity always keep your working area safe and clean.
Keep your working area dry to avoid slipping.
1. Simple Absorbing Investigation

- Materials : A bowl or tub of water , Absorbent materials, such as

sponges and washcloths, Non absorbent materials, such as plastic
blocks or pencils.
 - Procedure

1. Place the sponge in the water first to demonstrate how it

absorbs the water.
2. Try the washcloth and show how it does absorb some water,
but cannot retain most of it.
3. Place the plastic blocks and other non absorbent materials in
the water and see what happens

- Question :

1. Does a dry sponge absorb better than a wet sponge?

_______________________________________________________

2. Can you hold the wet sponge up in the air without the water
escaping? Why?

_______________________________________________________

3. Why do sponges absorb water ?

_______________________________________________________

4. Why do plastics and rubber not absorb water ?

_______________________________________________________

2. Sink or Float with Oranges

- Materials : 2 glasses of water and 2 mandarin oranges
- Procedure
1. Grabbed two glasses of water, filled them about ¾ of the
way full
2. Get two oranges, one oranges left at is, but peeled the other
one.
- Questions :
What would happen to each one if placed down in a glass of water ?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
 Would the orange with the peel sink ? or float ? Why or Why not ?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Would the peeled orange sink ? or float ? Why or Why not ?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Scoring Rubric
Criteria 5 4 3 2 Score
Science Students carry Student Students carry Students do
Investigat out each step carries out out each step not carry out
ion in the each step in in the each step in
(Procedur procedures the procedures procedures. the
es) safety and safety and procedures.
carefully with carefully.
attention to
details.
Science The learner The learner The learner The learner
Investigat records all his/ records his/her records his/her does not
ion her observations observations record his/her
document observations in some parts in a few parts observations
ation throughout the of the activity. of the activity. in all parts of
(Pictures activity. the activity.
or video)

Reflection:
What I’ve observed
_________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
What I’ve learned
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

What I’ve enjoyed

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Answers’ Key
Activity 1 : Word Search
1. cotton balls
2. paper
3. face towel
4. sponge
5. Tshirt

Activity 2: You Complete Me

1. float 2. top 3. submerged 4. slow 5. very fast

Activity 3: Color Your World

1. Green 6. Blue
2. Blue 7. Blue
3. Green 8. Green
4. Blue 9. Blue
5. Blue 10. Green

Activity 4 : Guess What

1. It will prevent you from getting wet because plastic are non absorbent
materials.
2. Plastic will not tear up when wet unlike paper bags.
3. Rug will absorb the spilt milk
4. Floaters will keep you afloat in water
5. It will sink after a while when water sinks into the pores of orange.
6. Metal spoon will sink and plastic spoon will float
7. It will rot or get molds
8. Nothing will happen
9. It will rot and will change in color, odor and texture.
10. It will delay or avoid spoilage due to cold temperature.

Activity 5 : Move Me up
Materials that Absorb water Materials that Float or Sink
1. cotton balls 1. metal spoon
2. tissue paper 2. plastic bottle
3. face towel 3. coin
4. colored paper 4 . rubber ball
5. rug 5. large stone

Materials that Decay

1. left over food
2. fruit peelings
3. kangkong leaves
4. fish intestines
5. slice of bread

Activity 6 : Happy or Sad

1. happy 6. sad
2. happy 7. happy
3. sad 8. happy
4. happy 9. happy
5. happy 10. sad

Activity 7 : Let’s Do it

A. Sponges are made of loose fibers with lots of space between them. The holes
between the sponge fibers absorb the water, and so the sponge material
swells up with water.

B. The unpeeled orange floats because the rind is very porous and filled with tiny
pockets of air. Even though you’re removing mass when you peel the orange,
the peeled orange is more dense and sinks in the water.
References:
Science- Grade 4 Teacher’s Guide First Edition 2015 published by
Department of Education adapted from k 12 Grade 4 Learner’s Material ,
2014

Websites
Liveworksheet, Materials that absorb water, Accessed July 14, 2020.
https://www.liveworksheets.com/rf368957ri

Science-sparks, Absorbing experiments -simple Science, Accessed July

14, 2020.
https://www.science-sparks.com/absorbing-experiments-simple-science/

Pinterest, Float or sink?, Accessed July 14, 2020.

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/160018592988616052/

This Little Home of Mine, Science Experiment Sink or Float with

Oranges. Accessed July 14, 2020. https://thislittlehomeofmine.com/sink-
or-float-with-oranges/

Prepared by:

HELEN E. DEL MUNDO

Master Teacher 1 – Malabanias Integrated School