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Breaking the Tension: Surface Tension 1
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Learners explore how the attractive forces between water molecules create surface tension and allow certain objects to float on the surface of water.

Comparing the Density of an Object to the Density of Water
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Learners compare the weight of equal volumes of wax, water, and clay. Learners discover that since the wax weighs less than an equal volume of water, it is less dense than water and will float.
Big and Little Cups
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In this indoor or outdoor water activity, learners pour water from small cups to large cups and containers. In doing so, they discover water takes the shape of its container.

Stuck on You: Adhesion
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Learners explore water adhesion and learn about why water molecules are more strongly attracted to some substances than others.

What-a-cycle
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In this activity, learners act as water molecules and travel through parts of the water cycle to discover that it is more complex than just water moving from the ground to the atmosphere.

Stick to It: Adhesion II
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Water sticks to all kinds of things in nature — flowers, leaves, spider webs - and doesn't stick to others, such as a duck's back.

Above Water: Buoyancy & Displacement
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In an investigation called "Shape It!" learners craft tiny boats out of clay, set them afloat on water and then add weight loads to them, in order to explore: how objects stay afloat in water; what th

Using Color to See How Liquids Combine
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Learners add different liquids (water, salt water, alcohol, and detergent solution) to water and observe the different ways the different liquids combine with water.

Absorb & Repel
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In this activity, learners investigate how different materials repel or absorb water. Learners use spray bottles to explore how everyday items like sponges, cardboard, feathers, etc.

Sink or Float?
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In this water activity, learners test which objects float and which sink. Learners discover that objects behave differently in water.
Float or Sink?
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In this water activity, learners test which objects float and which sink. Learners discover that objects behave differently in water.

Watercraft
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In this design challenge activity, learners build a boat that can hold 25 pennies (or 15 one inch metal washers) for at least ten seconds before sinking.

Defining Density
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In this introductory demonstration and activity, learners are introduced to the concept of density as they explore a rock and a wooden block in water.

Uplifting Force: Buoyancy & Density
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In this investigation, learners explore the force known as buoyancy by placing various objects into water and observing how they behave (for example, which sink more quickly, which float, how much wat

Draggin' Boats
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Learners design, build, and test models of "dragon boats" made from up to three milk cartons.

Super Soaker
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In this activity (page 1 of the PDF under SciGirls Activity: Bogs), learners will test cups full of potting soil, sand, and sphagnum moss to see which earth material is able to soak up the most water.

Changing the Density of an Object: Changing Shape
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Learners will see that changing the shape of an object, like a clay ball, that is more dense than water, can affect whether the object will sink or float.

Drying It Out
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In this activity, learners investigate and compare the rate of drying in different conditions.
Buoyancy Bulls-Eye
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In this hands-on activity, learners will construct a scuba diver that can float in order to explore how sea creatures stay neutrally buoyant in the ocean and to see what kinds of forces might be influ

Matter on the Move
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Learners observe and conduct experiments demonstrating the different properties of hot and cold materials.