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The Shape of Floatation
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In this activity (on page 2 of the PDF under GPS: Sailboat Design Activity), learners will discover how the shape of an object, not just its weight, determines whether it floats or sinks.

Fragile Waters
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In this activity (on pages 18-29) learners explore the impact of the March 24, 1989 oil spill in Alaska caused by the Exxon Valdez tanker.

Deep Sea Diver
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In this ocean engineering activity, learners explore buoyancy and water displacement. Then, learners design models of deep sea divers that are neutrally buoyant.

Float My Boat
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In this activity, learners use tinfoil to build and test their own boats - which designs will float, and which will sink?

Full of Hot Air: Hot Air Balloon Building
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In this activity, learners create a model of a hot air balloon using tissue paper and a hairdryer. Educators can use this activity to introduce learners to density and its role in why things float.

Plankton Races
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In this two-part activity, learners investigate buoyancy, density and surface area as well as biodiversity and the relationship between the structure and function of organisms.

Milli's Super Sorting Challenge
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In this activity, learners separate materials based on their special properties to mimic the way recyclables are sorted at recycling centers.

Boats Afloat
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In this water activity, learners build boats that float and sink. First, learners listen to the book, "Who Sank the Boat" and practice making predictions throughout the story.

Can You Canoe?
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In this activity, learners explore how engineering has impacted the manufacturing of canoes over time, including the development of new, durable, and lighter materials.

Prepare for a Dock Shop Field Trip
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In this activity, learners explore what makes a boat float and sink. They examine and test various objects to determine why objects float or sink.

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.

Design a Submarine
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Learners act as engineers and design mini submarines that move in the water like real submarines.

OBIS Oil Spill
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In this outdoor activity, learners simulate an oil spill using popcorn (both oil and popcorn float on water), and estimate the spill's impact on the environment.
Soaring Satellites
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Using a vertical wind tube and using simple materials, individuals and groups attempt to design a "satellite" that floats for at least 5 seconds.

Sink or Swim?
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In this activity, learners identify different plastics in a mystery bag. Learners discover that plastics are classified #1 through #7.

Build a Raft
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In this activity, learners explore density and buoyancy as they design and construct rafts.

Make a Wire Critter That Can Walk on Water
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In this activity, learners make water-walking critters using thin wire, and then test how many paper clips these critters can carry without sinking.

Density Intensity
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In this activity on page 12 of the PDF (Rethinking the 3 R’s: It’s Easy to be Green), learners examine how recyclable materials are separated by various properties at recycling centers.

Suminagashi: Floating Ink Paper Marbling
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In this activity, learners try to float ink on the surface of water to create a pattern and then capture it with absorbent paper.

Hovercraft
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In this activity, learners build a hovercraft using a paper plate, cup, and simple motor.