Tin Foil

Date: Wednesday October 10th (70 min)
Grade: 8 Science Unit: Mix and Flow of Matter
Lesson—Topic 6: Buoyancy
Goals/Key questions
Goals: Students will investigate the best tin-foil boat design in order to hold up as many flat washers they
can.
Learning Objective:
Students will summarize their understandings of topics 4 and 5 by completing their entrance slip.
Students will design and create tinfoil boats with the goal of keeping as many flat washers as they can
afloat.
GL0s/SL0s addressed:
3. Investigate and compare the properties of gases and liquids; and relate variations in their viscosity,
density, buoyancy and compressibility to the particle model of matter.
3.2 observe the mass and volume of a liquid, and calculate its density using the formula d = m/v
3.3 compare densities of materials; and explain differences in the density of solids, liquids, and gases,
using the particle model of matter
3.4 describe methods of altering the density of a fluid, and identify and interpret related practical
applications (e.g. describe changes in buoyancy resulting from increasing the concentrations of salt in
water)
Students will be encouraged to show interest in science related questions and pursue personal interests
and career possibilities within science related fields
Students will be encouraged to seek and apply evidence when evaluating approaches to investigations,
problems, and issues
Students will be encouraged to work collaboratively in carrying out investigations and in generating and
evaluating ideas
Skills: Students will…

Analyze qualitative and quantitative data, and develop and assess possible explanations
Ask questions about the relationships between and among observable variables, and plan investigations
to address those questions
Conduct investigations into the relationships between and among observations, and gather and record
qualitative and quantitative data
Work collaboratively on problems; and use appropriate language and formats to communicate ideas,
procedures, and results
Pre lesson Considerations
Lesson overview of main scientific content, skills to be learned
-What is density?
-What is velocity?
-How is the velocity of gas and liquid changed?
-Calculating density
-How density is connected to the particle model of matter
-How can you make a boat float?
Content:
What is the teacher doing? What are the students doing?
-Very briefly review velocity with -Students will participate in a group discussion
students: what is velocity? What in order to review velocity and density
Introduction makes a substance thicker?
-Briefly review density and density
calculations -Students will complete an entrance slip on
-Hand out entrance slip to their own to demonstrate their understanding
students—they will complete this of topics 4-5
on their own.
-After students are complete, -Students will hand in their entrance slip when
collect all entrance slips for complete
review
-Introduce challenge for students:

In pairs, students will take three
Activity 1 pieces of tin foil (already cut for
them) and design a mini “boat”
which will hold up as many flat
washers as they can -Students will listen to expectations and
instructions of the activity
-Review with students what a
hypothesis is and how to write -Students will find a partner to work with and
one write a hypothesis together.
-Help students get into partners -Together students will design the method to
that they will work in for the day maintain as buoyancy and fold as many flat
washers as they can
-Hand out their work sheets (each
partner must fill out their own)
-Students first write their

hypothesis with their partner on
how they will build/design their
boats
-Students will then have work

time to build their first round of
Activity 2 boats and will see how many
washers they will hold -After students have opportunities to design
-Students will have opportunities tin-foil boats they will be able to test their
to test their tin foil boats to see own designs in the bucket of water provided
how much weight can be held
Conclusion -After students have tested their -Students will work with their partner to
designs, have students complete complete the rest of their lab. They will
their lab sheet which includes explain how many washers their designs were
how many washers they were able to hold up and why.
able to hold up as well as the best
design they used and why
-This will be a way to introduce

density and buoyancy to the class
Assessment:
-Observation/Discussion (F)— Instructor will look for students who are on task and engaged within the
lab activity. Instructor will look for students who are collaborating with their partner and working
together in designing their tinfoil boats.
-Entrance Slip (F)—Instructor will look for student’s understanding of velocity and how velocity changes
depending on gas and liquid substances as well as calculating density.
-Lab (S)—Instructor will look for proper hypothesis’ as well as demonstrating of critical thinking skills
that connecting what they have learned about density to their boat designs and how they worked to
keep their tinfoil boats afloat.
Extension and extra time activity:
- “Women in Science” reading
Reflection:

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Date: Wednesday October 10th (70 min)

Grade: 8 Science Unit: Mix and Flow of Matter

Skills: Students will…

-Introduce challenge for students:

-Students first write their

-Students will then have work

-This will be a way to introduce

Extension and extra time activity:

- “Women in Science” reading

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