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Brian Parton
GENERAL INFORMATION
Instructional Setting:
Instruction takes place within a standard high school classroom. Class consists of 19 9 th grade
students (11 female, 8 male). Students sit at rectangular tables facing front of classroom. Classroom
has a SMART Board interactive whiteboard which is used daily. Class period is 80 minutes.
Lesson Objective(s):
• Students will demonstrate ability to determine either buoyant force, fluid density, or volume of
displaced fluid when given other three variables from FB=ρFgV with 85% accuracy.
• Students will demonstrate ability to determine either buoyant force or mass of displaced fluid when
given other two variables from FB=mFg with 85% accuracy.
• Students will provide a scientifically accurate explanation based on Archimedes’ Principle for their
results in the Buoyancy Lab with 85% accuracy.
Instructional Materials:
• Computer with internet connection connected to classroom SMART Board
• “Fluids Presentation” SMART Notebook file
• Classwork/Homework Problems sheet (students)
• Student notebook
• Presentation slides for Buoyancy Lab
• 6 medium size clear plastic containers
• 6 small size plastic containers (needs to float inside medium size container)
• 6 small, high density weights (test beforehand to ensure weight does not sink small container)
• 6 rulers
• 6 markers
Resources:
• Instructional materials taken from New Jersey Center for Teaching & Learning (NJCTL.org).
• Hewitt-Drew-It Video “Archimedes” from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y9Kn5qOc-
E&feature=youtu.be
• TED-Ed video “How taking a bath led to Archimedes’ principle – Mark Salata” from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijj58xD5fDI
• Sink with running water
• Towels to clean up any excess water spilled from experiments
INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN
Figure 3 Figure 4
• Teacher will complete guided practice problems for Buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle
(submerged objects) with students.
• Following completion of guided practice session for Buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle
(submerged objects), teacher will advance to the first slide of Buoyancy and Archimedes’
Principle for floating objects (Figure 5). Students will take note that upward and
downward forces must be equal, since boat is at rest while floating, leading to the
equivalency of the mass of the fluid displaced and the mass of the boat.
Figure 5 Figure 6
• Teacher will advance to next slide (Figure 6), explaining to students why an object floats
(less dense than surrounding fluid). Teacher will also demonstrate how each formula
listed is derived (buoyant force formula derived earlier in lesson and weight formula
derived from combination of buoyant force formula and density formula; weight and
buoyant force are equal since object is floating) until arriving at formula relating density of
fluid and object to the fraction of the object which is submerged (Vdispl / Vo = ρo / ρf)
• Teacher will complete guided practice problems for Buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle
(floating objects) with students.
• Following completion of guided practice session for Buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle
(floating objects), teacher will play TED-Ed video “How taking a bath led to Archimedes’
principle – Mark Salata” (3 minutes). This video illustrates the story of how Archimedes
first discovered that an object displaces its own weight in water when he was tasked with
testing the materials of a crown. This video will be used to set up the Buoyancy Lab
experiment detailed in Independent Student Practice.
Figure 7 Figure 8
• Following completion of notes for Buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle (floating objects),
teacher will work practice problems on presentation slides with students (Figures 9 and
10).
Figure 9 Figure 10
4. Independent Student Practice (15-20 minutes):
• Teacher will display slides for Buoyancy Lab (Figure 11). Purpose of experiment is for
students to first predict the change in water level upon moving a weight from inside the
“boat” (small container) to the bottom of the “lake” (medium size container), then conduct
the actual experiment and record their results, and finally propose a solution for their
results which is consistent with Archimedes’ Principle.
Figure 11
• After reading through slides, students will be asked to make a prediction as to what they
expect will happen to the water level when the weight is moved from inside the “boat” to
the bottom of the “lake”. Students are to record their prediction in their student
notebooks.
• Students will then divide into groups of no more than 4. Groups will designate students
to retrieve the necessary supplies for the group experiment [one small plastic container,
one medium size container, one small weight, one ruler (used to measure change in
water level), and one marker (used to mark water level for each phase of each trial)].
• Teacher will monitor students to ensure that supplies are procured in a safe, orderly
manner and that students immediately return to their tables once they have their
supplies.
• Student groups will fill the medium size container roughly ¾ full with water. Medium size
container will then be placed upon surface of water. Weighted object will then be
carefully placed inside the small container so that small container maintains its floating
position. Finally, weighted object will be removed from the floating small container and
placed at the bottom of the medium size container.
• Student groups are responsible for determining procedures for recording and analyzing
data. Students can use the marker to record water lines on the side of the container and
ruler to measure. Groups must determine how many conditions to record (possible
conditions: water line in medium size container prior to adding small container; water line
after adding small container; water line after adding weight to small, floating container;
water line after moving weight from small, floating container to bottom of medium size
container). Data will be independently recorded by each student in their student
notebooks.
• Allow ample time for students to explore various methods of data collection. Once
student groups have settled on their method of data collection, groups will need to
perform three separate trials of the experiment and record results in student notebooks
for analysis.
• Teacher will need to move around the classroom, monitoring student progress, and ready
to answer student questions and provide guidance as needed.
• When students have concluded experiments, have students empty water into sink, wipe
up any excess water from the lab tables, return all lab materials to a designated location,
and return to their seats.
Use of Technology:
• SMART Board interactive whiteboard to display presentation slides, work problems
• Computer with internet connection connected to SMART Board
Student Assessment/Rubrics:
• Students will record data from Buoyancy Lab experiment in student notebooks. Teacher will
informally assess student performance through notebook checks and through class
discussions upon conclusion of experiment.
• During the next class period, students will complete Classwork Problems on Buoyancy and
Archimedes’ Principle. Teacher will check problems with students in class and work on
SMART Board. Students will also complete Homework Problems that will be due the
following class period after completing Classwork Problems. Homework Problems will be
checked at beginning of class and worked as needed on SMART Board.
• Teacher will allow one to two class periods for review prior to summative assessment.
Students will have opportunity for further practice with problems for Buoyancy and
Archimedes’ Principle and to request problems to be worked as a class. Teacher will gauge
students’ understanding based upon performance on review problems.
• Students will be assessed on problems related to Buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle on
summative assessment to be taken upon completion of unit.