Unit Overview

• This unit provides students with the opportunity to observe the phenomena of buoyancy.  Students will engage in inquiry about why some things sink and some things float.  
• Students will explore properties of materials. Students will plan and construct their own floating containers from plasticine and compare it to containers already constructed. 
• Students will experiment with their boats and the concept of displacement.  Students will also measure the buoyant force in water using fishing bobbers and a rubber band scale that they construct out of Knex.  The science skills emphasized in Buoyancy are collecting data, manipulating, observing, and predicting.
• Videotapes are included with this kit. Please preview these videos before showing to students. VM 8552 provides an overview for the teacher of a class doing inquiry-based buoyancy tasks. VM 8361 contains 4 modules. Module 1 is on the general topic of Sink and Float. Module 2 is on Displacement. Module 3 is on Boat Shapes. Module 4 is titled What Goes Down Should Come Up. Integrated hands-on math activities are also included in this kit.

Manuals, Inventory, and NYS Correlation Downloads

• The teacher manual, student manual, inventory sheet, and kit correlation are available online for download. 
• Please make sure you have adobe acrobat reader downloaded and installed on your computer to view online manuals.

Buoyancy Manual
Buoyancy Student Manual
Buoyancy Inventory Sheet
Buoyancy Correlation

Science Kit Resources

Science Kit Related Web Links                                                                                      Online Streaming Videos in Relation to Buoyancy

BOCES ISS Resources

Distance Learning   Environmental Education    Media Services  

Online Buoyancy Teacher Training

• Please make sure you have the latest version of windows media player downloaded and installed on your computer to view online teacher training. 

Online Buoyancy Training 

Scheduling and Science Kit Ordering Information

• This unit may take seven weeks to complete depending upon the goals of the teacher and interests of the students.
• Teachers in Cattaraugus and Allegany counties request the kits from us, and the couriers deliver the kits to the schools.  Teachers have up to six weeks to complete each of the learning experiences.  Once the teachers complete the learning experiences provided with the math and science kits, the kits are then sent back to us so we can refurbish them and send them out again when they are requested.  **If you need additional time to complete your kit, please contact 716-376-8272 so we can accommodate an extension. 

**Missing Items: If the kit you requested has missing item(s), please contact 716-376-8272. We will send missing item(s) out to you as soon as possible.  

• Do you want to book this kit? There are several ways to order science kits.  Ways you can order are: