Goals:

The students will complete a science activity dealing with buoyancy.

The students will make observations throughout the activity.

The students will use a word processor to record their results .

Materials:

• any type of clear carbonated drink (1 glass full for each student)
• clear drinking glass for each student (the taller the glass the better)
• raisins (preferably the small ones)
• markers/pens/pencils/etc.
• Internet access

Time:

This experiment will take approximately 1 hour.

Procedures:

1. Discuss purpose of the experiment with the students.

2. Do not tell the students what materials they are using in this experiment.

3. The students will pour out a glass of the liquid.

4. Then, they must put the raisins in the liquid. But before doing this, they must make a guess as to what is going to happen. Have them write it down.

5. Let the students drop approximately 3-4 raisins in the liquid.

6. The students will then observe what is happening, and they must write down these observations.

7. The raisins should be floating up to the top and then sinking back down to the bottom.

8. The students will share their findings and then guess what the liquid is. They can then drink it if they want to.

9. Explain why the objects float up and then sink/drop down.

(Carbon dioxide attaches to the raisin which pulls it up to the top breaks loose which then makes the raisin go back to the bottom again. Then the raisin then attaches on to another carbon dioxide bubble and floats to the top again. This cycle keeps repeating.)

10. Lead a small discussion of the relevance of this experiment to the Titanic. It may help to bring in a professional diver to explain the role carbon dioxide plays in diving.

Assessment:

Criteria for success:

The students must write out observations and hypothesis. If they write out a hypothesis and accurate observations they will be successful. (This could be completed on a word-processor and the information added to a student-built Web site (Group or Class).

Curricular Strands and Major Concepts:

Science - furthering their knowledge of buoyancy, using their experiment skills

Language Arts - writing observations and sharing them with the class.

Technology - use of a word-processor to input results -- could also use spreadsheet applications.