Will It Float? Sink or Float

About This Resource

A free Grade 1 science worksheet pack on sinking and floating: predicting and testing which objects sink or float in water, recording results, sorting objects, learning that heavy-for-their-size objects sink and that shape matters, and a clay boat challenge. Includes a timed lesson plan, a six-activity worksheet, an editable Word version and answer key.

Overview

Students explore why some things sink and others float. They make predictions about everyday objects (a coin, a leaf, a cork, a spoon, a sponge, a key), test them in a tub of water and record what really happened. They sort objects into sink and float, compare their predictions with the results, and learn that a lump of clay sinks but the same clay shaped into a boat can float. The lesson builds the habit of predicting, testing and checking that young scientists use.

Resource Details

Subject: Science
Topic: Sink or Float
Category: Materials & Matter
File Type: PDF
File Size: 270.1 KB
Published: 04 Nov 2026
Downloads: 0

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Grade 1 (ages 6–7) 45 minutes Predicting observing recording results sorting explaining

Student Task

Show a tub of water and a coin and a cork. Ask: "Which one will float?" Test them in front of the class.
Students predict in activity 1, then test the objects in groups and record the results in activity 2.
Students complete activities 3 to 6. Answers are in the answer key.

Classroom Use

Sink or float test: groups test six objects in a tub of water and record the results with ticks.
Clay boat challenge: give each group a ball of clay that sinks; they shape it into a boat that floats and see how many paper clips it can carry.
Fruit test: test an apple, a grape and an orange with and without its peel.

Differentiation

Support: use picture cards of the objects and let students record results with a tick or a cross. Challenge: ask students to find one object that surprised them and explain why, and to make a clay boat that carries the most paper clips.

Answer Key & Assessment

Activities 1 to 5 check predicting, recording and sorting (answer key included). Activity 6 checks whether students can explain the clay boat result.

Learning Objectives

Predict whether an object will sink or float and test the prediction.
Record and sort results in a simple table.
Explain that size, weight and shape all affect whether something floats.

Teacher Tips

Choose objects with surprising results, such as a large apple (floats) and a small coin (sinks), so students learn that size alone does not decide. Put a towel under each tub and keep a mop nearby.

What's Included

6-page printable PDF lesson pack: teacher lesson plan with timings, materials and differentiation
Key vocabulary list (6 words with meanings and examples)
Student worksheet (6 activities)
Editable Word version of the worksheet
Complete answer key (also as a separate PDF)