Density: Why Fat People Float
Maywood School                                Corning Unified Scool District 
     Janice Farmer                                                                       Eighth Grade Science 
Introduction
Standards 
Objectives
Activities
Assessment
Results
Resources
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 Introduction
This lesson is designed to introduce students to density. Ideally, the lesson would follow a unit on metrics, including hands-on practice at measuring volume, distance, and mass.  During this lesson, students measure, then calculate the density of  regular solids, irregular solids, and fluids.  Students will discover that density  determines whether an object  will sink or float.  They will consider how this applies     to ships, ducks, submarines, fish,  earth's continents,  and fat people!
Subject   Science
Topic:   Density
Grade Level: 8th Grade
Density:  Why Fat People Float 
Standards Addressed
List the California State Standards your lesson addresses. For example:

   8 a. density is mass per unit volume. 
   8 b.  how to calculate the densit of substances (regular 
           and irregular solids, and liquids) from 
           measurements of mass and volume. 
   8 d.  how to predice whether an object will float 
           or sink.
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Instructional Objectives
Insert your learning objectives here. For example:
  1. After reviewing measuring distance, using the metric system, students will be able to measure, then calculate the volumes of regular solids. 
  2. Students will be able to determine the volume of a liquid, using a graduated cylinder.
  3. Students will be able to calculate the volume of an irregular solid, using the water immersion method.
  4. After reviewing volume, students will be able to build a cubic centimeter, and demonstrate that one milliliter is equal to one cubic centimeter.
  5. After reviewing the use of the triple beam balance, students will be able to determine the mass of solids and liquids.
  6. Students will be able to calculate the density of regular solids, irregular solids, and liquids.
  7. Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of density by reporting to the class on one of the following topics: 
      8.  
      Why does a steel ship float?
      How is a fish like a submarine?
      What does density have to do with
         the earth's layers?
      Why do fat people float ?
       

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Student Activities
Insert brief summaries of your introductory, enabling, and culminating activities. Insert links to online resources in your text and insert links to activities on your student lesson web site.

Introductory Activity
Activity 1:  Using metric sticks, students will measure the height, width, and depth of 10 objects in the room (i.e.cardboard boxes, aquariums), calculating their volumes.
Activity 2:  Given various containers of liquids, students will
use graduated cylinders to determine the volume of the liquids.
Activity 3:  Students will determine the volume of various irregular solids (including their hands), using the water immersion method. 
Activity 4:  Students will build a cubic centimeter out of paper.
Students will fill their cubic centimeters with dried split peas. Students will first estimate how many millileters of peas are in their cubic centimeter, then pour the peas into a graduated cylinder to check their estimates. 
Activity 5:  Using the triple beam balance, students will measure the mass of several solids and liquids.

Enabling Activity(ies)

Activity 1:  Using measurements taken in Introductory Activities 2,3, and 5, students compute the density of several
solids and liquids.
Activity 2:  Students compute the density of density blocks.  Students predict whether objects/liquids will float or sink, based on their density.

Culminating Activity

Students will work in groups to create a 10 minute lesson
on one of four topics:  1) Why does a steel ship float?,           2) How is a fish like a submarine?, 3) How do the earth's layers demonstrate density?  4)  Why do fat people float? 

The lesson will include a definition of density, an explaination  of how density is calculated, a clear mini-lesson on the topic question (including visual aids), and a 3-question quiz (post-test) on their presentation.
 

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Assessment
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Results
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Web Resources & Supplementary Materials

Introductory Activity
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Enabling Activity
List and link the web resources for your learning activity(ies) here. Also link supplementary materials such as PDF files and /or document files.

Culminating Activity
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Last Revised: 00/00/2000 (insert and update last revision date every time you work on this page)