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two white bowls with water, pictures of a person, heart, and cat are drawn on the water and floating on top

Floating Drawings

Learning Goals: STEM, Science, Critical Thinking

    • In a small group, offer students opportunities to draw on the bottom of a glass or ceramic bowl using dry-erase markers.
    • Have students make predictions about what will happen when water is added to the bowl.
      • Ask guiding questions such as: What might happen to the drawings when they get wet? What happens if a paper with drawings on it gets wet? How do we get marker off the whiteboard?
    • Slowly and gently pour water into the bowl, starting at a point that does not have drawings and allowing the water to move towards the drawings as it fills.
    • Invite students to share what they notice. Some drawings may float, and others may wash away or remain stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
    • Support students in thinking about what happened.
      • Ask guiding questions such as: What changed about the shapes? Did this happen to all the drawings? Did all the red drawings stay stuck to the bottom or only some? Did more solid shapes float or more line drawings? Is this the same as what you thought would happen?
    • Extend the conversation by asking students questions about the bigger picture.
      • Ask guiding questions such as: What else floats in water? What do you think would happen if we used a different kind of marker? What about a different kind of container?
    • After students complete the activity, encourage them to get creative with different kinds of drawings or try different materials. If you provide additional materials, you may need cleaning supplies (e.g., rubbing alcohol to remove permanent marker, although scribbling over permanent marker with dry erase markers typically removes it as well).

We are the Play Learning Lab, run by Dr. Angela Pyle at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto.

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Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study

45 Walmer Road, Room 320
Toronto, ON M5R 2X2

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