ScienceAges 6–940 min
Little Scientist at Home
Three safe observation investigations: sink or float, a shadow that moves through the day, and a bean-growing diary. Predict first, then observe.
Skills
- Predicting
- Recording in a table
- Comparing
You will need
- A large bowl of water and a towel
- A metal spoon, an apple, a wooden pencil, a stone, a sponge, a key, an ice cube, a leaf
- A small toy that stands up, and chalk or a large sheet of paper
- Dried beans, a clear jar, paper towels
Safety first
- An adult must be present for the whole water investigation; empty the bowl afterwards.
- Never look directly at the sun during the shadow investigation; look only at the shadow on the ground.
- The beans are for planting, not eating; wash your hands after handling them.
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Worksheet 1
Sink or float?
Before each object goes in the water, tick your prediction. After testing, record what really happened.
| Object | My prediction | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Metal spoon | floats sinks | floats sinks |
| Apple | floats sinks | floats sinks |
| Wooden pencil | floats sinks | floats sinks |
| Stone | floats sinks | floats sinks |
| Dry sponge | floats sinks | floats sinks |
| Key | floats sinks | floats sinks |
| Ice cube | floats sinks | floats sinks |
| Leaf | floats sinks | floats sinks |
Worksheet 2
My moving shadow
Place the toy in the same spot on a sunny day. At each time, outline its shadow with chalk, then draw it here and measure its length with hand spans or a ruler.
9:00
Length:
12:00
Length:
15:00
Length:
When was the shadow shortest?
Where was the sun when the shadow pointed the other way?
Why do you think the shadow changes during the day?
Worksheet 3
Bean growing diary
Line the jar with damp paper towels and tuck the bean between the towel and the glass. Every other day, draw what you see and write one word to describe it.
Day 1
Day 3
Day 5
Day 7
Day 9
Day 11
What appeared first: the root or the shoot?
Which way did the root grow? Which way did the shoot grow?
For grown-ups
Answer key
Use these to check together once your child has finished, not while they work.
Sink or float?
- Metal spoon: sinks
- Apple: floats — It has lots of air between its cells
- Wooden pencil: floats
- Stone: sinks
- Dry sponge: floats — It may slowly sink after soaking up water
- Key: sinks
- Ice cube: floats — Ice is lighter than the same amount of liquid water
- Leaf: floats
For grown-ups
Notes for parents and teachers
Thinking like a scientist
- A wrong prediction is not a failure; it starts a good question: “Why did something different happen?”
- Ask, “What do the things that sank have in common?” rather than explaining density straight away.
What to expect
- The shadow is longer in the morning and afternoon, shortest around midday, and always points away from the sun.
- Beans usually sprout within 3 to 7 days: the root appears first, then the shoot. Keep towels damp, not soaking.
Safety
- An adult must be present for the whole water investigation; empty the bowl afterwards.
- Never look directly at the sun during the shadow investigation; look only at the shadow on the ground.
- The beans are for planting, not eating; wash your hands after handling them.
Materials
- A large bowl of water and a towel
- A metal spoon, an apple, a wooden pencil, a stone, a sponge, a key, an ice cube, a leaf
- A small toy that stands up, and chalk or a large sheet of paper
- Dried beans, a clear jar, paper towels