The Boat and the Beetle

This lesson further develops principles of floating and sinking to young learners. It allows children to explore how boats and ships use the principle of displacement and buoyancy to stay afloat. The activities allow children to experiment with different shapes and design of boat ‘hull’ to see which floats best. It introduces the concepts of displacement and buoyancy in a practical activity. It also introduces the idea of a fair test. It can also be used to encourage children to use the engineering principles of and design, test, and improve.