1 - Getting Started ~3 mins
It is raining hard on the way to school. Which would keep you drier: a paper bag over your head, or a raincoat?
Hands up for the paper bag. Hands up for the raincoat. What do you notice about the material of a real raincoat?
2 - Today's Words and Our Question ~5 mins
Today's big words: waterproof — water stays out and does not go through. Absorb — the material soaks the water up.
We will test four squares: our soft fabric square, paper, foil and plastic. Our question: which will keep water out, and which will let water through?
3 - Predict First ~5 mins
Look at our four squares: soft fabric, paper, foil and plastic. For each one, will the water stay on top, or go through?
Whisper your best guess to your partner. Then, as we do a quick class hands-up for each square, mark your own prediction on your Investigation Journal page. Predictions are the start of the science; they are not a test to get right.
4 - The Drip Test ~14 mins
First I will show you how we drip water on one square. Then each group will take turns at your tray. Watch closely every time: does the water stay on top, soak in, or drip through onto the tray?
We drip the same small amount of water the same way on each square so we can notice how the materials are different.
5 - Record What We Saw ~6 mins
Your predictions are already on your Investigation Journal page. Now record what you observed for each material while the trays are still in front of you.
You can use words like stay on top, soak in, or go through, or simple marks your teacher shows you. Keep what you thought would happen separate from what you actually saw.
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