Chef Dave
11-22-2007, 06:39 AM
When I was a 4th grade teacher, I used to celebrate Columbus Day with the following social studies/inquiry science activity:
Given a block of styrofoam, a handful of pennies, a plastic straw, and a sheet of construction paper, construct a raft with a sail. When placed in a pool of water in front of a fan, the raft should sail from one end of the pan to the other without capsizing when the fan is turned on.
This activity requires students to learn how to create a sail (typically a hole punch at the top and bottom of the paper with the straw threaded through). Since the mast makes the styrofoam boat top heavy, pennies need to be used as ballast.
Given a block of styrofoam, a handful of pennies, a plastic straw, and a sheet of construction paper, construct a raft with a sail. When placed in a pool of water in front of a fan, the raft should sail from one end of the pan to the other without capsizing when the fan is turned on.
This activity requires students to learn how to create a sail (typically a hole punch at the top and bottom of the paper with the straw threaded through). Since the mast makes the styrofoam boat top heavy, pennies need to be used as ballast.