Foundational Pre-Trade Skills Preparation

Unit # Lesson #

Subject of lesson: Density – calculating density of regular solids

Lesson purpose (clarify general intentions of lesson related to course outcomes)
This lesson is designed to help students:
o Predict the relative density of certain objects. Will they float or sink?
o Understand that density is the ratio of the mass of an object to its volume (m/v)
o Calculate the density of an object using either the Imperial or S.I. units of measure.
o Think of applications for this concept to specific trades (Which ones?)
o Learn English vocabulary for scientific terms and expressions for predicting and sharing.

Materials needed
 Tape measures
 Weigh scales
 Objects to hold, weigh, measure, etc. (a brick, a block of lighter wood, a block of heavier wood, a plastic block, a block of
lighter metal, a block of a heavier metal, a Styrofoam block, etc.) These objects should be of varying density and some
should float while others sink. If there are no weigh scales for the students, the objects should be clearly marked as to
their respective weights.
 A large pail or wash basin filled with water
 Pictures of objects that have different masses, weights, densities, and volumes.

Planning considerations (consider room configuration, special needs, literacy concerns, need for practice)
 Students will need to be able to work in pairs or trios
 Each student (or small grouping of students) needs to have a tape measure
 If the students are to record their measurements, you will need to provide them with a photocopied table or ask them
to copy one down that you have put on the board.
Language focus: (add translations in Swahili )

Expressions for the classroom:

1.
May I borrow your _____?
2.
Guess the answer.
3.
Make an estimation.
4.
Ask if you can borrow an object from another group.
5.
Complete the chart.
Grammar practice: (may and might)

6. To ask permission.
o May I borrow your tape measure?
o Yes, you may.
o No, I am sorry. I need it.
7. To predict.
o This object is dense, it will probably sink.
o This object is not as dense, it will probably float.
Vocabulary:

8. Volume: the measurement of the amount of space that a liquid, solid or gas takes up in a container.
9. Density: how tightly packed a particular substance is. Objects that are denser contain less empty space in them.
10. Mass: the amount of matter in an object. It is different from weight but for the purposes of this lesson…
11. Irregular solid: those items that cannot be easily measured using a ruler or tape measure.
12. Regular solid: those items that can be easily measured using a ruler or tape measure.

Bridge-in (focus student attention, connect to previous lessons, promote engagement)

(See you tube clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpMGjzdSCiE)
1. Take out several of the objects. These objects vary in density so that, when put into the basin of water, at least one
floats on top of the water, one is partially submerged as it floats, and one sinks to the bottom.
2. Ask a student to compare the objects in size, shape and weight. What do they notice?
3. Ask the student to put the objects into the pail of water. What happens? Ask the student to explain why certain objects
float while others sink.
4. Explain that the reason the heavier objects sink while the lighter ones float is because the density of water is
somewhere between the density of these two objects.
5. Explain how the concepts of mass and volume (which they have already learned) relate to density.
6. Ask the students why they might think that density is an important concept in the world of work.
7. Show them the picture of the dump truck with the broken axle.
8. Tell the students that today’s class will focus on the concept of density and that we will be doing a number of activities
to calculate the density of regular shaped objects. (In a future lesson we will be looking at using water displacement to
calculate density of irregularly shaped objects)
 )
Outcomes (share student learning outcomes in terms of “Can Do” statements)
9. By the end of this lesson each student should be able to say:
a. I can predict which objects are dense enough to sink.
b. I can remember the formula for finding out density.
c. I can calculate the density of an object.
d. I can define the words: volume, mass and density
e. I can think of three reasons why density is important for a specific trade.
f. I can use English to make predictions, to ask for help, to ask another student for an object.

Pre-assessment (activate and diagnose prior knowledge)

10. Come back to the different objects and explore what the students may know about the concepts of mass, density and
volume.
11. Use a water-filled balloon and an air-filled balloon to further illustrate the concept of density.
12. Brainstorm for examples of (have pictures handy)
a. solids,
b. gasses,
c. liquids
13. Ask if some can explain difference between volume and perimeter.
14. Use one of the objects and ask a student how they might determine the volume of the object (as a review).
15. Call on a selection of students who are quiet to repeat the explanation.
16. Ask: What is weight?
17. Explain that in science we use the term “mass”. Mass and weight are actually two different concepts but for the
purposes of this activity, we can use the weight of each these objects to calculate their density.
Participatory learning/Procedure (guide students through: 1) main content: ideas, information, concepts, principles, or
procedures; and 2) application of knowledge: demonstrations, activities for students, problems to solve, etc.)
This part of the lesson should follow the “I do, we do, you do” model (demonstration, guided practice, independent practice).
Demonstration:
18. Distribute the objects around the classroom. If it is a small class you may give one object to each student. If the class is
larger in size, put the students into groupings of two or three and make sure that each has an object, a ruler or a tape
measure, and a chart to write in their findings.
19. Explain that there are actually two ways to figure out volume: measurement (for regular solids) and displacement (for
irregular solids). Today we will use what the students already know about measurement and determining volume to
calculate the density of a regular solid. In a future lesson we will look at how to calculate density for an irregular solid
using the displacement method.
20. Review the formula for finding volume. Volume = Length x Width x Height. Ask students if the inch or the centimeter
side of the ruler should be used. Reinforce that in science the metric system is the standard system of measure, so the
centimeter side of the ruler will be utilized. If necessary, review the procedure for measuring and reading the
centimeter side of the ruler.
21. Pick up one of the rectangular objects and measure the length, width, and height of the box. Write the answers on
board. Have students calculate the volume of the object. Ensure that students label their answers with the proper unit
(cm³).
22. Write on the board: for regular solids, the tools that can be used (ruler, tape measure, etc.), the metric units (mm, cm,
m, and km are most common) and have students write a summary of the procedure for calculating the volume of a
regular-sized object like a box (You may wish to remind students to use the key words such as formula, regular-sized
solid, ruler, etc.).
23. Weigh the object that you (and the class) have already calculated volume for.
24. Come back to the concept of density. Explain that density is defined as mass per volume. You can think of it as how
many particles of a substance are packed into a certain amount of space. If the particles are packed tightly together, the
density would be greater than if they are loosely packed with a lot of empty space around them.
25. Explain that we calculate density by comparing the mass to the volume; density is the ratio of the mass to its volume.
26. Calculate the density of the object by using the formula (Density = mass / volume)
27. Repeat the process using an object with a much different density.
28. Compare the two numbers to each other.
29. Ask the class to predict which object might float and which might sink.
30. Share the density of water (1 g/cm³) and then test your calculations and predictions by putting the objects in the water.

Guided Practice
31. Ask students to lift blocks on their desks and guess weight or mass.
32. Then ask the students to work in their small groups to calculate the density of the object they have been given.
33. Tell the students to raise their hand if they need help and, when you come to their desk to ask: “_______ can you help
us?”
34. Circulate around the classroom and ensure that each group is on task and is calculating correctly.

Independent practice (in groups)

35. Distribute the chart on a separate sheet of paper.
36. Ask the groups to complete the chart. Tell them that they will need to trade objects with other groups in order to
complete their chart. Ask to use their object: “May we trade objects with you? We would like to measure another
object.”

The chart may look like the one below:

Chart (water = 1 g/cm³)
Object Prediction float or sink? Volume Mass Density
How dense do you think this is? V=lxwxh
Compare to earlier objects.
1. wood #1
2. wood #2
 3. Styrofoam
4. plastic
5. aluminum
6. heavier metal
7. brick
8. other?
(Preferably different colors or numbered blocks).

37. After the students have worked independently for 15-20 minutes, put answers on the chart on the board.
Post-assessment (check for understanding)
38. Ask students if their calculations were the same as the ones on the board. Predictions help you check if your calculations
are correct. (Note: if time show how predictions and estimates help us to see if our answers make sense.)

Application
39. Ask the students where knowing density and being able to calculate it might be important in the “real world”. Explore:
weight distribution and load (see picture of truck, think of airplanes), the reasons that ships float, why oil floats on
water, why liquid can be used in hydraulic systems to lift things, etc.
Summary/closure (recap key concepts, consolidate understanding, relate to lesson to assignments/homework/readings?)

40. Reinforce that the students should now be able to:

 calculate volume and density.
 know that an object may have large volume but be a low density.
 predict before you calculate. Then you can check to see if your guess and calculation are the similar
 use your knowledge of science in your work as a trades person and in your life at home.
41. Assign homework - something to think about
 How would you calculate the density of an irregularly shaped object like a rock?
 How would you calculate the density of a liquid or a gas?
References used
 Measuring density – Module 3 p. 15 Ff
 Density and states of mater – Module 1 pp. 5ff and pp 10ff
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpMGjzdSCiE - Density – Explained (Chem Academy)
 https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/states-of-matter/latest/states-of-matter_en.html
 https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/density - University of Colorado Boulder interactive simulations
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npv74D2MO6Q - Part(icles) of Your World: Crash Course Kids #3.2
 http://oureverydaylife.com/can-study-density-used-real-world-41598.html - How Can the Study of Density Be Used in
the Real World? by Allison Boley
 http://www.scienceclarified.com/everyday/Real-Life-Chemistry-Vol-3-Physics-Vol-1/Density-and-Volume-Real-life-
applications.html - Density and Volume - Real-life applications