The perfect activity for a rainy day and is an especially great hands-on activity for learning about buoyancy. Remember that our freshwater sources, such as streams, are important to many different species of plants and animals. What we put into our water sources will float downstream, this includes twig boats or other not so enjoyable things such as pollutants. This is activity be also be a great opportunity to talk about healthy water ecosystems and conservation.
What you’ll need:
Twigs
Grass
Leaves
A stream, creek, or big puddle
A friend to race against
What to do:
Build your boat! Make your boat float using whatever natural materials you can find. Use grass to tie twigs and sticks together, and leaves to create a sail.
Decide on a finish line. This may be the end of the stream, a landmark downstream, or just a few feet if you’d like to keep track of your boat easily.
Start racing! This activity works best when it is raining or has recently rained, because streams will be moving more quickly. Place your boats in a stream, and see which boat reaches the finish line first.
Ask yourself:
Where else could you find water to sail your boat?
What caused your boat to float faster on the water?
What kind of design and materials float the best?
Blog post written by Claire Merkosky, SCiP intern.
