Name: _____________________ Period _______

A Boat That Floats!

Buoyancy
Objectives:
To build a boat that floats! We are trying to build cargo ships that will hold weight. Your
goal is to build a boat that will hold the most amount of weight!

Requirements:
1. Your boat will be set on an 8 by 11 piece of paper. Your boat cannot extent
these measurements.

2. Weights will be added to the boat until it sinks. Keep in mind you can choose to
set the weights on yourself or have your teacher place the weights on the boat.
Making a boat that can balance when weight is applied is key.

3. You may use any materials you would like. Recycled materials will work just fine!
You cannot use any form of an already prepared boat (no toy boats).

4. You must prepare a written explanation of how your boat uses different types of
force to stay afloat. Include the following vocabulary terms in your writing
explanation: buoyancy, gravity, density, surface area, and pressure. You may add
other vocabulary to this explanation as well. The more thorough the explanation,
the better the grade!

5. You will also give a small verbal explanation of your boat using the above key
words before your race. Include information about how you built and tested your
boat.

Test Day:
1. Each boat will be placed on a large container holding water.
2. More and more weight will slowly be added to the boat until the boat can no
longer hold any more weight.
3. Students must take their projects home the day they are done racing.

Date Assigned: ____11/15/17____________ Date Due: ___1/22/18_____________

 Name: _____________________ Period _______

A Boat That Floats!

Buoyancy Rubric
0 points 2 points 4 points 6 points
Boat Completion Assignment was not Assignment
done on time. completed on time.
Boat Dimensions Boat did not fit the Boat fit the
required required
dimensions. dimensions.
Boat Buoyancy The boat did not The boat floated.
float.
Boat Verbal The student did not The student gave The student gave The student gave
Explanation give an explanation an explanation of an explanation of an explanation of
about the boat the boat prior to the boat prior to the boat prior to
prior to the run. the run, but did not the run, and used their run using the
use any of the some of the five required
required required words. buoyancy,
terminology. terminology. gravity, density,
surface area, and
pressure
The Boat Held The boat did not The boat held at
Weight! hold any weight. least 5g of weight

Boat Written The student did not The student turned The student turned The student turned
Explanation turn in a written in a written in a written in a written
explanation about explanation of the explanation of the explanation of the
the boat. boat that included boat that included boat that included
some of the five some of the five the five key words:
key words: key words: buoyancy, gravity,
buoyancy, gravity, buoyancy, gravity, density, surface
density, surface density, surface area, and pressure.
area, and pressure. area, and pressure. The student used
The student did not The student used complete sentences
use complete complete sentences and proper
sentences and and proper grammar.
proper grammar. grammar.
Extra Credit:
Total Points
32 points possible: