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How Can Gravity Make Something Go Up?
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In this activity, learners use cheap, thin plastic garbage bags to quickly build a solar hot air balloon. In doing so, learners will explore why hot air rises.

Electric Paddle Boat
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In this activity, learners build an electric two-paddle boat using paint paddles, plastic knives, and empty water bottles.

Lava Lamps
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Learners observe working lava lamps to understand how they work (included in PDF link).

Hot Air Balloon
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In this activity, learners build a hot air balloon using just a few sheets of tissue paper and a hair dryer.

Toasty Wind
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In this quick activity, learners use a toaster to investigate the source for the Earth's wind. Learners hold a pinwheel above a toaster to discover that rising heat causes wind.

Paddle Boat
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In this activity, learners build an old-fashioned paddle boat out of simple materials.

Speedboat
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In this activity, learners build a speedboat using paint paddles, a propeller, and film canister. Learners attach a simple circuit and motor to the boat to power the propellers.

Full of Hot Air: Hot Air Balloon Building
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In this activity, learners create a model of a hot air balloon using tissue paper and a hairdryer. Educators can use this activity to introduce learners to density and its role in why things float.

Diving Submarine
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Learners use a commercially available toy to experiment with density. They fill a chamber in the toy submarine with baking powder and release it into a tank of water.

Gassy Lava Lamp
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In this activity, learners use oil, water, food coloring and antacid tablets to create a bubbling lava lamp. Use this activity to introduce concepts related to density, hydrophobicity vs.

Design a Submarine
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Learners act as engineers and design mini submarines that move in the water like real submarines.

Floating Head Cup
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In this activity, learners watch a figure "magically" float up through the air.

Volcanic Material Catapult Investigation
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This activity (located on page 3 of the PDF under GPS: Lava Flow Activity) is a full inquiry investigation into the relationship between an object’s mass and the distance it is thrown by a catapult.

Fly a Hot-Air Balloon
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Learners assemble a hot-air balloon from tissue paper. The heated air (from a heat gun) inside the balloon is less dense than the surrounding air and causes the balloon to float.

Erupting Fizz
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This is a highly visual demonstration that illustrates both the effects of density and chemical reactions.

Bubble Suspension
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In this activity, learners observe as soap bubbles float on a cushion of carbon dioxide gas. Learners blow bubbles into an aquarium filled with a slab of dry ice.

Glitter Globe
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This activity shows learners (with adult supervision) how to make a Glitter Globe, a fabulous toy that shimmers when you shake it.

Rubber Band Boat
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In this activity, learners build styrofoam boats powered by twisted rubber bands.