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Floating Egg

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  • DOMAIN(S)
    Communication, Language, and Literacy (CLL)
  • INDICATOR(S)
    CLL1.3c
  • AGE GROUP(S)
    36-48 months

Do this simple experiment to encourage the children to talk about what they are thinking. You need:


1 clear cup

1 raw egg

Water

Salt


Ask the children if they think an egg will float or sink if you put it in water. Get answers. Carefully set the egg in a cup of water. Ask, “What happened?” (It should sink.) Ask the children, “Does anybody have any idea how we can make it float?” Have a child add a tablespoon of salt and stir until dissolved. Try the experiment again. Continue adding tablespoons of salt until the egg actually floats (two or three tablespoons). The egg floats because adding salt changes the water's density. When the water is more dense than the egg, the egg will float. Encourage the children to ask more questions such as, “What if we used a boiled egg? What if we used pepper instead of salt? What about brown eggs compared to white eggs?” Ask the children what else they want to test.

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