Probing Children's Understanding of Sinking and Floating: Methods and Results

This article discusses the methods used to probe children's understanding of sinking and floating, and the results obtained. It highlights the importance of experiments and questioning in enhancing learning, and provides strategies for effective handling of prior knowledge. The article also includes a planning document template for probing children's understanding, and a chart of children's responses to various types of questions.

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Course
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Concept probed Activity used to probe the
concept
Method used to probe
children’s understandings
Floating and sinking of objects
depend on their density
relative to that of water
 Doing experiment
using objects of
different densities
 Drawings
 Questions
The amount of water displaced
determines the upthrust
 Experiment on sinking
and floating using
objects of different
materials
 Drawings
 Questions
Experiments formed the main activity in probing the concept of sinking and floating. Using
illustrations is ideal in imparting this concept into the children due to their middle age. The
experiments give them an idea what the concept is about and what is expected of them at the end
of the learning session (Díez-Palomar, 2012, p.166). A technique that facilitates quick recall is
thus needed to achieve the objectives of probing the above concept. The learning session will
sound quite realistic and more sensible when the children have an opportunity to interact with the
experimental items, collect data and make the require observations. The ability to recall among
the children will be enhanced through practical work in which the outcomes of the learning can
easily be pointed out and explained by each of the students (Díez-Palomar, 2012, p.258).
Experiments are a platform for ensuring that the children are able to recall the contents they have
learnt and even further give the learning an attempt when they are on their own.

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Experiments make learning fun, engaging and enjoyable as the learners have an opportunity to
find out for themselves under the instructions and guidelines of the instructor. Learning through
experience has higher mastery gradient than learning by listening from an instructor to a speaker.
The children, through listening to the instruction as dispensed from the teacher, perform the
experiments in their own, collect the data and make the required observations which form the
basis of the discussion for the science concept. In this case, the instructor only comes in to assist
in cases where the students might have got stuck with the experiment. Still the instructor chips in
to offer explanations and pause interrogatives aimed at making the experiment more valuable
and deeper (Clark, 2017, p.200). Experiments are one sure way of eliminating misconceptions
that are held by the children as a result of prior knowledge. Comparison can be made from the
actual findings of the experiment and the prior knowledge where the wrong information is
discarded.
The responses received from the children for the pre-planned and follow up questions illustrated
limited knowledge of the children on relationship between density and floating and sinking as
well as upthrust and floating and sinking (Machado, 2015, p.119). While the children were a bit
informed of density and could say something about floating and sinking, they could not relate
density and sinking. They could easily relate density and the size of an object in which in most of
the responses bigger sizes meant higher density. Productive and unproductive set of questions
dominated the experiment session and were applied before, during and after the experiment
sessions in a bid to gauge the understanding of the learners. These question types were aimed at
establishing how much the children knew about density and sinking. Still, the questions were
meant to motivate the student to engage in extensive research and investigation to find out more
about the topic floating and sinking and specifically the sub topics density and upthrust

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(Revenson, 2011, p.178). In their responses to most of the questions that touched on density and
sinking, their obvious assumption was that anything perceived enormous came with a higher
density and thus could easily sink. The unproductive questions assisted them with gaining deeper
understanding of the concept.
The children held a conception of large size means higher density as an alternative conception.
According to their explanation which was not as much elaborate, they felt that large sizes means
higher masses and hence translating to greater density (Clark, 2017, p.288). This was an impact
of prior knowledge which was supposed to be challenged and the accurate information sought
from the experiment. Still, an alternative conception that was observed in the children was that
objects have greater force than water and hence the force exerted by water cannot overcome that
exerted by an object (Díez-Palomar, 2012). According to the children, any object dropped on
water can only float because it does not have any force rather than its force being overcome by
the upthrust exerted by water. This notion is held from the observations they have made
previously in which they are convinced the force of an objected is too big to be overcome by the
one generated by water. In their previous learning of force being exerted by a body being
equivalent to the product between the mass and the gravitational force, it is apparent that liquids
were overlooked.
Questioning was one sure way of determining how much the children knew of the content
provided. Through the various types of questions asked, the instructor was able to learn where
the children erred with information. Questions also make it possible to establish the level of
knowhow of a child in an area of study. By mainly focusing productive and unproductive
questions for this concept teaching, the children are engaged and their ideas as well as thoughts
established on the selected topic (Díez-Palomar, 2012, p.157). This allows the instructor an

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opportunity to organize the lessons in such a way that best suits the requirements of his learners.
Learners have different levels of understanding and knowledge on a subject and hence would
require different approaches while teaching to ensure each of the children benefits from the
learning session.
How much is known by a child on a specific topic can only be successfully and easily be
established through probing. Probing provides an idea on which areas a learner needs to focus on
depending on how the learners successfully answers or responds to the various probing
techniques. An example is the use of questions as the method of probing. The level of knowledge
the learners have on density and upthrust as concepts in sinking and floating can only be
established through asking them questions relating to the concepts. A higher the score in the
questions indicates a greater knowledge and understanding (UNESCO, 2014, p.212). Still, lower
scores indicate limited knowledge on the concepts and hence a need to device the necessary
improvement techniques.
Effective handling of the prior knowledge of the children will be inclusive of the following
strategies:
Handling prior knowledge only it raises alarm of misunderstanding as mainly witnessed in case
where prior knowledge contradicts the accurate information. In the cases where what is known to
the learner is the same as the hypothesis of the science concept, focus should be on the concept
in order to explain it better and deeper for the understanding of the learner (Díez-Palomar, 2012,
p.88).
Not dwelling too much on the prior information. Prior information is just but a background on
what the learner knows of the topic to be learnt and hence should not form the focus of learning.

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Instead, it should just shed light on what needs to be emphasized on and that which needs just a
little brush over.
Borrowing from a pool of information when justification against any wrong prior information
needs to be made- This information pool can be inclusive of experiments as well. By doing
numerous experiments and a lot of research, the learners are able to compare the information
they have against that which is existing and thereafter make decisions (Clark, 2017, p.122). A
wide range of information sources eliminates chances of bias and enhances accuracy levels.

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References
Campbell, C., 2012. Science in Early Childhood. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Clark, M.M., 2017. Understanding Research in Early Education: The Relevance for the Future
of Lessons from the Past. 4th ed. New York: Taylor & Francis.
Craighead, W.E., 2012. Cognitive Behavior Therapy with Children. 4th ed. London: Springer
Science & Business Media.
Díez-Palomar, a., 2012. Family and Community in and Out of the Classroom: Ways to Improve
Mathematics? Achievement. 3rd ed. Barcelona: Servei de Publicacions de la Universitat
Autònoma de Barcelona.
Machado, J.M., 2015. Early Childhood Experiences in Language Arts: Early Literacy. 4th ed.
Paris: Cengage Learning.
Revenson, T.A., 2011. A Quarter Century of Community Psychology: Readings from the
American Journal of Community Psychology. 3rd ed. London: Springer Science & Business
Media.
UNESCO, 2014. EFA Global Monitoring Report – 2013–2014 – Teaching and Learning
Achieving quality for all. 4th ed. New York: UNESCO.

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Appendix
Planning document template: PROBING FOR UNDERSTANDING (ECE220 Ass 1 Plan 1)
Science Concepts to be probed through play/activity centres/ teacher led activities or
explorations.
(This would be to find out children’s existing understandings and experiences.)
ECE220 Early Childhood Science and Environmental Awareness Date: 28.03.2018
TOPIC: Sinking and Floating Age Group: 7 years
CONCEPT : Floating and sinking of objects depend on their density
relative to that of water
The amount of water displaced determines the upthrust
Group size: 2
children
EYLF outcome link: Identity, Community, Wellbeing, Learning, Communication
Description of the ways you are going to probe for children’s understandings.
Activity/Exploration 1 Title:
Materials: marbles, tub of water
Description: Put the marbles in the tub of water starting from one progressively and ask
the children to observe the changes
How activity/exploration 1 relate to the concept : The activity teaches the children on
density and sinking as well as upthrust
STRATEGIES: Use of questions of various types
Use of drawings

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List of questions you will use and responses of children (2 question for each):
What you will do to introduce the activity: Interrogate the children on their knowledge on
floating and sinking
What you will do during the activity: Instruct the children on how to go about the activity,
helping them to make observations and collect data
What you will do to conclude the activity: Ask the children to share with me their findings and
thereafter explaining to them various reasons for the findings made
General Assessment & Evaluation (e.g. Discussion, observation of children’s play at an
activity centre)
What did you hear the children say:
The children could identify objects that could sink and those which floated
Productive questions
(to encourage student
investigations)
Why does marble sink?
Why does cork float on the surface of water?
Open-ended
questions (to
encourage open-ended
responses).
What do you learn about big objects?
What is density?
Person-centred
question (to focus on
the child’s ideas)
Why do you think more marble displaced more water?
Do you think substances that sink have anything in common?
Subject-centred
question (that focus on
the subject-material)
What makes marble to sink?
Why do more marbles displace more water?
Processing skills
questions (select from
Observing, Comparison,
Predicting, Investigating,
Communicating,
Predicting)
Can you predict what will happen if cork is tied to stone and dropped in water?
Do you find any relationship between sinking and the size of an object?

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What did you see the children do:
The children grouped the objects of the experiment into groups of those that sank and those that
floated
What did these things tell you about what they learnt or knew about the concept:
This was an illustration that the children understood the concept of floating and sinking and
could predict which objects could sinks and distinguishes them from those that could float.
* Please note that a more detailed version is required to be completed. See Children’s
response Chart below.
Description of how you could continue to explore the above concepts or extend the
children’s understanding of the concepts: (Include ideas for planning the intentional
activity)
Bringing more objects for the experiments which would increase the range of objects tested for
floating and sinking by the children.
Performing experiments to test different aspects of floating and sinking for example an
experiment what determines if an object would sink or float
References (e.g. where you got the activity idea from)
Clayden, E. (2012). Science for Curriculum Leaders. New York: Routledge.
Middleton, H. (2013). Transfer, Transitions and Transformations of Learning. London: Springer
Science & Business Media.
Appendix

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CHILDREN’S RESPONSE CHART
Please remember to add below the other questions you planned to ask and any that you asked
spontaneously on the day- ensure that the questions matches the type of question (See the
Categorising questions sheet)
Productive questions (to
encourage student
investigations)
Why does marble sink?
Why does cork float on the surface of water?
Open-ended questions (to
encourage open-ended
responses).
What do you learn about big objects?
What is density?
Person-centred question (to
focus on the child’s ideas)
Why do you think more marble displaced more water?
Do you think substances that sink have anything in
common?
Subject-centred question (that
focus on the subject-material)
What makes marble to sink?
Why do more marbles displace more water?
Processing skills questions
(select from Observing,
Comparison, Predicting,
Investigating, Communicating,
Predicting)
Can you predict what will happen if cork is tied to stone
and dropped in water?
Do you find any relationship between sinking and the size
of an object?

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