Absorption: 5Es

Engage: Begin the lesson by asking students open-ended questions such as “Have you ever noticed how a sponge can soak up a lot of water when it gets wet?” or “What do you think would happen if you put a paper towel in a bowl of water?”. Allow the students to answer and discuss the possibilities.

Explore: Give the students a variety of materials (i.e. paper towels, sponges, cotton, felt, towels, etc.) and a shallow bowl or container filled with water. Have the students experiment and observe which materials absorb the most water. Ask students question like “Which one soaked up the most water?” and “What property did the material that soaked up the most water have that was different?”

Explain: Discuss with students the observations they made during their exploration. Explain the concept of “absorption” to the students. Provide examples of items that naturally absorb (i.e. sponges, towels, etc.) and discuss why they absorb (i.e. the materials have tiny spaces for the water to be soaked up by).

Extend: Give the students a activity sheet on absorption and have them complete the activities. Provide additional items to explore and experiment with absorption.

Evaluate: Have the students answer quiz questions about absorption to assess their understanding of the concept.