Usually we all want to ditch those dirty, smelly diapers, but not today. My students observed several absorbent and non-absorbent items today in order to learn about absorbency.
They soaked up the knowledge quickly and by the end of the lesson were able to recognize items which sucked in the water (absorbent) and repelled the water (non-absorbent or waterproof).
I started the lesson by showing the children a diaper and asking them what diapers are used for. Several excitedly said it "holds pee and poop!" which is definitely the correct answer. I then explained to them that when a child is not potty trained they use the diaper as underwear and changed when wet. The diaper is made out of a special material which "absorbs" or sucks in the urine to keep it away from the baby's skin until it is time for it to be changed. I then had the children feel a clean wet diaper which had been dipped into a bowl of lukewarm water in order to explain the theory.
Beforehand, I laid out several items which were absorbent: washcloth, sponge and paper and a few items which were non-absorbent (did not suck up the water): a smock, counter bear, plastic baby spoon and my skin as an example.
We then tested and felt each one of the items. We learned that the sponge, paper and washcloth "sucked up" or absorbed the water and the smock, counter bear, plastic baby spoon and my skin did not absorb the water (stayed on the surface of the item instead of being sucked into it or absorbed).
The children were fascinated by this simple scientific process which prompted scientific questioning and cognition, cause and effect, and an introduction to new new scientific vocabulary.
Extension: Ask students if they think birds feathers are absorbent or non-absorbent. Answer: Birds feathers are waterproof (aka water stays on the surface and are therefore non-absorbent). The reason for this phenomenon is due to the fact that birds feathers are a form of insulation which wicks away the cold dampness of pond water from the fowl's skin. You could also graph the results of this experiment on a chart (math: charting results through use of a graph).
What you will need for this Experiment
- Bowl of lukewarm water
- 2 Trays or large paper plates (one for absorbent items and one for non/absorbent items)
- Absorbent items such as a washcloth, sponge and paper
- Non-Absorbent items such as a smock, counter bear, plastic baby spoon, sandwich bag etc.
Continue the experiment using ideas from above. (I re-created this experiment at home so some of the items are different than those explained previously in the post).
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