Science Discovery Bottles
I love using discovery bottles for science. They allow students to experiment and observe with zero mess, setup or cleanup! I am busy gathering LOTS of ideas for you because I know that you are going to love them, too. I use a piece of posterboard on the table for students to record their observations, instead of a piece of paper, like a classroom teacher would use. Take a little bit of time to make these, then enjoy them for the next few years!
(The first three photos on this page are used with permission from Reagan Tunstall of Tunstall’s Teaching Tidbits.)
Make at least two density bottles so that students can compare them. Place three marbles in the bottom for students to observe. You can put something sparkly like star sequins in there for fun, if you’d like. Fill one with light Karo syrup, and the other with shampoo, hair gel, body wash, or something similar that is thick but transparent. Students compare how the marbles move through the unknown liquid.
Fill this bottle halfway with water. Put an assortment of objects in here, making sure you have some that sink and some that float. Students record their observations of what type of object sinks and which objects float.
Click here to learn how to make Magnetic Discovery Bottles.
Fill your bottle about three-quarters full of water, coloring with several drops of food coloring if you’d like. Blow up two balloons a little bit, tie them off so the air stays in, draw a face on with a Sharpie (if you choose to), and put them in the bottle. Make sure you have the words buoyant and buoyancy written prominently on the observation sheet, so your students get a grasp of the concept.
Do you have more ideas for science discovery bottles? Please share!
Hi Cari,
Thanks so much for sharing about the discovery bottles! I appreciate the shout out for the pictures. Looks like you have done a lot of research and have a lot of great info.
Take Care,
Reagan
Thank you, Reagan!