ILTS 206 Sub-Area 1 Practice Question #10

A preschool child brings two toy boats to school to show at circle time. The child explains that the boats really float and the teacher invites the child to demonstrate in the water center. Another child states, "They float because they're small." A third child responds, "Big things can float, too." Soon all of the children begin discussing their ideas about what will and will not float. The teacher can best help children gain a better understanding of the concept of flotation by taking which of the following actions?

inviting a lifeguard to explain to children how flotation devices (e.g., life jackets) workteaching children flotation-related vocabulary terms such as buoyant and densityproviding a variety of objects in the water center that children can test to see what will and will not floatleading a game in which the teacher shows a picture and children guess whether the object pictured will or will not float

Correct Response: C

Preschool-age children learn best through direct physical interaction with concrete materials. In the situation described, the teacher applies knowledge of the way children learn by providing them with objects to use to test their ideas. Having the opportunity to place various objects on the surface of the water and observe and discuss the results will build the children’s understanding of what types of objects float and what types sink.