Which Absorbs the Most Water?

1. 1

   Which absorbs the most water—a paper towel, sock, sponge, or cleaning cloth? Set out the materials, a small basin of water, and several clear cups.

2. 2

   Before you begin, draw a simple chart for recording how much water each material absorbs.

3. 3

   Test one material at a time. Soak it for 15 seconds, then squeeze the absorbed water into a clear cup.

4. 4

   Look at the water level together and mark it on the chart—for example, by drawing a line on a cup shape.

5. 5

   After testing every material, compare the marks. Invite your child to describe what they notice and name the absorption champion: “The sponge absorbed the most water.”

6. 6

   If your child is interested, rank the materials from most to least absorbent.

What to notice

• Uses the record to say which material absorbed the most water Reasoning and Problem-Solving
• Draws a cup and water line to record how much water a material absorbed Writing

Tips

• If your child thinks that materials with more holes absorb more water, test the idea. Arrange the materials by the size or number of holes, try each one, and record whether the result matches the prediction.
• Instead of drawing cups, you can record absorption with water-drop symbols: one drop for a little water and five drops for a lot.

Developmental benefits

• Cognitive: Observing and recording the water level helps your child compare results and draw a simple conclusion from the record.
• Language: Recording how much water each material absorbs gives your child experience using a mark or symbol to represent an observed result.