If you’re using Aliens in Underpants as inspiration, this activity is great fun. The idea is to dip cut outs of underpants made from different materials into water and then time how long each material drips for.
Children can be encouraged to think about the properties of materials that make them absorbent or waterproof, and consider how to make the investigation a fair test.
Materials
String
Water
Sticks
Different types of paper and cloth
Stop Watch
Instructions
Construct a washing line using the string and sticks.
Cut out and decorate alien underpants using the paper and material. To make this a fair test all the underpants should be the same size.
Hang the underpants on your washing line.
Dip each pant into the water for 2 seconds, hang back up and time how long it takes to stop dripping.
Which pants will drip for the longest? Were you right?
Questions to ask
What do you think would happen if you made the pants bigger?
What would happen if you laminated the pants?
How could you make waterproof pants?
Why should all the pants be the same size?
How can you make the investoigation a fair test?
Extension tasks
Can you time how long it takes for the pants to dry completely in the sunshine? How can you tell if something is dry?
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