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Science and Technology K–6 · Kindergarten

Which material keeps the water out

Material World (NSW 2017); Science understanding, Chemical sciences (ACARA v9)

PracticalLow risk

The idea

Some materials let water through and some do not, and that property decides what a raincoat, umbrella or roof is made of.

What you need

  • Five 15 cm squares: plastic bag, aluminium foil, paper towel, cotton fabric, and a piece of raincoat or umbrella fabric
  • Five identical clear cups and five rubber bands to stretch each square over a cup
  • A 50 mL syringe or a medicine cup to put exactly 20 mL of water on each square
  • A timer; a recording table with columns for material, water through after 1 minute (none, drops, lots)

How to do it

  1. Stretch one square over each cup and fix it with a rubber band. Predict which will keep the water out.
  2. Pour 20 mL of water slowly onto the middle of each square, one cup after another.
  3. Wait 1 minute. Look through the side of each cup. Record none, drops or lots.
  4. Lift each square off and feel which side is wet.
  5. Choose the material you would use for a toy's raincoat and say why.

What you should see

Plastic bag and foil pass no water while they stay untorn, and the pool sits on top; the raincoat fabric passes none or a few drops; cotton wets through and drips; paper towel soaks up water and lets water through into the cup. The learner knows it worked when the cups under plastic and foil are still dry after the minute and the cup under paper towel has water in it.

What changes

What you change
material of the square
What you measure
water in the cup after 1 minute (none, drops, lots)
What you keep the same
  • 20 mL of water each
  • same cup and band
  • same 1 minute wait

Common misconceptions

Each of these ideas is wrong, and the activity is a chance to test it.

  • Thick material always keeps water out (thick cotton still soaks).
  • Paper can be waterproof if you use enough of it.

Safety card

Low riskLearners carry it out

Hazards

  • Water on the floor; plastic bag near faces

Controls

  • Trays under the cups; bag squares cut small

Note

No chemicals or heat. Record the activity on the school's risk assessment (Primary School RiskAssess, Ecosolve Australia, riskassess.com.au).

Curriculum references

The NSW syllabus outcomes and Australian Curriculum v9 codes this activity supports. They are references, not a verified or complete curriculum alignment.

  • Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017), NESA. Current syllabus; NESA's timeline is 2026 plan and prepare, 2027 start teaching the 2024 syllabus. Code read from the official syllabus document on 2026-09-22.STe-4MW-STSTe-1WS-S
  • Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024), NESA. Implementation from 2027, so this code describes the future syllabus. Code read from the outcomes page on 2026-09-22.STE-SCI-01STE-PQU-01
  • Australian Curriculum v9AC9SFU03AC9SFI01AC9SFI02AC9SFI03AC9SFI04

Sources

The pages the author read to write this activity.

  1. www.scootle.edu.au/ec/search?accContentId=AC9SFU03
  2. www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa/curriculum/science/science-and-technology-k-6-2017
  3. primaryconnections.org.au/teaching-sequences/foundation/shelter-storm
  4. primaryconnections.org.au/v84-sequences/thats-my-hat
  5. primaryconnections.org.au/v84-sequences/whats-it-made

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