Emphasize that conditions can be difficult, and every person on board is very important for a successful journey. The Race with the class to learn more about the different responsibilities of people on the boat. Ask students to role-play some different jobs, such as skipper, navigator, or boat captain. Buoyancy Challenge Ask students to brainstorm about why some things float and others sink. Ask students to list as many different kinds of boats as they can and compare boat shapes.
Some boats have one hull, and some are multihulls, like the boats in The Race.
For the Buoyancy Challenge, give students small balls of clay and demonstrate that they sink when placed in a tub of water. Ask the students if they can reshape the clay so that it floats. Demonstrate how flattening the clay and creating a sailboat shape causes the clay to float. Discuss the concept of buoyancy, including density, surface area, and displacement. Ask them to use these materials to construct a buoyant and stable boat.