Storylines

Click the links below to explore various Storylines we have co-created with teachers. Storylines center engaging and puzzling phenomena to create meaningful, authentic opportunities for students to notice and wonder, and collect evidence to make claims and tie reasoning to what they are seeing. For more storyline resources, consider Brian Reiser's and others' work on the Next Generation Storyline website.

Ivory Soap Storyline

This 2nd grade Storyline begins with an exploration of soap, while discussing ways to stay safe during Covid. When the teacher's bar of Ivory Soap accidentally falls into a glass of water, an exploration of sinking and floating ensues. Students explore why most soaps sink, while Ivory Soap floats, and discover what happens when Ivory Soap and other soaps are microwaved. Patterns lead to further questions and investigations about what makes something sink or float, with experiments using rubber duckies, pumice, granite, ping pong balls, marbles, clay, and more. Students gather enough evidence to draw conclusions about the properties of Ivory Soap.