Each group needs:

• table or desk
• string, a bit more than 2 meters
• measuring tape, at least 1 meter long
• stopwatch
• textbook that weighs 0.5-0.75 kg (~1-1.7 lbs)
• ~60 cm (~24 in) length of one material; choose from wax paper, plastic wrap, baking parchment paper, aluminum foil (or any other provided by the teacher)
• tape
• plastic soda bottle with cap, 12 oz. (≈ 355 ml), with a small hole pierced in the cap
• room temperature water and sink/drain
• graduated cylinder, to measure water
• tool to pierce hole in cap for string
• graph paper
• Sliding Textbooks Worksheet, one per student
• scale, to weigh the water bottle (class can share a scale, or obtain water bottle weights in advance)
• (optional) calculator
• (optional) pulley with table clamps (see the Activity Extensions section)