This article describes a lesson where students explore the absorbency of several towels with different weaves and weights. The lesson follows the 5E learning-cycle model and incorporates engineering in the sense of product testing with a focus on the relationship between the weave of a towel and its absorbency. The National Science Education Standards indicate that middle-level students should understand "a substance has characteristic properties, such as density, boiling point, and solubility" (NRC 1996). (Contains 7 figures.)