Ramp Hunt

Outdoors

1. Before heading outside, discuss what children know about ramps. Possible discussion ideas:
   • What is a ramp? What does a ramp look like?
   • Have you ever seen a ramp? Was anyone using the ramp? Describe how these ramps are being used. How are the ramps helping the people using them?
2. Talk about how a ramp is used to help solve a problem. Offer examples to help children grasp how ramps help people, such as:
   • A curb ramp can help a dad safely and smoothly move a stroller off the sidewalk. How?
   • A moving truck ramp helps movers get large items that are on the truck down to the ground. How?
3. Take children outside to hunt for ramps. Encourage them to use a ball to test whether a surface is a ramp. Explain that a ball will roll down a ramp on its own, but it will stay put on a flat surface until you or another force, like wind, moves it.
   • Why do you think the ball rolls down a ramp on its own?
4. While children are exploring, encourage them to discuss the ramps they find with other children. Possible discussion ideas:
   • Why do you think that (slide) is a ramp?
   • Do you think the (basketball court) is a ramp? Will the ball roll on its own when you put it on the basketball court? Let’s try it. Discuss the experiment results.
   • How can this (curb) ramp make it easier for someone who is riding a bike?
5. Take pictures of the ramps children find on their ramp hunt. If possible, include people using the ramp.

Circle Time: Wrap-Up

1. Show the photos of ramps children found outside on the ramp hunt. If possible, project them on a wall or white screen so all children can see them easily.
2. Ask children to describe each ramp and how it makes something easier for a person to do. Possible discussion ideas:
   • Would it be easier for someone to ride a bike down a ramp or down a staircase? Why do you think that?
   • Did you need to push the ball to make it roll down the slide? Why or why not?
   • After finding ramps around our school, do you have any other ideas on where you might find ramps in your neighborhood?
   • What questions do you still have about ramps and how they help people solve problems?

Learning Center

1. Invite children to review in pairs or individually the photos of ramps they found outside on the ramp hunt. Encourage them to look at each photo and observe how a person is using the ramp (if shown).
2. Use prompts such as those above to engage children in a discussion about how ramps help people.
3. Model language to describe how a ramp has an incline with one end higher than the other and how ramps help make a task easier for people.
4. Encourage children to listen to and build on each other’s ideas.

Outdoors

1. Take children outside to hunt for ramps. Encourage them to use a ball to test whether a surface is a ramp. Explain that a ball will roll down a ramp on its own, but it will stay put on a flat surface until you or another force, like wind, moves it. 
   • Why do you think the ball rolls down a ramp on its own? 
2. While children are exploring, encourage them to discuss the ramps they find and how the ramps help someone do a task. Possible discussion ideas: 
   • How do you know the (curb cut) is a ramp? How does that help someone do a task? (roll a stroller, ride a bike, etc.) 
   • Do you think the (basketball court) is a ramp? What would happen in a basketball game if the court was a ramp? Discuss how the ball would roll away from the players.
3. Take pictures of the ramps children find on their ramp hunt. If possible, include people using the ramp.