Children build steep and gentle ramps from sheets of cardboard. They explore which objects move faster and slower down the ramps.
Explore ramps through open-ended science play in the Learning Center.
Try sending objects down cardboard ramps of different heights.
Materials
- Cardboard flats to use as ramps
- Blocks to prop up ramps
- Rolling and sliding objects
Preparation
- Think about any guidelines you may want to set for building the ramps. For example, in order to keep objects contained in the Learning Center area, you may want to ask children to build ramps so that they are facing a wall.
Directions: Lesson 10
Learning Center
- This Learning Center provides children with the opportunity to explore ramps through open-ended science play. Invite children to set up a variety of ramp races to determine which object is the fastest. As you circulate through the learning center, ask children to describe the objects, the ramps, and what they observe about their races. Possible discussion ideas:
- Did you set up steep or gentle ramps?
- Predict how the object will move down each ramp. Do you think objects will move faster down a steep ramp or a gentle ramp?
- What objects are you racing? Which objects do you think will roll down the ramp the fastest? Why do you think that?
- Which objects do you think will slide down the ramp the fastest? Why do you think that?
