Children build an understanding of the terms roll and slide as they play a circle game, sing a song, and predict how specific objects will move when pushed.
Roll the ball to me.
Show with your hands how it looks when the ball rolls.
Materials
- Box
- Large ball
- Smooth cylindrical block or container or cardboard tube (for example, a mailing tube)
- Square or rectangular block
- Roll and Slide: Lyrics (PDF)
Directions: Lesson 3
Circle Time: Introduction
- Gather together and sit in a circle. Roll a ball across the circle as you introduce the word/concept roll. Have children say the word as they make the rolling motion with their arms. Then slide a box across the circle. Have children say the word slide as they slide one palm over the other.
- Sing the “Roll and Slide” song to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” as you roll the ball and then slide the box across the circle from child to child:
- Roll, roll, roll the ball / Roll the ball to me . . .
- Slide, slide, slide the box / Slide the box to me . . .
- Encourage children to describe the difference between the movements. Possible discussion ideas:
- Which object moves more easily across the circle?
- Which object requires more force to make it move? Why do you think that is?
- Bring out an object that will roll (cylindrical block) and an object that will slide (rectangular block). Have children predict how each block will move. Discuss children’s predictions. Possible discussion ideas:
- Why do you predict that the (cylindrical/rectangular) block will (roll/slide) like the (ball/box) did?
- Who thinks the cylindrical block and the rectangular block will both roll?
- Does someone have a different prediction? If so, why did you make that prediction?
- What do you observe about the shape of each block that makes you think it will roll or slide?
- Test out children’s predictions. Give each block a push and send it across the circle. Let children announce whether it rolls or slides. Observe other objects if time allows.
Note: As an extension, you can sing this song while transitioning between activities.
