Early Science  /  Ramps  /  Unit Preparation

Ramps Unit Preparation

Overview

The Ramps curriculum supplement is designed for four weeks of hands-on and digital (iPad) science learning experiences that are embedded with math and engineering. The activities in each of the 12 lessons can be completed in the time frame that works best for your classroom and schedule, whether all in one day or spread over several days.

Let’s get ready! Take time to familiarize yourself with this Teacher’s Guide. The Unit Overview PDF organizes the activities in each lesson by different times in the daily schedule. You can follow the schedule in the Overview or use it as a guide to plan a daily schedule that best fits your schedule.

 
Unit Overview PDF Get Ready to Teach Science

The four sections of the Get Ready to Teach Science section will help you understand the program and how to feel comfortable using it in your classroom.

Before the Ramp Unit Begins…

Try Out the Activities

Roll up your sleeves! In addition to familiarizing yourself with the apps and videos, we strongly recommend that you spend time "messing around" with the hands-on materials the children will be using in this Ramps unit. In the real, physical world, objects do not behave as predictably as in digital simulations. Playing around with the materials and activities yourself before you introduce them to the children is the best way to discover the quirks that may occur in your classroom and to figure out ways to troubleshoot.

For example, as you send toy cars and other objects down steep and gentle ramps to see how far they roll, you may find that some objects roll really far. You may need to rethink the space you will be using for this experiment or use ramps that are slightly less steep in order to have enough roll-out room. You may want to experiment with covering roll-out areas - especially carpet - with chart paper or poster board and see if a different floor surface improves the experience. You may also discover that your toy cars do not all roll equally well, and you will want to pre-select pairs of cars that are as equal as possible in terms of their rolling.

We Can All Be Scientists

Consider starting the unit with a day of activities that will give children a general introduction to exploring the world as a scientist.

We Can All Be Scientists

Guided Small Group iPads

Each of the 4 Guided Small Groups will work together for the duration of the Ramps unit and document their activities using a digital Ramps Journal on an iPad. You may want to use a different iPad for each group. This will ensure that there are videos of children’s experiments on all iPads for children to revisit and enjoy at the Digital Learning Center.

Materials

As you plan your schedule, gather the materials listed below and on each individual activity page for one week or the full unit. Review the activities and test out a few of the activities beforehand in order to anticipate problems or questions that might arise.

Apps

Download these Early Science apps onto your iPad. Familiarize yourself with each digital game and journal app. Before each use, make sure the iPads are charged and that the volume is adjusted appropriately. If you prefer NOT to use the in-app character audio, turn the iPad volume off.

Videos

Printables

Books

Other Materials