Children view teacher-recorded videos of their outdoor experiences and talk about what they learned from rolling objects down different-textured surfaces.
Children watch videos of their own outdoor experiences.
They talk about what they did and what they learned.
Materials
- Notes of children’s predictions and responses from the Hills and Surfaces outdoor activity
- Teacher-made iPad videos taken during the Hills and Surfaces activity (children rolling objects on different surfaces)
- iPads
- Projector (if available)
Preparation
- If using, set up a projector to display the iPad videos during Circle Time.
- Review videos and photos that you took of children during the Hills and Surfaces outdoor activity and select several to share with the class.
- Choose a video that shows the surface on which objects rolled farthest.
- Choose a video that shows the surface on which objects rolled least far.
- If children made incorrect predictions, include videos that show the surfaces children predicted would make objects roll farthest and least far.
- Choose a video that shows children rolling two objects side by side—one on a paved surface and the other on the dirt or grass right next to the pavement (if available).
Directions: Lesson 9
Circle Time: Wrap-Up
This activity reviews the explorations done during the Hills and Surfaces outdoor activity, through the notes and videos you recorded.
- Tell children that you are going to talk about the activities they did outdoors and review what they learned. To refresh children’s memories and start the conversation, show a few photos of children rolling different objects down different surfaces. Possible discussion ideas:
- What objects did we take to roll on surfaces outside?
- What different surfaces did we find outside?
- Which surfaces were steep? Gentle? Flat?
- Which surface textures were rough? Smooth?
- Read from the notes you took during the Hills and Surfaces outdoor activity and show related videos. Use discussion prompts such as:
- Have children recall that when the class went outside, they predicted that the objects would roll fastest and farthest on the (sidewalk). Let’s look at a video of some objects rolling on the (sidewalk) and see if our prediction was right.
- Why do you think the ball rolled far on the (sidewalk)?
- Do you think there was a lot of friction between the ball and the (sidewalk)?
- What made the ball slow down and stop?
- If children experiment with two balls rolling side by side but on different surfaces, show that video and discuss. Possible discussion ideas:
- What two different surfaces did we roll balls on in our experiment?
- On which surface did the ball roll farther?
- On which surface did the ball roll least far?
- Where do you think there was more friction slowing down the ball: between the ball and the (sidewalk) or the ball and the (dirt)? Why do you think so?
