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Materials
- ramp materials and balls of children’s choice
- camera or video camera
Key Science Concepts
- A rolling object will move faster down a steeper incline and slower down a less steep incline.
Vocabulary
Encourage children to use terms such as roll, bounce, bump, steeper, less steep, flat, steady, wobbly, flexible, and swerve, and science process words such as observe, predict, test, record, plan, design, compare, same, different, problem, solve, solution, and change.
Directions
Tell children that each of them will now build the ride or game they planned and designed this morning.
- Have children gather the material they’ll need for building.
- Have them build, changing or revising their original plan if they want.
Share and Reflect
Go around the room, inviting each child to talk about their creation and demonstrate how it works. Suggest that they talk about:
- What are the steepest parts? What does the steepness do to the balls going down it?
- Are there obstacles? What do the obstacles do?
- Which ramps have lots of turns?
- Which ones have different textures or surfaces?
Encourage the other children to ask questions. Take photos or videotape the children and their activities—you might ask children to give their creations names. When parents or guardians pick up the children, you might have each child give a tour of the amusement park. Encourage the adults to ask them questions.
