Explore and Play: Ramps for Samantha

Materials

• ramp-building materials of their choice
• ball or other object that will represent Samantha, the girl in the story they just read

Key Science Concepts

• Both rolling and sliding objects move faster down steeper inclines.

Vocabulary

Emphasize that here the word gentle means not steep and not very slanted.

Directions

Tell children they will build two ramps for Samantha: one very gentle and almost flat, like a gently sloping sidewalk, and one very steep, like Hawthorn Hill in the story.

1. Have children build their two ramps. Tell them that the ball or other object they roll down the ramps is meant to be Samantha.
2. Challenge children to build one ramp that is so flat the ball barely moves on it. Challenge them to build a second one that is very, very steep.

Have each child demonstrate his or her steep and gentle ramps.