Explore and Play: Design an Amusement Park

Materials

• paper and markers
• photos and drawings from the different ramp activities

Key Science Concepts

• An object placed on a ramp will roll, slide, or stay put.
• A rolling object will move faster down a steeper incline and slower down a less steep incline.

Directions

Tell children that this afternoon you’re going to build an amusement park with ramp rides and ramp games.  Everyone will build something and then you’ll all play with them together. But first, you’ll plan what you want to build. 

1. Review the different activities and games you’ve done over the last three weeks, showing children photos and drawings from them. Ask them each (or in pairs) to decide on a ride or a game that would be fun to have in an amusement park.  They can choose one they’ve already built or invent a new one.
2. Pass out paper and have them draw a design of what they’d like to build. Some ideas for the amusement park might include:
   • a ramp race
   • a bowling game
   • ramps with funny or strange surfaces
   • ramps with lots of obstacles
   • ramps with tunnels or turns
   • a roller coaster
   • ramps with zigzags
   • ramps with jumps
   • the Up and Down game
   • a long ramp that uses a flat ramp, a cardboard tube, and a flexible tube
   • a game or ride of their own invention

3. Go around the circle and ask each child to describe the ride or game they are planning on building. Have them also describe what materials they’ll need.