Investigation – Force & Motion: Exploring Ramps

Investigation – Force & Motion: Exploring Ramps

STEM

Science

Cross-cutting Concepts

Cause and Effect

Levels of Thinking

Expanding

Resources are categorized by whether they target foundational levels of thinking or levels of thinking that extend past foundational levels (expanding).

Suggested AdaptationS

Check out our guide to adaptations. Adapt for environment, materials, instruction.

General Guide to Adaptations

Description

Children build ramps and release and push different objects down the ramps. Encourage exploration and prediction about what happens with the different objects.

Interactive Lesson

Environment

Set up ramps at a table if that is more accessible than the floor.

Materials

  • Include objects children are already playing with to increase engagement.
  • Create choice boards showing rolling vs sliding so that children can point to and describe types of movement.

Instruction

Focus on having children experiment with placing objects down a pre-built ramp and narrate what happens. Gradually move towards having them build their own ramps.

STEM Ideas/Words

STEMIE Learning Trajectories