Ramps Inquiry
Learning Goals: STEM, Inquiry, Design, Mutually-Directed Play, Spatial Sense, Properties, Force, Push/Pull
- If the students enjoy blocks and cars during free play, extend their play by introducing the concept of ramps.
- Provide students with blocks, 3D shapes, and toys cars for them to create and test their ramps.
- Offer opportunities for students to incorporate academic expectations into their play by facilitating a knowledge building circle and by modeling the scientific method:
- Knowledge Building Circle: Invite the students to contribute their theory and hypothesis to the inquiry question: “Which 3D shapes would roll down the ramp the fastest?” during a class discussion.
- Scientific Method: Introduce students to the scientific method by suggesting they test different 3D shapes to see which rolls down the ramp fastest. Have students share their observations.
- Blocks
- 3D shapes
- Toy cars
- Books on ramps and shapes
- The educator observed the children’s free play then joined the play to guide it towards a specific goal (i.e. to build a ramp). Through open-ended questioning, the educator facilitated the creation of various sized ramps and tested the effects of the ramps on different objects.
