• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

PreKinders

Ideas for Pre-K & Preschool Teachers

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use
  • Help
    • Printing Help
  • Shop
  • Learning Areas
    • Literacy
    • Math
    • Science
    • Art
    • Music
    • Fine Motor
    • Christian Activities
  • Themes
  • Teaching Ideas
    • Centers
    • Teaching Tips
    • Assessment
    • Back to School
    • End of Year
  • Printables
    • Literacy Printables
    • Math Printables
    • Science Printables
    • Music Printables
    • Visual Discrimination Printables
    • Classroom Management Printables

Exploring Science in Pre-K with Ramps

By Karen Cox | Affiliate Disclosure

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Pre-K kids love exploring with ramps! I’ve posted other science activities here before involving ramps. We’ve explored ramps in our science center and we’ve experimented with ramps in small group, which you can find on the Transportation Theme page.

Explore Science with Ramps

Last week, I set up this ramp experiment as an independent small group activity. In my classroom, the class is divided into four small groups; two groups work with a teacher and two groups work independently.

Exploring Ramps

I set up the table with one of the triangle-shaped large hollow blocks from the Block Center to use as a ramp. In a tray, I put several objects for the children to test on the ramp: some that would go down the ramp and some that would not. I just collected some random objects from around the classroom, but this is what I had:

  • dinosaur
  • bear counter
  • seashell
  • wooden cube
  • rock
  • metal nut
  • rectangle block
  • round block
  • truck
  • train
  • marker cap (two different shapes of caps)
  • plastic bingo chip
  • plastic Easter egg
  • marble
  • lid from a glitter jar

Exploring Ramps

It was interesting that some groups of children said the lid would not roll down because they laid it flat on the ramp, while other groups discovered how to roll it down. Then, one group of children even forced some objects down the ramp by hitting the table with their fists and moving them with the vibration (not really what you’d call “rolling”, but pretty smart problem-solving none-the-less).

Each child had a recording sheet to draw the objects that rolled down the ramp and the objects that didn’t. Yes, I always have kids who balk when asked to draw. I just shrug my shoulders and say “do the best you can”. Also, I told them they only had to draw one thing on each side of the paper, but every child really got so involved in the activity that they drew more than I asked (to the best of their ability). When you do this activity, be sure to include some simple-to-draw objects, for example, the rock, marble, egg, block, etc. (By the way, I folded the recording sheet in half, so there was a line (crease) divided the two sides.)

Download: Ramp Recording Sheet

Exploring Ramps Exploring Ramps Exploring Ramps Exploring Ramps

Welcome!
Would you like to join my FREE weekly update newsletter? Join 85,000+ subscribers!
We collect, use, and process your data according to our Privacy Policy.
Don't worry - we never sell or share email addresses!

26 Comments

About Karen Cox

Karen is the founder of PreKinders.com. She also works as a full-time Pre-K teacher in Georgia. Read more...

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathy says

    February 26, 2013 at 10:02 pm

    Such a simple experiment…not too much prep…I love these! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 26, 2013 at 10:11 pm

      Thanks, Kathy!

      Reply
  2. Maria says

    February 26, 2013 at 10:27 pm

    thank your i found this activity very helpful!!

    Reply
  3. Pamela says

    February 26, 2013 at 10:48 pm

    How exciting for my little ones. Thank you so much.

    Reply
  4. Claudia says

    February 26, 2013 at 11:19 pm

    Hi!
    I just want to tell you i’ m very happy with
    This activity,i will go to do this.
    I’m from Chile and my english maybe
    Is not good, but i hope you understend me
    Thanks for beautiful ideas
    Claudia

    Reply
  5. Malachi Bazor says

    February 27, 2013 at 4:26 am

    Hello,
    Last week,we had Science Fair at school Calder Elem. We at home had fun trying and seeing the joy and light in Malachi’s eyes was wonderful. He explored some of your ideas which were awesome !Thank You !Well he decided on Rainbow bubbles. He won 1st place Ribbon and a t-shirt .He was so happy and myself ,excited for Malachi. Learning, is fun he said. Again , thanks for making it detailed,simple, as well fun. Sincerly,
    Mrs.Bazor

    Reply
  6. Elite says

    February 27, 2013 at 5:21 am

    I loved this one…its so simple and interesting…i am sure my children would love this…

    Reply
  7. Amanda says

    February 27, 2013 at 6:46 am

    Great simple idea! Thanks!

    Reply
  8. S.M.Sajid says

    February 27, 2013 at 7:39 am

    very nice experiment I’m thankful for posting it to me

    Reply
  9. Diane Caruana says

    February 27, 2013 at 10:12 am

    So simple and yet so interesting and effective. At the moment learning to identify 3-D shapes, so it will be interesting for them to experiment what can roll and what can slide. Many thanks and well done!

    Reply
  10. Mary says

    February 27, 2013 at 10:39 am

    Awesome center!

    Reply
  11. Ms Tonya says

    February 27, 2013 at 1:47 pm

    Great! Would you reccomend this activity for 3 year olds? Seems engaging…

    Reply
  12. Miss Lynn says

    February 27, 2013 at 3:08 pm

    Cannot wait to try this with my preschoolers! Thanks so much!

    Reply
  13. Maricleide says

    February 27, 2013 at 7:02 pm

    Karen Boa Noite!

    Obrigada pelo seu carinho e dedicação ao pequenos,
    moro no Brasil e estou adorando conhecer novas culturas
    e o seu material e fantástico.

    Beijos e parabéns
    Maricleide

    Reply
  14. naima says

    February 27, 2013 at 9:35 pm

    That is good idea. Thank you Karen. I will try to do it with my students as soon as possible.

    Reply
  15. Veronica says

    February 28, 2013 at 2:42 pm

    Thanks a million,I love this

    Reply
  16. Veronica says

    February 28, 2013 at 2:45 pm

    Thanks a million,I love this.certain to use this with kids

    Reply
  17. Valrie says

    February 28, 2013 at 9:24 pm

    Very interesting activity

    Reply
  18. Ginny says

    March 1, 2013 at 7:59 pm

    Great center for learning!

    Reply
  19. Julie says

    August 12, 2013 at 4:17 pm

    This is wonderful, Karen! I will definitely use it in class. Many thanks, Julie!

    Reply
  20. Sharon D. White says

    August 6, 2014 at 9:43 am

    Karen, I love all of your ideas. I am glad you posted your science lessons because that is an area that is quite difficult for me sometimes. Thanks for all of this GREAT information!

    Reply
  21. rajeshri says

    November 28, 2014 at 9:52 pm

    Thanks Dear. Awesome engaging activities and lul scientists will have a blast .

    Reply
  22. Angelica R-Dickerson says

    December 30, 2014 at 10:25 am

    I work with pres-school age. This will use this on my lesson plan, be a very interesting opportunity for the children get challenge with this activity, and demonstrate the the logical of thinking.
    Thank you

    Reply
  23. Rita A says

    April 9, 2015 at 10:29 pm

    This is awesome!!! Thank you SO much, just what I needed for small groups.

    Reply
  24. Alicia P. says

    November 20, 2015 at 3:39 pm

    Wonderful ideas!!! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  25. Vikki says

    February 5, 2016 at 8:41 pm

    Fantastic idea. Some children in my 4 yo kinder group have been building vehicles with a construction set and have enjoyed using the slide in our playground as a ramp to drive them down – I wanted to find some experiences that can extend this interest into some further learning and inquiry and this one definitely fits the bill – thank you for sharing 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Visit My Shop!

Welcome!

Glad you're here! You'll find hands-on learning activities, themes, and printables for Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten kids. I'm Karen Cox, a Pre-K teacher in Georgia. I have taught 4-5 year olds for 20+ years! Read More…

Get Free Updates!

Before Footer

WE BELIEVE IN HANDS-ON, ACTIVE, & PLAYFUL LEARNING TO INSPIRE YOUNG MINDS

Serving Pre-K teachers, parents, & kids worldwide since 2000

Get Our Free Weekly Newsletter

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Contact
  • Free Updates
  • Terms of Use
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · PreKinders.com

Welcome!
Would you like free weekly email updates?
Join 85,000+ subscribers!
We collect, use, and process your data according to our Privacy Policy.
Don't worry - we never sell or share email addresses!
Welcome!
Would you like to join my FREE weekly update newsletter? Join 85,000+ subscribers!
We collect, use, and process your data according to our Privacy Policy.
Don't worry - we never sell or share email addresses!