Unit Plan 5 (Grade K Science): Ramps & Rolling

Focus: Experiment with ramps to investigate how changing height and steepness affects how far and how fast objects roll.

Grade Level: K

Subject Area: Science (Physical Science • Engineering Habits • Inquiry/Skills)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

Students explore motion using ramps and rolling objects (cars, balls, cylinders). They plan and conduct simple investigations to compare how different ramp heights and directions change an object’s motion. Across the week, students practice fair comparisons by changing one thing at a time (height or surface) and recording observations with pictures, tallies, and simple measurements. The unit ends with a “Ramp Museum” share where students explain what they tested and what they found.

Essential Questions

• How do pushes/pulls and ramps help objects start moving?
• How does changing a ramp’s height or steepness change how an object rolls?
• How can we make a fair test so we know what caused the change in motion?
• What can our observations tell us about patterns in how things move?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Use ramps to test how different strengths or directions of pushes change an object’s motion (K-PS2-1).
2. Compare what happens when a ramp is higher/lower or steeper/less steep and describe differences in speed or distance (K-PS2-1).
3. Make and record observations using drawings, tallies, and simple measurements (e.g., “how many blocks,” “how many footsteps”).
4. Plan a simple fair test by changing only one part of the ramp setup and keeping other parts the same.
5. Create a Ramp Test Poster (picture + sentence) explaining what was tested and what happened.

Standards Alignment — Grade K (NGSS-Aligned)

• K-PS2-1 — Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.
  • Example: Compare rolling results when the ramp is higher vs. lower (a different “strength” of push from gravity) and when the object rolls straight vs. off to the side (direction).

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can use a ramp to roll an object and watch what happens.
• I can change the ramp higher or lower and compare the motion.
• I can keep my test fair by changing only one thing.
• I can show what I noticed using a picture, tallies, or simple measuring.
• I can tell what I tested and what happened using science words like ramp, push, and roll.