Unit Plan 5 (PreK Science): Rolling & Sliding
PreK science unit where children explore how shape affects motion by comparing rolling balls and sliding blocks on ramps and surfaces to observe speed and distance.
Focus: Investigate how shape affects motion by exploring how balls roll and how blocks slide, using ramps and different surfaces to compare speed and distance.
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Science (Physical Science • Inquiry/Play-Based Exploration)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 20–30 minutes per session (use two short blocks if needed)
I. Introduction
Children explore rolling and sliding through play-based investigations with ramps, tracks, and classroom objects. They notice that some shapes (like spheres) roll easily, while other shapes (like cubes) tend to slide or stop sooner. Across the week, children test motion on smooth and rough surfaces, make simple predictions, and use drawings and talk to share what they discovered.
Essential Questions
- What happens when we push different shapes—do they roll or slide?
- How does a ramp change how fast or far something moves?
- How do smooth and rough surfaces change motion?
- How can we describe motion using words like fast/slow and far/near?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Children will be able to:
- Explore and describe how pushes and pulls start motion in play (PK-PS2-1).
- Observe and sort objects by how they move: roll, slide, or do both.
- Compare motion on ramps by changing height (low/medium/high) and noticing changes in speed and distance.
- Compare motion on different surfaces (smooth vs. rough) and describe what they notice.
- Create a simple drawing/model and explain: “This one rolls because ___” or “This one slides because ___.”
Standards Alignment — PreK (NGSS-based custom)
- PK-PS2-1 — Explore how pushes and pulls make things move.
- Example: Children test objects on ramps and notice, “The ball rolls,” and “The block slides.”
Success Criteria — Child-Friendly “I Can” Statements
- I can try a push and watch what happens.
- I can say if something rolls or slides.
- I can tell if something went far or near, fast or slow.
- I can compare a smooth surface and a rough surface.
- I can draw what I tested and tell what I noticed.