Learning Log: Ramps and Marbles Project

My colleagues and I decided that our students needed to participate in investigations involving force and motion so we applied for and received a grant to purchase materials. Our goals for this project were for students to develop inquiry skills and provide opportunities for curriculum integration.

This project is based on the study of Dr. Constance Kamii and Rita DeVries and research done by the Freeburg Early Childhood Program. We read their research and watched videos of children exploring the concept of force and motion by working with ramps and other materials. We have engaged in ongoing conversations about this year long project.

These are the objectives we included in our grant proposal:

Students will obtain physical knowledge from observing the reaction of an object and then acting on it.

Students will do this by:

·         Making an incline with a support
·         Making a marble follow a steep path
·         Aiming at a target
·         Connecting ramps
·         Making a marble go up and down peaks and valleys
·         Using objects varying in size, shape, and weight
·         Making a marble turn a corner on the ramp
·         Making comparisons with other students’ ramps and revising own ramp

Teachers will provide opportunities for curricular integration by:

·         Providing opportunities for math experiences such as counting, comparing, predicting, positioning, and measurement
·         Providing literacy opportunities such as using photos of ramps for writing prompts
·         Providing opportunities for students to use structures in art projects
·         Providing opportunities for students to see how ramps/inclines are used in real world applications