Ramps and

Engineering
Megan Grable
ECED 304
What interesting discoveries did you make investigating
ramps as an adult learner?

I learned that many items can be constructed into ramps and tunnels,
however they need good support to go down the path correctly. I found
that with the marbles in the sturdy tubes the path the marbles went
down was straight and had no issues staying on, however when I tried
to make a ramp with cardboard, I struggled to get the cars, balls and
marbles to stay on the path I created without holding parts in place
with my hands or other items. This is important for me to understand
as the article Ramps and Pathways say, “by investing time in
exploring the materials, teachers ee the possibilities and be better
prepared to facilitate children’s work with the ramps.” (Zan and
Geikan, 2010) To support the children’s learning I need have an
understanding of how the materials work together.
Describe how you engaged in the 5 step engineering
process?

1. Ask-I wondered what objects I would need to create ramps. What location would be
best to create. What materials did I already have and what i would need
2. Imagine-I visualized cardboard ramps that I could attach to the tall chair that the cars
and ball would go down.
3. Plan-I decided to use both cardboard both flat and tubes as well as various tubes i
had around the house as well as a tall chair.
4. Create-I first stapled and taped the cardboard together to create a flat ramp. I
practiced having the car and balls go down this ramp. Then I placed varying tubes
together and explored the marbles going down. I found that the circumference of the
tubes was too small for the cars and the larger balls to go down.
5. Improve- I learned that the cardboard was not as sturdy as I needed it to be and to
improve upon it I needed to add extra supports such as smaller chairs to back it for
the cars and marble to go down.
Thinking of spatial relations, what specifically did you notice
in terms of spatial relations language. What spatial relations
vocabulary would you use.

Having conversations regarding where the material whether they be balls or

cars, where the start and where they stop. How the marble enters the ramp at
the top of the run, but it travels down to the bottom. How the marbles are inside
the tube and the car is top of the ramp. I used movement words, location and
position words, and distance words. (LHS ELMS, 2017) When I placed several
marbles in the tubes at once, they were close together, and when I did the cars
I let them go down farther apart. Using the cardboard ramp, I made the ramp
steeper. This connects with Mathematical foundation Mathematics: Geometry-
Spatial awareness, 2.0 “Children expand their understanding of positions in
space
How would you introduce or promote a ramp building exploration with
young children? What are some considerations and constraints? What
are the opportunities for supporting other developmental domains such
as language and literacy, visual and performing arts, social/emotional
development?
The first things that must be done is to have materials ready for the children for
construction. Blocks, cars, balls, and tubes ready for the children to use. Moeling how to
build it and then allowing the children to construct their own. In the article Physical science
in constructivist Early Childhood Classrooms, they talk of the importance of exploration,
“The child’s natural interest in exploring and design the experimentation to be open ended
and collaborative.” (Kato and Van Meeteren, 2008) The constraints would be access to the
right materials, space and time. (Zan and Geikan, 2010)
With making ramps, it is often a group activity, one domain that is used is in Social
Emotional Development-Interaction with Peers, particularly 3.1 Group Participation
“Children participate in group activities with the ability to anticipate familiar routines and
contribute to shared projects more competently as group members.” (CDE, 2008)
What are some extension ideas you have about this activity?
How would you expand it both within the domains of science
and math, and into other domains?

One idea for extension would be to take children on a field trip to a place that has many
ramps or tunnels on a larger scale. Taking them to a skate park or a pump track where
on a larger scale, velocity and trajectory can be demonstrated. Watching a video of a
snowboarder in a half pipe, showing how the science of these ideas connects with the
real world. This aligns with the Science Foundation; Scientific Inquiry, “1.6 Demonstrate
an increased ability to make inferences and form generalizations based on evidence.”
(CDE, 2012) By connecting the real world implications of ramps and engineering to
what the children are doing in the classroom, the concepts will be more meaningful.
 Works Cited
● CDE (2005). California preschool learning foundations (vol. 1) - Social Emotional: Social Interaction - pp. 11-15
● CDE (2005). California preschool learning foundations (vol. 1) - Mathematics: Geometry - pp. 157-158
● CDE (2010). California preschool curriculum framework (vol. 1). Mathematics: Geometry- pp. 281 -289
● CDE (2013). California preschool learning foundations (vol. 3) - Science: Scientific Inquiry - pp. 61-66, Physical Science -
p. 69072
● CDE (2013). California preschool curriculum framework (vol. 3). Science: Scientific Inquiry pp. 153-165 and Physical
Science - pp. 186-195
● Kato, T., & Van Meeteren, B. (2008). Teaching Strategies: Physical Science in Constructivist Early Childhood
Classrooms. Childhood Education, 84(4), 234. Retrieved from EBSCO
● LHS ELMS (2017). Exemplar - Ball Runs
● Zan, B., & Geiken, R. (2010). Ramps and Pathways: Developmentally Appropriate, Intellectually Rigorous, and Fun
Physical Science. YC Young Children, 65(1), 12-17. Retrieved from Leatherby Library