Materials Needed:

• Anything that could be used as a ramp: cookie sheet, cardboard box, cutting board, shelf, piece of wood, etc.
• Books or blocks to prop up the ramp (a step ladder works well too)
• Anything that can roll or slide down the ramp

Participants: This activity is intended for adult/child interaction (or adult assistance for set up followed by independent play).

Directions:

A ramp is an incline plane, or a simple machine with a flat surface that has one end higher than the other.

1. Set up your ramp.
2. Experiment with different heights, lengths, and widths of ramps.
3. Experiment with different objects to roll or slide down the ramp.

Questions for experimenting:

• Do some things go faster or slower than others?
• What happens if you raise the height?
• What happens if you lower the height?
• What else have you noticed?