Materials
Variety of balls: football, tennis ball, soccer ball, hockey puck, golf ball, Ping-Pong ball, etc. Board to use as a ramp
Blocks
Paper (one per child) showing sketch of each ball to be used
Pencils
Instructions
Note: With younger children, use only three balls at a time. Be sure to discuss appropriate use of the balls in this activity.
1. Show children the ramp and the balls. Ask them if they think that balls of different sizes, shapes and weights will roll the same distance when released at the top of the ramp. Write down their predictions.
2. Give each child a piece of paper showing the different balls to be used.
3. Have the children roll one ball at a time and place a block or other marker at the point where the ball stopped.
4. On their paper, children should write a number next to the picture of the ball. The ball that went the farthest should be given the number one, etc.
5. When the children are finished, compare their findings with their predictions. More to doMath: Measure the distance each ball went and make a class graph showing this information.
