Core Skills Analysis
Science
The student built a double slide from Magna-Tiles and tested toy figurines to compare how quickly they moved downward. The activity introduced a simple investigation involving motion, gravity, friction, and the effect of using two slide paths. The student learned by observing outcomes and comparing the figurines rather than simply playing with the materials. This hands-on test also encouraged prediction, evidence gathering, and noticing whether the results were consistent.
Engineering and Design
The student designed and constructed a double slide, making a physical model that could be used for testing. Building with Magna-Tiles required planning a structure that was stable enough for figurines to travel down safely. The student learned that designs can be created, tested, and adjusted when an experiment does not work as expected. This supported early engineering habits such as problem-solving, construction, and improvement.
Math
The student compared the figurines’ travel speeds as they went down the two slides. This created an opportunity to use sequencing words such as first, next, faster, slower, and at the same time. The student could also have practiced counting or timing each trial and organizing the results into a simple comparison chart. These experiences supported early measurement, data collection, and fair comparison.
Language Arts
The student communicated an investigation question: which toy figurine would go down faster. The activity supported speaking and listening as the student described predictions, observations, and results. The student could also develop vocabulary connected to the experience, including slide, race, speed, test, predict, and result. Explaining what happened encouraged the student to organize ideas in a clear beginning-to-end sequence.
Tips
Tips: Turn the activity into a mini science investigation by having the student predict which figurine will win, run several trials, and record the results with tally marks or a simple picture graph. Change one feature at a time—such as the slide height, steepness, or surface—and discuss how that change affected the motion. Invite the student to redesign the slide so both sides are as similar as possible, then explain why a fair test matters. Finish with a short drawing or sentence describing what happened and what the student would test next.
Book Recommendations
- Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty: A lively story about designing, building, testing, and improving inventions.
- The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires: A relatable story about creating, revising, and persevering through design challenges.
- What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada: An encouraging book about developing ideas and bringing them into the world.
Try This Next
- Create a results chart with columns for figurine, predicted winner, actual winner, and trial number.
- Draw the double slide and label where gravity and friction may affect the figurines.
- Write or discuss: “I predicted ___ because ___. I observed ___, so I think ___.”
- Test whether changing the slide’s height or steepness changes the winner.