Objective

By the end of this lesson, Wyatt will understand how ramps work and how to create his own ramps for cars and trucks to drive down. He will learn about angles, gravity, and the fun of experimenting with different ramp designs!

Materials and Prep

• Books or magazines for inspiration
• Paper and crayons for drawing ramp designs
• Small toy cars and trucks
• Flat surfaces like tables or the floor for testing ramps
• Measuring tape or ruler (optional)

Before starting, make sure to clear a safe space for Wyatt to build and test his ramps. Gather all the materials and encourage him to think about what makes a good ramp!

Activities

• Ramp Design Drawing: Wyatt will start by drawing different ramp designs on paper. He can think about how steep he wants the ramp to be and what shape it should have. Encourage him to be creative!

• Build a Ramp: Using books or other materials available at home, Wyatt can build his first ramp. Help him stack books or create a slope with whatever he has. Make sure to test the ramp's stability before using it!

• Test Drive: Wyatt will take his toy cars and trucks to see how well they go down the ramp. He can measure how far they roll after going down and see which ramp works best!

• Ramp Challenge: Create a challenge where Wyatt can adjust the ramp's height or angle to see how it affects the speed of the toy cars. This will help him understand the concept of gravity and angles!

Talking Points

• "What do you think happens when we make the ramp steeper?"
• "Why do you think the car goes faster on a higher ramp?"
• "Can you guess how far your car will roll after it goes down the ramp?"
• "What shape do you think will make the best ramp?"
• "Let’s measure how far each car goes and see which ramp is the best!"
• "Why do you think ramps are used in real life? Can you think of places where you see ramps?"