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The ball is a universal toy that delights children of all ages.
Children come to school having played with balls of many different
kinds and in many different ways. They bang a great deal of familiarity
with balls and intuitive knowledge of how balls roll and bounce; how
easy they are to throw and to catch; which are better for certain
games and which are worse. This module builds on that experience by
asking the children to extend their explorations of balls, how they
roll and bounce, and what they do on ramps.
Two connecting themes run throughout the module:
- The properties and characteristics of balls. Children observe,
use, and compare different balls. They make balls and in so doing
learn about mateAals, size, and weight. They use balls as they bounce
and roll them and experiment with them on ramps.
- The things that affect the way balls behave. Included here are
the properties and characteristics of balls, mentioned above. In
addition, children explore how balls are affected by gravity,
inertia, momentum and friction.
The children begin by focusing their attention on the differences
between large balls and small ones, light ones and heavy ones.
They roll them, throw them, bounce them, and blow them with straws,
recording their experiences as they work. Three learning experiences
cover bounciness, asking children what characteristics make certain
balls bounce the best. Using a simple graph, children record data,
compare results, and predict new outcomes.
The first section of the module (Learning Experiences 1-9) ends
with two learning experiences in which children make their own balls,
using their experiences to think about some of the characteristics
and properties of the balls they want to create and what materials
might serve them well.
The second section of the module introduces ramps and tubes,
allowing children to build roadways and to explore the different
behaviors of the balls as they roll down inclines, through tunnels,
up hills, and around bends. Children also focus specifically on some
of the relationships between ball size and weight and movement on a
ramp, as well as the relationship between ramp steepness and the
acceleration of the ball.
Although kindergarten and first-grade children of this age are too
young to study formally the underlying concepts of physics, the
experiences are ones they will build on in and out of school as they
get older. The module also provides an opportunity for children
to use a variety of science thinking and process skills. They are
continuously engaged in exploration, discovery, and problem solving.
As they explore, they observe closely. Rich, descriptive language is
encouraged as the children work in groups to share experiences and
perceptions, and clarify ideas. They organize and share their
observations, discoveAes, and ideas through discussion, pictures,
charts, and graphs. In simple ways, they predict and experiment,
draw initial conclusions, connect ideas, and apply their knowledge.
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