Ramps and Pathways

As an early childhood educator for the past 30 years, I have seen many different types of curriculums in Pre-K come and go. Many of which include hands-on-learning experiences. I am intrigued by a curriculum that has been around for quite some time. Yet, as a coach of Pre-K teachers I have never seen it implemented in any of the early childhood classrooms that I have observed in. Why is this curriculum such a secret?

Did you know that Ramps and Pathways (R&P) supports STEM education? STEM stands for (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). This curriculum engages young learners by identifying and stimulating their interest. They activate their prior knowledge and experiences while capitalizing their natural curiosity. 

Children learn about cause-and-effect. If a child's goal is to knock down a block at the end of an incline plane with a marble, they will need to figure out how to make this happen. Which then, addresses energy and matter. Heavier marbles have more kinetic energy. Children can also learn about systems. If they have a small piece of cove molding and need a longer piece of cove molding, they can combine two sections together. 

Supportive Environment for Ramps and Pathways:

Physical Environment: materials and space

Intellectual Environment: time for children to explore materials

Social Environment: communication and collaboration

Materials Needed:

Unit Blocks

Cove Molding

Marbles

Have you heard of the new education movement of STR²EAM?  STR²EAM stands for (Science, Technology, Reading, Religion, Engineering, Art, Mathematics). How can we address reading in the Ramps and Pathways curriculum? Children will be more inclined to build in the Ramps and Pathways center if you read books that include pictures of bridges. This will allow children to work and build on prior knowledge. To incorporate religion, we want to teach our children to work together in collaboration and show empathy to their fellow classmates. When children become frustrated when their incline plane structure does not work out like they anticipated their friends can help them through it by being obviously available and encouraging each other to persevere. Including art in the R&P experience is as simple as allowing children to draw a blueprint of their structure before they begin. Making these simple changes allows all STR²EAM concepts to be covered. 

STR2EAM Lesson Extensions:

Science: The inclined plane is a flat surface that is tilted to create a sloped surface. An incline plane is considered a simple machine. Demonstrate and illustrate an inclined plane by sharing with your students an illustration or two of an inclined plane. 

Technology: How It's Made-Marbles

Reading: How Toys Work Ramps and Wedges by Sian Smith

This story focuses on ramps and wedges and how these mechanisms work. This book uses real-life pictures that students can easily relate to. I rate this book with a 5-star rating. It's a must have for the block center for those teachers who create an environment for ramps and pathway exploration. 

Religion: (Tools)

His troops advance together; they construct a ramp against me and camp around my tent. (Job 19:12) Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/words/Ramp 

Engineering: (lakeshorelearning.com) Item # FF253

Ramp up your block play experience and allow all your students the ability to engineer with these Ramps and Balls exploration set sold through Lakeshore. This set comes with varying sizes of cove molding and wooden style balls. Great starter set for first time R&P users. 

Art: Draw a picture or take a photograph of your Ramps and Pathways (R&P) structure. 

Mathematics: Measuring your R&P with non-standard units of measurement. I love this poster it shows items that can be used to measure in a form of non-standard units. This is a pictorial representation for students to use and model within the early childhood classroom. I rate this poster with a 5-star rating. 

To learn more about Ramps and Pathways check out these articles:

http://www.csun.edu/~sb4310/STEM/Ramps%20and%20Pathways%20-%20Laura%20Josephson.pdf

https://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/blog/2014/november/physics-in-preschool