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🏎️ Week 10: Ramp Races

Lesson Overview
Grade Level Grades 1-2
Duration 30 minutes
Curriculum Year B
STREAM Focus S (Science), E (Engineering), M (Math)

Week 10: Ramp Races

🎯 Learning Objectives

STEM Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Understand that gravity pulls objects down 2. Observe how ramp height affects speed 3. Conduct simple experiments with controlled variables 4. Measure and compare distances

Faith Integration Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Appreciate the order and predictability of God's laws 2. Understand that science discovers God's design 3. See how physical laws reflect God's faithfulness

Week 10: Ramp Races

🙏 Faith-Reason Integration

Catholic Teaching Connection

Natural Law — God created physical laws like gravity that are consistent and reliable. Scientists discover these laws that God put in place. The predictability of nature reflects God's faithful character.

Scripture Connection

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." — Ecclesiastes 3:11

Saint Connection

St. Albert the Great — A scientist and teacher who studied nature to understand God's creation. He believed that observing the world reveals God's wisdom.

📚 Materials Needed

  • Ramp materials (boards, cardboard)

  • Books for ramp height adjustment

  • Various small vehicles (cars, balls)

  • Measuring tape or string

  • Recording sheets

  • Tape for starting line

📝 Lesson Procedure (30 minutes)

Opening Prayer (2 min)

"Dear God, You created laws that make our world work. Thank You for gravity that keeps us on the ground and makes things predictable. Help us discover Your amazing design today. Amen."

Introduction: What is Gravity? (5 min)

Demonstrate gravity:

  • Drop an object — "What happened?"

  • "Gravity PULLS things DOWN toward Earth"

  • "It happens EVERY time — that's a LAW!"

God's laws:

  • "God created the law of gravity"

  • "It works the same way every time"

  • "That's how we know God is faithful and consistent!"

Today's question:

  • "What happens when we roll things down ramps?"

  • "Does the ramp height matter?"

Experiment Setup (5 min)

Scientific method: 1. Question: Does ramp height affect how far a car rolls? 2. Hypothesis: "I think _________ will happen."

Fair test rules:

  • Same car for all tests

  • Same starting point

  • Let go (don't push!)

  • Measure from ramp end to where car stops

Record predictions:

  • Low ramp: How far will it go?

  • High ramp: How far will it go?

Experimentation (13 min)

Test 1: Low ramp (2 books)

  • Set up ramp

  • Place car at top

  • Let go (don't push!)

  • Measure distance

  • Record results

  • Repeat 3 times

Test 2: High ramp (4 books)

  • Same procedure

  • Record results

  • Compare to low ramp

Optional Test 3: Different surfaces

  • Same ramp, different landing surface

  • How does that affect distance?

Discussion questions:

  • "What happened?"

  • "Why do you think that happened?"

  • "Was your hypothesis right?"

Results & Reflection (3 min)

Share findings:

  • Higher ramp = faster car = farther distance

  • Gravity pulls harder from higher up

  • More speed means more distance

Why does this matter?

  • "Engineers use this knowledge!"

  • "Playground slides, water slides, roller coasters"

  • "Understanding gravity helps us build things"

Closing (2 min)

St. Albert connection:

  • "He studied nature to learn about God"

  • "We did the same thing today!"

  • "When we discover how things work, we discover God's design"

Closing Prayer: "Thank You, God, for creating a world we can understand. Thank You for gravity and all Your faithful laws. Help us keep discovering the amazing way You made everything work. Amen."

📎 Home Connection

"We experimented with ramps and gravity! Ask your child: 'What is gravity?' 'What happened with the high ramp vs. low ramp?' 'Why?' We learned that God's physical laws are consistent and discoverable. Try making ramps at home with cardboard and books. Test different heights and surfaces!"

✅ Assessment

  • Explained gravity as a pulling force

  • Made and tested predictions

  • Compared results from different ramp heights

  • Connected physical laws to God's design

Lesson Version: 1.0 — Year B | **