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About
Ramps and Pathways
Short Description:
An early STEM approach where children explore force, motion, gravity, and design using ramps, balls, and loose parts.
About
Ramps and Pathways is an inquiry-based learning experience that gives children hands-on access to foundational physics and engineering concepts. By experimenting with inclined planes, balls, and blocks, children learn through trial and error about speed, force, trajectory, and cause and effect.
This approach was developed through research and classroom practice at the University of Northern Iowa. It combines open-ended play with deep conceptual learning, allowing children to construct knowledge in ways that are meaningful and embodied.
It also supports collaboration, observation, and persistence. There’s no one right answer—just a process of asking “What if…?”
How It Shows Up in Practice
You’ll see it in:
- Long wooden boards, tubes, and balls used on the floor.
- Children creating elaborate pathways or testing designs together.
- Teachers documenting discoveries and posing questions.
- Integration of physics and math vocabulary in natural ways.
References
- Chalufour, I., & Worth, K. (2005). Building Structures with Young Children
- Moomaw, S. & Davis, J. (2010). Ramps and Pathways: A Constructivist Approach to Physics
- UNI Regents' Center. Ramps & Pathways Project
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