Log inSign up
KINDERGARTEN SCIENCE (NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS) • MOTION AND STABILITY: FORCES AND INTERACTIONS

Test a tool or design that changes how an object moves.

We can build and test things that push, pull, or roll objects in new ways!

SECTION 1

People Have Always Built Things to Move Stuff!

People have always wanted to move things. Long ago, they made tools — that means things we build to help us do a job.

Let's see how people made tools to move things over time!

Long Ago
Ramps and Logs
People used ramps and rolling logs to move heavy rocks. The ramp helped big stones slide up!
Later
The Wheel
Someone made a round wheel! It let heavy things roll instead of drag. Rolling is much easier!
Even Later
Carts and Wagons
People put wheels on carts to carry food and animals. Wheels changed how things moved!
Today
New Designs
We still build and test new tools. We make slides, ramps, and toys that move in cool ways!

Here is the big question: How can we build something that changes how an object moves? Let's find out together!

SECTION 2

Big Ideas About Tools and Movement

Let's learn some big ideas. A push moves something away from you. A pull brings something toward you.

A design — that means a plan for something you build — can change how an object moves!

1

Pushes and Pulls

A push sends a thing away. A pull brings it close. Both are forces!
2

Tools Help Us

A tool is something we use to do a job. A ramp is a tool. A fan is a tool.
3

Testing Is Important

We try our tool. We watch what happens. Then we can make it even better!
4

Speed and Direction

Tools can make things go faster, slower, or go a different way!
✦ KEY TAKEAWAY
Think of a slide on the playground. The slide is a tool that changes how you move. Without the slide, you just jump down. With the slide, you slide fast and smooth! The design of the slide changes your movement!
SECTION 3

Look at Our Ramp!

Here is our anchoring phenomenon — that means the cool thing we will study. Look! A ball rolls on a flat table. It goes slow and stops. But when we add a ramp, the ball rolls fast!

On the left, the ball just sits on a flat table. On the right, the ramp makes the ball roll fast! The ramp is a tool that changes how the ball moves.

Did you see the difference? The ramp is our design. It changed how the ball moved. It made the ball go faster!

SECTION 4

How Does It Work?

When you build a tool, you change the force on an object. A force — that means a push or a pull.

A ramp uses gravity. Gravity pulls things down. The ramp guides the ball as gravity pulls it!

A big ramp makes the ball go fast. A small ramp makes it go slower. The design of the tool matters!

🧪 Think Like a Scientist! 🔬
Scientists and engineers ask questions and test ideas. You can ask: Will a taller ramp make the ball go faster? Then test it and see!
The tall ramp makes the ball go fast and far. The short ramp makes the ball go slow and not very far. Changing the design changes the movement!
SECTION 5

Different Tools Change Movement in Different Ways

There are many tools that change how things move. Let's look at some!

Some tools and designs that change how objects move
ToolWhat It DoesHow It Changes Movement
RampA flat surface that goes upMakes things slide or roll down faster
FanBlows air on an objectPushes things with moving air
Curved WallA wall with a curve shapeChanges the direction a ball rolls
Rough SurfaceA bumpy or sandy pathSlows things down

Some tools make things go faster. Some tools make things go slower. Some tools change the direction — that means which way something goes.

🔁 Pattern Alert! 🔍
Here is a pattern — that means something that happens again and again. Every time we change the tool, the movement changes too! The tool and the movement are connected. This is called cause and effect.
SECTION 6

Let's Design and Test a Ramp!

Let's pretend we are engineers! We want to make a ball roll into a cup. We will build a ramp and test it!

Design Challenge: Get the Ball into the Cup!
1
Step 1 — Ask a QuestionWe ask: How can I make the ball roll into the cup? This is what scientists do. They ask questions!
2
Step 2 — Make a PlanWe decide to build a ramp. We use a book and a board. The board leans on the book. That is our design!
3
Step 3 — Test It!We put the ball at the top. We let go. The ball rolls down the ramp. Oh no! It misses the cup. It goes too far!
The ball went past the cup.
4
Step 4 — Change the DesignWe make the ramp shorter. We use a thinner book. Now the ramp is not as tall. We think the ball will go slower.
5
Step 5 — Test Again!We roll the ball again. This time it goes slower. It rolls right into the cup! Hooray!
The ball went into the cup! Our new design worked!
🌟 WHAT WE LEARNED
We tested our design. When it did not work, we changed it. We tested again. That is what engineers do! It is like trying to throw a ball into a basket. If you miss, you try again a different way!
SECTION 7

Which Tool Works Best?

Not every tool works the same way. Let's compare them!

Comparing tools that change how objects move
ToolGood Things ✅Not So Good Things ❌
RampEasy to build. Makes things go fast.Hard to aim. Ball may go too far.
FanPushes things with air. Fun to use.Hard to push heavy things.
Curved WallChanges direction. Great for aiming.Does not make things faster.
💡 KEY TAKEAWAY
There is no one perfect tool. Different tools do different jobs. It is like how you use a spoon for soup but a fork for noodles. You pick the right tool for the job!
SECTION 8

Engineers Keep Improving!

You are learning to think like an engineer — that means a person who designs and builds things to solve problems!

From kindergarten to real engineers!
What We Do NowWhat Engineers Do Later
We test one ramp.Engineers test many ramps.
We use a ball and a cup.Engineers build cars and bridges.
We change one thing at a time.Engineers change many things and measure.

As you grow, you will learn more ways to design, build, and test. You will solve bigger problems. But it all starts with what you are learning right now!

SECTION 9

Practice Time!

Here is a new story! Maya wants to push a toy car across the floor to her friend Sam. Let's help Maya think about tools and designs!

PROBLEM 1 — CONCEPTUAL
Maya pushes the toy car with her hand. What is she giving the car? A) A color B) A push C) A name
PROBLEM 2 — BASIC OBSERVATION
Maya puts a ramp behind the toy car and lets the car roll down. What will happen? A) The car will fly up. B) The car will roll forward. C) The car will disappear.
PROBLEM 3 — INTERMEDIATE
Maya tests two ramps. Ramp 1 is tall. Ramp 2 is short. Which ramp will make the car go faster? A) Ramp 1 (the tall ramp) B) Ramp 2 (the short ramp) C) They will be the same
PROBLEM 4 — APPLIED
The car keeps going past Sam! Maya wants the car to stop near Sam. What could Maya add to her design to slow the car down? A) A piece of sandpaper on the floor B) A bigger ramp C) Another push
PROBLEM 5 — CRITICAL THINKING
Think and share! Maya's car goes straight, but Sam is sitting to the side. What tool or design could Maya build to make the car turn and go toward Sam? Tell a grown-up or a friend your idea!
SUMMARY

What Did We Learn?

We learned that a tool or design can change how an object moves. A ramp can make a ball go faster. A rough surface can slow it down. A curved wall can change the direction.

We can test our designs to see what happens. If it does not work, we change the design and try again. That is what engineers and scientists do! A push or pull is a force. When we change the tool, we change the force, and the movement changes too. That is cause and effect!

Varsity Tutors • Kindergarten Science (Next Generation Science Standards) • Test a tool or design that changes how an object moves.