Year 1 · Science · Physical sciences
How things move
Children test how objects of different shapes and sizes roll, slide, bounce and spin, using a simple ramp.
Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.
These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to New Zealand year levels by age (NZ Year 1 is the first year of school). They are not yet mapped to The New Zealand Curriculum, so check them against your own learning programme.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Describe ways that objects move, such as rolling, sliding and bouncing.
- Notice that the shape of an object changes how it moves.
Success looks like
- I can show an object rolling and an object sliding.
- I can say which objects roll and which slide down a ramp.
- I can guess what will happen before I test it.
The big idea
Things can move in different ways. They can roll, slide, bounce or spin.
Round things, like balls and toy car wheels, usually roll. Flat things, like blocks and books, usually slide.
A ramp helps things move. When we put an object at the top of a ramp, it moves down because the Earth pulls it downwards.
Some things can move in more than one way. A toilet-paper roll rolls if it lies on its side, but slides or stays still if it stands up.
Scientists make a guess before they test. We call this a prediction. Then we watch carefully to see what really happens.
Worked examples
Ball on a ramp
What will a ball do on the ramp?
- Look at the shape. A ball is round all over.
- Predict: it will roll.
- Test it: place the ball at the top and let go (no pushing).
- Watch: the ball rolls down.
Answer: The ball rolls down the ramp.
Block on a ramp
What will a wooden block do on the ramp?
- Look at the shape. A block has flat sides.
- Predict: it will slide, or it might stay still.
- Test it. If it does not move, raise the ramp a little higher.
- Watch: on a steep ramp the block slides down without turning over.
Answer: The block slides (it does not roll).
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
Which object will roll down a ramp?
A ball — A ball is round, so it rolls.
A wooden block moves down a ramp without turning over. How is it moving?
Sliding — Moving smoothly without turning over is sliding.
What makes a ball bounce back up?
Dropping it on a hard floor — When a bouncy ball hits a hard floor it springs back up.
Which shape is best for rolling?
Round — Round shapes roll easily.
What is a guess about what will happen called?
A prediction — A prediction is a careful guess before we test.
A toy car goes down the ramp on its wheels. Do the wheels roll or slide?
roll — Wheels are round, so they roll.
Which way do things move on a ramp: up or down?
down — Things move down a ramp because the Earth pulls them down.
A spinning top turns round and round in one spot. What is it doing?
spinning — Turning round and round in one place is spinning.
Watch out for
- Children may think heavy things always go faster. On a ramp, shape often matters more than weight.
- Some children think objects move only when a person pushes them. A ramp lets the Earth's pull do the work.
Tips for parents
- Let your child predict before each test and praise good guesses, even when they are wrong.
- Use the same ramp height for each object so the test is fair.
- Safety: keep the ramp low and on the floor, and use soft, light objects so nothing falls on toes.
Go further
- Race two toy cars down the ramp and see which reaches the bottom first.
- Try the ramp covered with a towel, then bare, and talk about what changes.
- Find things around the house that roll and things that slide.