The Universe And More Graphing Game

What are some preschool graphing and measuring activities?

Explore the physics of velocity, acceleration and time with this interactive graphing game. There is a worksheet available for this game. 24 December 2011 Edit: 26 March 2017.

So, I had it scheduled to do the graphing and measuring roundup last week with the measuring ribbons post. However, when I actually got around to writing the post I completely forgot my plan! :) My goodness, this pregnancy brain is really doing a number on me. ;) Anyway, today I have a roundup of graphing and measuringactivities for you. It’s always fun for me at the end of these series to find a bunch of posts all about that series. This post includes all of the graphing and measuring activities from my blog as well as some other great graphing and measuring ideas. Hopefully you will be inspired to do some graphing and measuring with your preschooler.

Preschool Graphing

• Spin and Graph Game with free blank printable from Moms Have Questions Too
• Hands On Graph from Moms Have Questions Too
• Dot Marker and Dice Graphing game with free printable from Moms Have Questions Too
• Which Side has More Graph from Miss Bridget’s Classroom
• Graphing Fall Leaves from Teach Preschool
• What’s in My Yard Graphing Activity from B-Inspired Mama
• Smartie Math from Life on Canterbury Lane (you could also use M&Ms)
• Designing Ornament Graphs from Teach Preschool
• Sink or Float Graph from Not Just Cute
• Graphing Ideas for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners from Kindergarten Lessons
• Color Graph for Preschool from Preschool Universe

Preschool Measuring

• Measure with blocks with free printable from Moms Have Questions too
• Measure and Record free printable from Moms Have Questions Too
• Measuring Ribbons from Moms Have Questions Too
• Marshmallow Measuring from From the Hive
• Measuring with Yarn from Learning and Teaching Preschoolers
• Measuring Shoes from Toddlers Through Preschool
• Hands-on Measurement from Education.com
• Goldfish Measuring Activity from Confessions of a Homeschooler
• Making Our Own Measuring Tapes from Teach Preschool
• Measure a Christmas Tree from Criss-Cross Applesauce

*Want to see more themed activities like this for toddlers or preschoolers? Check out our store page where our toddler and preschool series are compiled into Activity Packs for only $1.99! The Activity Packs are full of lesson plans, printables, and a curriculum guide.

The Universe and More (Graphing Challenge)

Perhaps the most fun physics graphing game that is available. There are many levels here but they build dup well from the initial ideas of how shape represents motion through to gradients and areas. Almost impossible not to have fun and learn at the same time. Two small cautionary notes; the game uses 'clock reading' rather than 'time' and it uses displacement vs. time graphs rather than distance vs. time graphs. Neither get in the way of the learning and physics but some initial extra explanation may be needed.

If you don't see a picture on the page when you click on the link you may need to update or switch to a different browser. It's worth it.

Graphing Stories

This resource provides a collection of video clips that you can use to plot distance-time graphs. There are downloadable graph templates, but the simplest way to use this is to show the video and then let your students sketch the graphs. It’s just as easy to do this with mini whiteboards. The template has the time axis marked, but the y axis is left blank. Initially it may be worth helping students become familiar with the shapes without any numbers, but then you can use the resource more rigorously.

Interpreting Distance – Time Graphs A6 *suitable for home teaching*

Category:Mathematics

This lesson resource requires students to think a little bit more carefully about how they interpret distance-time graphs. It is designed to reveal common misconceptions about distance–time graphs. Clear guidance is given on how to run the lesson including key questions you can use to probe students understanding. A matching exercise is used to match descriptions, graphs and tables. As they do this, they will interpret their meaning and begin to link the representations together.

Travel Graphs

Category:Mathematics

This interactive resource will give your students lots of examples from which to practice calculating gradients and areas to find speeds, accelerations and distance travelled using both distance/time and velocity/time graphs. The third tab on the spread-sheet introduces the trapezium rule to calculate the distance travelled for a velocity-time graph. Switch file format converter for mac. Practise makes perfect.

Model the Motion

Category:Mathematics

This power-point based lesson activity compares the velocity-time graph to the distance-time graph for a few examples of motion. It will allow your students to establish a clear understanding of both types of graph so that they will be able to use both properly. This is a really good lesson.

Gradient of a distance-time graph

Use this revision note as a summary of distance-time graphs. Together with the notes below, you can use the website directly with your students or you could print off sheets for a hand-out of notes and test questions.

Gradient and area of a velocity-time graph

This revision note on velocity-time graphs has test questions too and goes on to give notes on finding the area under a velocity time graph to find the distance travelled. Use them with the pages above as a good summary to the topic.