The Ripple Effect

Activity Overview

We all have an impact on our families, our communities and our world. It is never too early to introduce this concept to young children and the guiding principle that all actions have reactions and what our responsibility is to others around us. With the The Ripple Effect, children are introduced to this concept while also being exposed to scientific properties of density and cause/effect.

What You Need

• Container of water

• Objects of different densities: light, medium, and heavy

Steps

1. Demonstrate the ripple effect for your student and wonder aloud why it might be happening. Investigate how the ripple effect changes when using objects of different sizes and weights.

2. Link together how kind actions also have a ripple effect on us and the people around us.

3. Brainstorm a list together of some ways that we can show kindness to our friends and family – which ones can be represented by the large objects? Which by the small ones?

4. To make this even more concrete for your student, illustrate these ideas through drawings they can imagine them more clearly.

Guiding Questions

• What will happen to the light, medium, and heavy objects when we put them in the water? How can we make a big ripple? How about a small one?

• What are ways you know that I care for you and am being kind?

• What ways do you care for me and I know you are being kind?

• How do you feel when someone is kind to you?

• How do you think [family member] feels when you are kind to them?

Extensions

• For older students, create a chart to keep track of the results of each object you drop in the water. Keep a list of kind activities that correlate to the size of the ripple.