Fast and Slow

Active learning works for this topic because young children grasp speed best when they experience motion with their whole bodies. Moving like different animals and objects helps them connect abstract ideas to concrete actions, building lasting understanding of speed and time.

• Senior Infants
• Foundations of Mathematical Thinking
• 4 activities
• 20 min–35 min

Learning Objectives

1. Compare the speed of two moving objects by observing their distance covered in a set amount of time.
2. Explain the difference between moving quickly and moving slowly using descriptive language.
3. Identify objects or animals that move faster or slower than themselves.
4. Demonstrate moving at different speeds, such as walking slowly and running quickly across a designated space.

Experiential Learning

⏱ 30 min·Whole Class

Whole Class: Animal Speed Line-Up

Display animal pictures or toys. Children stand and mimic each animal's speed across the room one by one. Discuss and order them from slowest to fastest on a class chart.

Prepare & details

Which animal do you think is faster — a snail or a rabbit?

Facilitation Tip: During Animal Speed Line-Up, invite children to physically act out each animal’s movement before placing their picture on the line.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Experiential Learning

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Pairs: Slow and Fast Timers

Partners take turns moving slowly then quickly to a mark 5 steps away. The other claps to count approximate time. Switch roles and compare clap counts.

Prepare & details

Can you move across the room slowly, then quickly — what is the difference?

Facilitation Tip: For Slow and Fast Timers, model how to use the stopwatch and space the activities so children have time to observe and record each other.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Experiential Learning

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Small Groups: Toy Car Races

Groups build gentle and steep ramps with books. Roll cars down each and observe which is faster. Record with drawings: fast car or slow car.

Prepare & details

Which takes longer — walking to the door or running to the door?

Facilitation Tip: In Toy Car Races, set clear starting lines with masking tape and allow multiple trials so children see patterns in speed.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Experiential Learning

⏱ 20 min·Individual

Individual: My Speed Diary

Children draw paths they took fast or slow at home or school. Label with words like 'quick run' or 'slow crawl' and share one with the class.

Prepare & details

Which animal do you think is faster — a snail or a rabbit?

Facilitation Tip: For My Speed Diary, provide sentence starters like 'I moved slow when...' to support early writers.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teachers approach this topic by connecting movement to measurable outcomes, using simple tools like stopwatches and strings to make abstract ideas tangible. Avoid rushing through activities; give children time to repeat trials and observe differences. Research suggests that repeated, hands-on comparisons help solidify understanding of speed before introducing formal measurements.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like children using precise speed vocabulary to describe their actions, comparing movements with peers, and explaining why some things move faster or slower over the same or different distances.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Animal Speed Line-Up, watch for children assuming larger animals are always faster. Redirect by placing small, fast-moving insect toys next to large snail toys and asking, 'Which moves faster? What helps us know?'

What to Teach Instead

Use the line-up activity to contrast clear examples like a cheetah and a snail, then ask children to explain their choices using evidence from the animals’ movements.

Common Misconception

During Toy Car Races, watch for children thinking speed is only about time, ignoring distance traveled. Redirect by marking two different-length race tracks with string and asking, 'Which car went farther in the same time? What does that tell us about speed?'

What to Teach Instead

After races, ask children to compare distances covered by each car and discuss why distance matters when measuring speed.

Common Misconception

During Slow and Fast Timers, watch for children believing fast motion covers ground instantly. Redirect by having them observe a rolling ball pushed with different strengths over a marked distance and recording gradual changes.

What to Teach Instead

Use the timers to track the ball’s movement step-by-step, asking children to describe the motion as steady or changing and link it to their observations.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Toy Car Races, place two toy cars at a starting line and ask students to predict which will reach the end first. Push them simultaneously and ask, 'Which car was faster? How do you know?' Observe their reasoning and note if they mention speed, distance, or time.

Exit Ticket

After Animal Speed Line-Up, give each child a card with a picture of a snail and a rabbit. Ask them to draw an arrow showing which animal is faster and to circle the word 'fast' or 'slow' that describes the rabbit’s movement. Collect cards to check for accuracy and vocabulary use.

Discussion Prompt

During My Speed Diary, ask students, 'Imagine you are walking to the classroom door, and then you run to the classroom door. What is different about your movement? Which way took less time? Why?' Listen for their use of speed vocabulary and understanding of time, noting who connects speed to both movement and duration.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge pairs to race two toy cars on different surfaces (carpet vs. tile) and predict which will be faster, then test and discuss results.
• Scaffolding: Provide picture cards with arrows for children to match to fast or slow actions during Slow and Fast Timers.
• Deeper exploration: Measure how far a toy car travels in 10 seconds on a ramp, then adjust the ramp height and repeat to discuss how force affects speed.

Key Vocabulary

fast	Moving or capable of moving at high speed. When something is fast, it covers a lot of distance in a short time.
slow	Moving or operating at a low speed. When something is slow, it covers less distance in the same amount of time.
speed	How fast or slow something is moving. We can describe speed by comparing how far things go in the same amount of time.
distance	How far apart two points are, or how far something has moved. We can measure distance using non-standard units like steps or blocks.