Engineer It! at home

Slow Marbles

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Background Knowledge

Can you create a marble run that takes a marble more than 15 seconds to complete?

Suggested Materials: 

  • Baking sheet
  • Playdough
  • Marbles
  • Stopwatch

The Challenge: Can you create a marble run that takes a marble more than 15 seconds to complete? Stand a baking sheet up against a wall and create a playdough track! 

STEM Concepts: When you drop a marble, gravity accelerates it towards the ground. What does it take to slow that acceleration?

Extensions: Break free from the baking sheet – what other materials do you have around your home that could create a track, and what other surfaces could you use to anchor your marble run? 

THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS

Define the Challenge: Design a marble run that takes more than 15 seconds for a marble to move through using only playdough and a cookie sheet. 

Plan Your Design: How can you slow the marble down without completely stopping it? 

Create a Prototype: A prototype is like a first try – see if you can build what you imagined. 

Test Your Creation: Did your marble stay on the track? Did it move too quickly, or stop moving before the end? What happened? Make observations. 

Improve Your Design: What could you change to move your marble more slowly.