Marble Plumbing Challenge

With multiple curriculum connections, I have used this challenge in multiple classroom settings. Careers (plumbing), math (slope, speed, etc.), science (simple machines), design (ideating, prototyping), and so on.

The marbles represent the water. The students are plumbers and must build a plumbing system that allows water to flow for the longest duration of time. During "judging", the students only get 3 attempts to make it work and so they must make sure that their system is built structurally sound and consistently works.

Supplies

• Peg boards, hooks and stands (or any flat wall)
• One for each group
• PVC Pipes and fittings
• (we had a local company donate their off-cuts)
• Group supply baskets
• Scissors
• Marbles
• Duct Tape
• String
• Paper cups
• Cardboard (or card stock)
• Any other materials you may find useful

Step 1:

Create your supplies baskets.

Disperse the materials you have collected for the challenge evenly. You are welcome to use whatever you find that you think the students can build with.

I like to keep a big box of carboard, pvc pipes and another with pipe fittings in the center of the space. Students take what they need and have all sorts for different connections available to them.

Step 2:

Location:

I like to use peg boards and hooks for easy set-up and take down. Any flat wall or surface will work great though!

Step 3:

Separate the students into groups. I recommend no more than 3 per group to keep everyone productive.

Step 4:

Go over the challenge and constraints with the students. A reminder of angles and what makes a ball roll fast or slow is always helpful.

Generally, I give the students an hour for the challenge. This keeps them on task and motivated. We sometimes do it a second time so that they can take everything that they have learned and apply it.

Step 5:

After time is up, go together group by group to time their plumbing systems. the groups who has the ball roll for the longest amount of time (without stopping) wins. If the ball hits the floor or stops mid-system, I stop the clock.