Cardboard Pinball Machine
Cardboard Pinball Machine https://www.exploratorium.edu/tinkering/blog/2017/08/09/cardboard-arcade-2017 Days: 3 Mode: Individual Take-home: Playable cardboard pinball game
Teaching & key ideas
Key concepts: Energy transfer, springs/elastic force, collisions, slope, probability and iterative game design.
Hook: Launch a ball into a board with one bumper and watch how the collision changes direction.
Test / evidence: Ball launches reliably and can reach at least two scoring zones in repeated play.
Variables to change: Ramp angle; bumper placement; flipper length; launcher tension.
Lesson flow
Lesson plan:
Day 1: layout
Day 2: mechanisms
Day 3: playtest/refine
Video:
Make Your Own Pinball Machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG0uqjCXS24
Safety / cleanup:
Safety glasses for elastic testing; supervise hot glue; count marbles/balls.