Paper Marble Run Challenge – Classroom Edition

Objective:

Student teams will design, build, and test a marble run using only paper and tape. Teams compete for points based on creativity, engineering skill, and performance.

Setup & Materials (Per Team)

  • 8–12 sheets of cardstock or construction paper

  • Scissors

  • Clear tape or masking tape

  • Ruler and pencil

  • 1 marble

  • Optional: Large cardboard base

(Teacher Note: Give each team the same amount of materials to keep the challenge fair.)

Class Flow

1. Team Formation & Rules (10 minutes)

  • Divide students into teams of 3–5.

  • Explain the challenge:
    “Your team will build the most creative and functional marble run possible in 45 minutes. Your goal is to design a run that keeps a marble moving smoothly from the top to the bottom while earning points for speed, creativity, and complexity.”

2. Building Time (45 minutes)

  • Teams sketch their designs (5 minutes).

  • Build the marble run (40 minutes).

  • Encourage testing throughout (teams can adjust angles, supports, and connections).

3. Testing & Competition (20 minutes)

Each team presents their marble run, then tests it live in front of the class.

Scoring System (100 Points Total)

  1. Functionality (40 points)

    • Marble travels from start to finish without falling off: 40 points

    • Marble gets stuck 1–2 times: 30 points

    • Marble fails completely: 10–20 points (based on effort/design)

  2. Creativity (20 points)

    • Unique features (loops, funnels, jumps, tunnels): +5 points each (max 20)

  3. Complexity (20 points)

    • More than 5 ramps, turns, or elements: 10 points

    • Over 2 feet tall OR includes a moving part (e.g., a swing/jump): +10 points

  4. Speed vs. Endurance (20 points)

    • Fastest run time (top 3 teams): 10, 7, 5 bonus points

    • Longest time (slowest controlled run without stalling): 10, 7, 5 bonus points
      (Encourages creative engineering – some teams aim for speed, others for longest continuous motion.)

Classroom Twist: Bonus Rounds

  • Team Showdown: Teams can challenge another team to a “race-off” — both marbles run simultaneously, winner gets +5 points.

  • Remix Challenge: After the first run, teams can use 5 extra minutes to make 1 major improvement (e.g., add a loop, make it taller). Best improvement gets +10 points.

Winning & Reflection

  • The team with the highest total points wins a small prize (or classroom bragging rights).

  • Wrap-up discussion:

    • What design choices worked best?

    • How did testing and iteration improve your run?

    • How do concepts like gravity, friction, and angles affect performance?