Exploring Forces Through Fun: Kindergarten Pinball Machines!

A Kindergarten Pinball Machine Project

In this exciting five-week unit, kindergarten students embarked on a hands-on adventure into the world of forces. The grand finale? Designing their own pinball machines! But first, they had to master the basics of how and why things move.

Starting with the Basics: Forces in Action

STEM teacher Erin Rudsenske kicked off the unit by diving into the idea that objects at rest tend to stay at rest, but the key to getting things moving is force. Through interactive experiments, the kids explored two main forces: pushes and pulls. They discovered the magic of air pressure by blowing through straws to send pom-poms flying. Then, students set off a chain reaction of pushes with dominoes and even had a blast pushing and pulling each other around in laundry baskets. The fun didn’t stop there – the kids also created their own push-and-pull "pop-up" toys, which added a creative spin to their learning.

Strength and Direction: Mastering Forces

Next up was a challenge to change the strength and direction of a force. Students crafted paper-wrecking balls and used them to knock over a wall of cups, but with a twist – they had to avoid knocking over a "town" behind the wall. This introduced them to the idea of controlling forces to get the results they wanted.

Next, kindergarteners tackled the concept of changing the direction of moving objects. Imagine a boulder rolling down a mountain toward a tiny town – it was up to the kids to figure out how to save the town. This exercise sparked plenty of problem-solving and showed them how forces can be redirected.

Simple Machines: A Peek into the Power of Physics

To prepare for the ultimate pinball machine design, students learned about two fundamental simple machines: inclined planes and levers. They experimented with cars and ramps to understand inclined planes, noticing how objects change speed when traveling up or down a ramp. The kids also got hands-on with levers, discovering that a little force can produce a big result. This was all leading up to the big project: creating their very own pinball machines!

Pinball Machines: A Creative Challenge

Now, it was time for the grand finale! Using everything they'd learned, the students designed and built their own pinball machines. Each student chose a unique theme for their machine, incorporating the forces and simple machines we’d explored. Some students used inclined planes to send the ball flying, while others incorporated levers to launch the ball in exciting directions. The final creations were not only creative but also a testament to the power of hands-on learning.

Through this unit, kindergarteners didn’t just learn about forces – they lived them. They pushed, pulled, experimented, and created, all while developing a deeper understanding of how the world around them moves. These hands-on projects are a great way to spark curiosity and ignite a love for science!