Marble Speedway

 

            Today's Snack: Cut a long rib of celery and roll green or purple seedless grapes down it. But don't let the grapes fall on the floor - eat them! And when you're done, eat the celery, too! Wash it down with some chocolate milk.

 

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Supplies:

Toilet paper cardboard tubes

Duct tape, preferably one roll per team

Marbles or other small balls - same size for each team

Best to do this in a carpeted room that the marbles can roll on,

but not too quickly

Measuring tape | Posterboard and marker or chalkboard and chalk

 

 

            This is fun to do in teams. Your assignment is to collect and then divide up as many toilet paper tubes as you can - another good reason to recycle them! - so that each team has the same quantity.

 

Try to get enough for each team to have 30 or more. If you ask around your neighborhood, church and school, people will help you collect them!

 

Each team is also given some duct tape to connect the tubes. It's easy to tear off, so you don't need scissors. But wait to hear what you're going to do before you start building.

 

            Now here's the challenge: build a structure with your toilet paper tubes that will roll a marble the farthest. You will be compared with the other teams, so make sure to plan out a great design . . . so that you can win the Toilet Bowl!

 

            Do this on a carpeted surface so that the marbles don't roll TOO far. You can try small rubber balls or other balls that will fit inside the tubes, but marbles seem to be the easiest to use.

 

            If you'd like, use a measuring tape to chart the distances and announce the winner and runners-up.

 

            It's really fun to allow each team some time between rounds to alter their design to try to get their marble to roll farther.

 

            Use good teamwork, and think hard about how best to use your materials to design and build the best possible marble-roller.

 

            Good luck, and have fun!