LEGO Pinball Machines

This week we combined Science TEKS and Technology TEKS to research and design a prototype for a LEGO Pinball machine that used at minimum 3 simple machines in the construction. The students designed and experimented with their structural prototypes to create flawless, working pinball machines. Students judged one another on levels of creativity, levels of difficulty, and final designs of their projects.

The Science TEKS we used were(6) Force, motion, and energy. The student knows that energy exists in many forms and can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems. The student is expected to:(D) design an experiment to test the effect of force on an object such as a push or a pull, gravity, friction, or magnetism.

The Technology TEKS we covered were(1) Creativity and innovation. The student uses creative thinking and innovative processes to construct knowledge and develop digital products. The student is expected to: (A) create original products using a variety of resources; (B) analyze trends and forecast possibilities, developing steps for the creation of an innovative process or product; and(3) Research and information fluency. The student acquires and evaluates digital content. The student is expected to:(D) acquire information appropriate to specific tasks. (4) Critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making. The student researches and evaluates projects using digital tools and resources. The student is expected to:(C) evaluate student-created products through self and peer review for relevance to the assignment or task.