Teachers Information

Rational

This will be the first problem solving activity of this section of the course. The purpose of this is to allow students to put to a practical test the concepts of creative, critical thinking that they have learned so far. This will test their ability to think, plan, analyse, improve, test and modify a concept. They should work in pairs for this problem

Each problem project has a set performance criteria, or rules that must be followed by the students. Below are the criteria for this problem.

The Problem

The student must roll a marble down from the top centre of a piece of wood (22 cm by 28 cm) and have the marble randomly end up in one of seven pockets at the bottom of the piece of wood.

Materials

The students will be given the following materials for the project, no other materials may be used. This will be one of the several projects with a limit on the material and or amount that may be used.

• 1) A glass marble approximately 17 mm in diameter.
• 2) 150, 1.5 inch long finishing nails.
• 3) One approximately 22 cm by 28 cm piece of wood.
• 4) One 60 degree brace.
• 5) Miscellaneous tools as needed.

The piece of wood that the students will be using is the same size as a piece of photocopy paper. (8.5 X 11) Have the students use the blank sheets in the design area of their journal to plot out the spacing or pattern of the nails before they hammer them into the wood. The students should measure the spacing of the plot dots and test roll a marble on the paper to see if it can pass all the plot dots. With a proper pattern made it can be placed over the piece of wood and the nails then placed in the exact spot. All design sheets must be part of the journal.

Impress upon the students that this and all projects must be done to the best of their ability, showing the skills they have learned.

THE CRITERIA & MARKING

1) construction: Teachers judgment, worth 20 marks

A) The marble must start at the top centre of the board.
B) There must be seven pockets spaced evenly across the bottom of the board.
C) All nails must be spaced no more than three cm, nor less than one cm from the next nail.
D) All nails must be securely hammered into the board.
E) The board must rest at an angle of 60 degrees during testing.

2) performance:                       Each part is worth twenty (20) marks

A) The marble may not end up in the same hole more than two out of five times. (lose two marks for every time over two)
B) The marble MUST end up once in each of the pockets within twenty tries. ( lose one mark for each try over twenty)
C) The marble must not stop at any point within the maze. (lose one mark per stop)
D) The marble cannot fall out of the maze at any time. (lose one mark per exit from the
3) Teacher's evaluation of student's performance = 100

              Total marks for project 1+2+3= 200