6th Grade
SAFETY
ADVANCED
PREPARATION
Thinking Like a 21st Century Scientist / Engineer:
Design Challenge: Rock Games that ROCK!
Be very mindful that the games are being designed with Rocks and students
should use rocks safely and in an appropriate manner (i.e. not throwing rocks
at each other, or not using rocks in a way that damages the classroom.)
Gather materials: Rocks and Paper
Discuss with students, proper lab safety procedures and rules as they
relate to proper use and handling of rocks.
Objective: The objective of the following activities is to give students the
opportunity to use the engineering design cycle and problem-solving skills to
develop a solution to an engineering design challenge.
What is the teacher doing?
What is the teacher doing?
Design Challenge (Days 1-2)
Design Challenge (Days 1-2)
Optional: Reading There’s
Nothing to Do on Mars by
Chris Gall.
ACTIVITIES
(2 days)
Discuss the problem that this
book addresses. Point out to
students that creativity and
imagination lead to
discoveries.
Facilitate student groupings
Hand out the rubric
Facilitate activity and assist
students
Be mindful of safety of the
games being designed
1. Listen to the story being read by
the teacher.
2. Discuss the problem presented in
the book and reviewing the
rubric.
3. In teams, design a game using
rocks. See
4. Have the teams switch games
and try to play other groups’
rock games.
5. Groups will evaluate the games
using an evaluation rubric.
6. Complete the Daily Engineering
Notebook sheet.
Facilitate the switching and
playing of the rock games
Follow-up with a class
reflection or discussion time
about the design process
and teamwork.
Columbus City Schools
Curriculum Leadership and Development
Science Department June 2013
1
6th Grade Thinking Like a 21st Century Scientist and Engineer
Design Challenge “Rock Games that ROCK!”
Teacher Notes:
Optional:
Read There’s Nothing to Do On Mars By: Chris Gall
Discuss the problem that this book addresses. Point
out to students that creativity and imagination
lead to discoveries. Scientists and engineers look
at the world differently. They look at the
possibilities of how ordinary objects can be
transformed into exciting opportunities.
Design
Cycle
This challenge is to follow the design cycle to create a game or device using
ordinary rocks.
Considerations:
Like Davy Martin, in the book, students are to create something to do. They
have to invent a unique game that uses a rock or rocks. The rocks can be used
like dice, stacked, or painted on. Imagination is key. Sometimes the best, and
most addictive, games are the simplest designs. They will need to write out the
directions clearly, bring in needed rocks, and allow another pair to play the
game to provide feedback.
If students are getting stuck remind them of games like…
Lawn Jarts
Barrel of Monkeys
Jacks
Jenga
Dominos
Bocee
Pass the Pigs
Bayblades (tops)
Yahtzee
Penny Hockey
Curling
Table football
…these are all games that could use rocks.
Bowling
Golf
Shuffleboard
Materials: Rocks and a few sheets of paper.
Building the Designs:
Tell the students that they may have the same problem as Davey Martin. They
are home and there is nothing to do. Your parents nag all the time “Go outside
and play.” Ya, ya, we have all heard that before. The student design challenge
is to solve both of their problems with a game. Students may not copy another
existing game. They have to design their own game- with unique rules and a
winning objective. Students may use a sheet of paper to draw a game “court”.
Students should not make a detailed game board; instead the “court” should
be easily replicated in other environments (e.g. sand, dirt, or blacktop).
Columbus City Schools
Curriculum Leadership and Development
Science Department June 2013
2
Game Designs:
Working in pairs, teams should design a game with three criteria:
Game play
How to win
Game court design layout (if needed)
Students should write out the Goal of the Game, Game Play Directions and How
to Win on the provided sheet or lined paper. They should also sketch out a
game “court” if one is needed for game play (e.g. shuffleboard, bowling pin
placement, target for jarts). Students will need to choose rocks that allow the
game to be played and allow a clear winner.
Once games are completed, students will pass their game to another pair to be
played. Peer feedback, “Game Evaluation”, will be scored and attached to
the game as the pair plays the game for 10min. The feedback forms can be
passed face down with the game for a second round.
After the second round (again for 10min) another set of evaluations will be
scored and all evaluation rubrics will be passed back to the original game
designers. The game designers will need a total (add all the points given) to get
their game score.
A class “favorite game” will be the student pair with the highest total points.
Allow the winning pair to present their game, how to play, and how to win.
Game Evaluation (10min of game time evaluation) Check the appropriate box.
Rubric
4pts
3pts
2pts
1pt
Game was
Engagement fun for full
10min
Game is fun,
but not for
10min
Game lost
interest after
1min
Not engaging
Creative/
Originality
Unlike any
game I have
ever played
Mix of other
games, but
still unique
Based solely
on idea from
1 existing
game
Not creative
Directions
Directions are
clear and
easy to play
Directions are
unclear OR
difficult to
play
Directions are
unclear OR
missing how
to play/win
Safety
No safety
problems
Rules were
created to
avoid injury
Had to play
carefully to
avoid injury
Columbus City Schools
Curriculum Leadership and Development
Science Department June 2013
Did not
understand
how to
play/win game
I wouldn’t be
around when
this game is
played
3
Name of the Game: _______________________________________________________
Goal of the Game:
Game Play Directions:
How to Win Directions:
Columbus City Schools
Curriculum Leadership and Development
Science Department June 2013
4
NAME OF GAME#1 ______________________________________
Game Evaluation (10min of game time evaluation) Check the appropriate box.
Rubric
4pts
3pts
2pts
1pt
Game was
Engagement fun for full
10min
Game is fun,
but not for
10min
Game lost
interest after
1min
Not engaging
Creative/
Originality
Unlike any
game I have
ever played
Mix of other
games, but
still unique
Based solely
on idea from
1 existing
game
Not creative
Directions
Directions are
clear and
easy to play
Directions are
unclear OR
difficult to
play
Directions are
unclear OR
missing how
to play/win
Safety
No safety
problems
Rules were
created to
avoid injury
Had to play
carefully to
avoid injury
Did not
understand
how to
play/win game
I wouldn’t be
around when
this game is
played
NAME OF GAME#2 ______________________________________
Game Evaluation (10min of game time evaluation) Check the appropriate box.
Rubric
4pts
3pts
2pts
1pt
Game was
Engagement fun for full
10min
Game is fun,
but not for
10min
Game lost
interest after
1min
Not engaging
Creative/
Originality
Unlike any
game I have
ever played
Mix of other
games, but
still unique
Based solely
on idea from
1 existing
game
Not creative
Directions
Directions are
clear and
easy to play
Directions are
unclear OR
difficult to
play
Directions are
unclear OR
missing how
to play/win
Safety
No safety
problems
Rules were
created to
avoid injury
Had to play
carefully to
avoid injury
Columbus City Schools
Curriculum Leadership and Development
Science Department June 2013
Did not
understand
how to
play/win game
I wouldn’t be
around when
this game is
played
5
Daily Engineering Notebook
Name ________________________________________________
Day
______________ of the Engineering challenge.
What phase of the design cycle were you using today?
Explain what you did for the design challenge today?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Draw a picture of how you contributed.
Describe 3 things you learned about science or engineering from what you did
today.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Columbus City Schools
Curriculum Leadership and Development
Science Department June 2013
6