Toy Maker Module
STEMinistas (Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade)
Module Rationale:
Girls will learn the basics of engineering and entrepreneurship! They will use the design process and go
beyond the technical side to understand other things engineers take into consideration when designing a
science-inspired toy. Girls will choose one of three toys to build in their “toy company”: a roller coaster, a
slingshot or an alka-seltzer rocket.
Each session will focus on one of more aspects of the design process.
th th
Adapted from the SCFG 5 /6 grade Toy Factory curriculum
Session One
Focus on: Introduction to Engineering through Toy Making
(Define Problem, Brainstorm Solutions, and Design)
Girls will explore the idea of engineering and entrepreneurship. Girls will work with mentors and JMs to
understand how their toy will illustrate a given science principle before sketching out their first prototype.
All of the toys relate to energy exchange, so girls will learn about energy transfer before thinking about
how these concepts apply to their toys.
Activity adapted from http://oerb.com/ForEducators/tabid/58/Default.aspx
Session Two
Focus on: The Toy Maker Challenge
(Design and Build)
Girls will finalize the first draft of their toy designs and begin building the toy that they designed in their
teams.
Session Three
Focus on: The Toy Maker Challenge
(Test and Share)
Girls will “play-test” their models, which means getting other girls to play with their toys and gather
feedback. They will analyze the feedback together and decide how to improve their toy. Girls will ‘scope
out the market’ by examining what existing toys might be competition, how much other toys are sold for,
and where the ‘niche’ in today’s market is for their product.
Session Four
Focus on: The Toy Maker Challenge
(Re-Evaluate and Share)
Based on last week’s sessions of evaluation (user feedback and market research) the girls should
redesign their product based on the information they gathered. Girls will learn about how to put together a
brief ‘elevator pitch,’ or how to sell the product given only two minutes of talk time. Girls will present their
elevator pitches to the whole club.
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 1
Session One
Focus on: Introduction to Material Science
(Define Problem, Brainstorm Solutions, and Test)
 Icebreaker/ Name Game (10 mins)
 Introduction to Toy Engineering and The Toy Maker Challenge (40 mins)
 Science Behind The Toys (30 mins)
 Wrap-Up and Reflection (10 mins)
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Learn about a woman in the STEM field related to the module.
2. Identify the type of energy being used based on materials and actions imposed on the materials
3. Observe the transfer and change of energy between objects
Before Club Begins
 Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and
prepare in advance of clubs
 Distribute name tags and journals to each girl
 Write out or discuss how to cover the appropriate definitions
Age Appropriate Definitions
Engineering – use of science and technology to create solutions to problems. Engineers look for ways to
use technology to make our lives better.
Kinetic energy – the energy of moving things; the faster something goes, the more kinetic energy it has
Potential energy – is stored energy. Any time we lift an object up, we give it gravitational potential
energy, because as soon as we let it go, it falls! Higher we lift something up, the more potential energy
Elastic energy – is a type of stored energy. Whenever you take something stretchy and stretch it out, it
will spring back into its original form when you let it go.
Chemical energy– stored energy found in the bonds between atoms and molecules in a material. When
we eat food, our body uses the energy found in the molecules of the food so we can run and play.
Materials Needed for Session 1:
Activity 1: Theme Introduction
Per Club
Per Group
Per Girl
A few everyday objects (rulers, marbles, rubber bands, pencils – anything)
A few everyday
objects
Pencil
Journal
Activity 2: Energy
Per Club
Per Group
Per Girl
“Energy bags”: hot wheel cars, rubber
bands, paper clips, magnets, rulers
Activity 3: Chemical Energy
Per Club
1 bottle of diet coke
Mint mentos
Safety googles
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
Per Group
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Per Club
Page 2
Introduce the STEMinista of the Module
Remind the girls they are focusing on mechanic, structural, and chemical engineering in this module. Now
introduce the biography of a woman in any or all of the fields. If you, as a mentor, are in any or all of the
fields please introduce the work you do and more about yourself to the girls as well.
STEMinista of the Module: Wendy Sudsinsunthorn Gilbreath
Wendy is the Vice President of Operations at InRoad Toys, a
start-up toy company currently producing PlayTape®.
PlayTape® is an adhesive and durable tape for use in vehicle
and construction play (toy cars).
She graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham
(UAB), where she received an engineering scholarship and
graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Wendy became interested in mechanical engineering through a
work-study position in the lab of the chair of the mechanical
engineering department at her college. During her senior year of
college, she accepted an internship with Summit Toys. After
graduating, Wendy worked for Mattel and Fisher-Price, two of
the leading toy companies in the world. She also has worked for
Apple on the iPhone 5c, iPhone6, and iPhone 6 Plus. She is a
strong advocate for children, and especially girls, to be exposed
to STEM careers and attributes her career successes to her
college education and internship opportunities she took
advantage of there.
In an UAB Alum article Sudsinsunthorn says, “I chose
mechanical engineering because it is such a diverse major. It
allows you to do all sorts of things within the engineering
discipline, and it opened up a whole world of industries that I
could explore.”
Question of the Day: What is a toy? How is science and energy involved in
toys?
Girls will understand the science behind their toy, and go on to brainstorm ways to illustrate this principle.
All three toys have an “energy exchange” theme – either spring energy, (slingshots) potential energy
(roller coasters) or chemical energy (alka seltzer rockets) to kinetic energy.
Introduction to Toy Making and the Toy Maker Challenge (50 minutes)
Toy Making and the Design Process (25 minutes)
Have the girls in groups of 3 for this module.
Give each group of girls a few objects and pretend that this is a prototype of a “toy” that their company
came up with. The objects given to the girls should look nothing like conventional toys – so girls must
imagine a way that it could be used as a toy.
Mentors will walk groups through the design process, and girls will write out their design process steps for
their “toy” in their journals.
Instructions:
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 3
1) To begin with, review the 7 steps of the design process (Identify Problem, Brainstorm, Design,
Build, Test & Evaluate, Re-Evaluate, Share Solution)
2) Each group of girls should write or have in their journals the steps of the design process.
3) (3 min) First step is identify the problem- have girls list what problem(s) they think their set of
objects could solve. What problems do they think toys are meant to solve?
4) (3 min) Next step is brainstorm – have girls will list as many ways as possible that this set of
objects can be made into a toy. Call out some questions to help the girls think: Where would this
toy be played with? How many kids can use this at one time? Do you need multiple kids to play
with this toy? Is it a toy that you nurture, like a stuffed animal or a doll? Is it a game that you have
a competition with, like some sort of race?
A spoon and marble, for example, might be used…
 To race against friends by seeing who can walk the fastest while balancing the marble on
the spoon
 As a catapult to launch the marble off of the spoon
5) (3 min)The next step is the design – this is what the engineers would draw before making a
physical model of their toy. Ask the girls; what is important about drawing a toy before making it?
What would you include in your drawing? What is missing? Designs help determine what and
how material is used for toys. Designs help inform how the physical model with move and achieve
its purpose.
6) (3 min) Next we have build/create prototype- this is what the girls have in their hands. Explain
that a prototype is a model of the final product. Prototypes help engineers visualize their idea.
Have the girls choose one idea from their list (i.e., spoon and marble miniature hockey) and show
how their prototype lends itself to their idea.
7) (3 min)Next we have testing – explain to girls that user testing is important because it is good to
get other people’s opinions, especially if these other people may want to buy your product! Have
the girls make a list of questions they might ask to users. Some sample questions to get girls
started: What do you like most about our toy? What do you like least? What do you think of _____
feature in our toy?
8) (3 min)The next step is to re-evaluate and then create the final product. Have girls draw out what
they imagine their final product to look like. For instance, in the case of spoon and marble hockey,
girls could draw a hockey stick that looked more like a conventional hockey stick instead of a
spoon, and they might sell these in a set of four, so a group of four friends could play together
instead of just one. Given the goal of the toy, how would girls make it look more like a toy than
just a spoon and marble thrown together?
9) (1-2 min per group) The last step is presentation – girls should present their toys to their peers,
explaining their final toy product, and what the prototype does.
Toy Maker Challenge (25 mins)
Now – for the moment they have all been waiting for: choosing their toys! Introduce the Toy Maker
Challenge to the girls.
Girls have the choice of three toys – a slingshot device, a rocket and a roller coaster. If girls would like to
create something original they can but they will need to argue the science concepts behind the toy and
they will only have the materials of the three toys listed available. Girls may not be familiar with the three
toys, so you may have to show pictures of them. Slingshots are a lot of fun because you can launch (soft)
objects around the room. The rockets shoot up in the air and usually go to the ceiling! And the roller
coasters are also a lot of fun because you can make a lot of fun-shaped roller coaster tracks.
Organize the groups based on interest of toy. Have the girls write down their top two choices. Some girls
will not be able to work on their first choice but can work on their second. It is okay to have multiple
groups working on the same toy.
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 4
Roller Coasters
The Mission: To build a roller coaster that teaches children about the principles behind
energy exchange.
Materials:
Pipe insulation (http://www.drillspot.com/hvacr/pipe-and-tubing/pipe-insulation/)
Popsicle sticks, balsa wood or wooden chopsticks
Cardboard/cardboard tubes
Marbles or rubber balls
Hot glue gun
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 5
Slingshots
Materials for the slingshot:
 Rubber bands of different thicknesses
 Popsicle sticks or wooden chopsticks
 Duct tape
 Clothespins
http://gizmodo.com/362503/sling-shot-pen-will-make-you-the-dennis-the-menace-of-theoffice
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-slingshot/step4/null/
http://bakati.com/s~q-slingshots.aspx
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Slingshot_%28weapon%29.jpg
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 6
Alka-Seltzer Rockets
Materials for the rocket:
 Short cardboard tube
 Paper plate
 Film Canister
 Alka-Selzer tablet
 Water
 Tape
1. Take a toilet paper tube and mark a spot 1" from the end. Cut five slits up to that
spot and fold the slits out (this forms the base of the rocket launcher).
2. Take a paper plate (or a plastic plate) and tape the toilet paper tube (with the
"legs" out flat) to the plate.
3. Take this outside if possible. Your “rocket” is a 35mm film canister. The best
canisters are the ones with the cap that fits INSIDE the canister.
4. Put on your eye protection.
5. Fill the canister about 1/3 full of water.
6. Take 1/4 tablet of Alka-Seltzer and drop into canister. The other partner should
start the timer to record how long the reaction takes to explode.
7. Put the lid on tightly and place LID DOWN into the toilet paper tube. Step back.
8. It takes about 1 minute or so for the rocket to launch.
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 7
The Toy Maker Challenge
You have all been hired by GoldieBloxTM, a toy company looking to build girls’ interests in
science, engineering, technology, and math through fun and interactive toys! GoldieBloxTM
would like you to develop a toy that they can sell to millions of girls around the world. You will
have to deliver a 2-D design of your toy including the amount and type of materials required.
In addition to the 2-D design, you will need to deliver a 3-D prototype of the toy to illustrate
how it works and how it teaches young girls about science. In a final presentation,
GoldieBloxTM would like any evidence of the toy’s success in testing, recommendations for
use such as appropriate age levels and amount of players, and how the toy will be marketed
in order to make sure it is a successful product.
Requirements
 Must have both a 2-D design and 3-D prototype of the proposed toy
 Each toy must convey a science lesson to its audience
 Type and amount of materials for the toy must be included
 Appropriate age level and amount of players stated
 Evidence from testing and market research must be included
Materials Needed For Each Presentation
 Individual materials for chosen toy
 2-D design and 3-D prototype
 Graphs or testimonies from testing/market research
Shared Materials
 Markers/writing instruments
 Extra materials from proposed toys
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 8
Science Behind the Toys (30 mins)
Girls will have the chance to explore different examples of energy exchange in a few hands-on activities.
Remind the girls that they should be thinking what type of energy exchange their toy illustrates. Each
group will be given an “energy bag” that contains a little car, a ruler, paperclip, magnets and a rubber
band. The groups should come up with as many ways as possible to propel the little car forward.
Activity adapted from http://oerb.com/ForEducators/tabid/58/Default.aspx
Energy
1. Ask the girls what they think of when they hear the word ‘energy’.
2. Explain that energy is what you need to make something go or to make something happen.
We measure energy with units called Joules. 1 Joule is the amount of energy it takes to lift a
small apple 1 meter high in the air.
3. Next, explain to the girls that there are many different types of energy. These types of energy
are included in the definition section on the first page for this session.
4. Now, give each group the energy bag and ask the girls to find as many ways as possible to
make the car run.
5. After the girls have played around a little, bring the group back together. Hopefully they
should have come up with a few different ways to make the car run. What sort of energy does
the car have when it is moving?
6. Next, ask the girls how they made the car run – how did it end up having kinetic energy?
Where did this kinetic energy come from? Ask them to identify the sorts of potential/elastic
energy in different scenarios.
7. Explain that what they were doing was an energy exchange – they started out with some
potential or elastic energy and ended up with kinetic energy. Energy never comes out of
nowhere; it is taken from one system and put into another, so you can never create or
destroy energy.
Chemical Energy
Introduction to Activity: The diet coke and mint mentos experiment is a great chemical reaction! Be
sure to put this over a sink.
Instructions:
1. Drop a mint mentos in a diet coke bottle and watch the geyser of soda shoot out!
2. Once girls have calmed down, explain that this is a chemical reaction between the mentos
and soda. Ask the girls if they can identify different types of energy in the system – from the
chemical energy in the diet coke/mentos to the kinetic energy of the coke shooting out of the
bottle, and even the potential energy of the coke in the air!
This reaction occurs because of nucleation. The carbon dioxide (gas) in soda is looking for a way out of
the liquid (soda). Mentos have what are called nucleation sites due to its sugary coating, meaning there
are lots of microscopic nooks and crannies for the bubbles (CO2) to form around. These escaping
bubbles turn into foam and the pressure builds until it explodes out of the soda bottle!
Reflection
Have a whole group discussion and journal time on today’s session. As a group and individually in
journals, summarize the topic and question of the day. You can use these questions, or your own, to
prompt their thinking.
 What parts of the design process did you use today?
 What types of energy and energy exchanges that happen with your chosen toy?
 What do you think is an important part to designing a toy?
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 9
Session Two
Focus on: The Toy Maker Challenge
(Design and Build)
 Icebreaker/ Name Game (10 mins)
 Toy Maker Challenge (70 mins)
a. Design Toy (20 mins)
b. Build Prototype (50 mins)
 Wrap-Up and Reflection (10 mins)
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Design their proposed toy
2. Use their design to begin building a prototype
Before Club Begins
 Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and
prepare in advance of clubs
 Distribute name tags and journals to each girl
 Write out or discuss how to cover the appropriate definitions
 Sort materials based on group’s toy choice
Age Appropriate Definitions
Design– plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or
other object before it is built or made
Prototype– first, typical or preliminary model of something, especially a machine
Materials Needed for Session 2:
Design and Prototyping
Per Club
Toy materials
Per Group
Toy appropriate materials
Per Girl
Pencil
Journal
Question of the Day: What are the differences between a 2-D design and a 3-D
model or prototype?
The girls will spend this session designing their toy and adding any adaptations they want. They will take
this 2-D drawing and begin building a 3-D model/prototype.
Continue the Toy Maker Challenge: Design (20 minutes)
Remind the girls of the Toy Maker Challenge and what is needed for them to provide Goldie Blox a great
science toy!
Have the girls in their group draw a design for their toy. Let the girls see all the materials available and
test them to evaluate their properties. Make sure the girls do not immediately go into building their toy.
Set up a system for mentors and junior mentors to look at designs before beginning building.
Questions to ask girls while they are designing?
 What materials are you using for your toy? Are they all included in your design?
 How will your design appeal to young girls?
 How will your design help you when building the toy?
 What additions or deletions did you make to the original design/picture of the toy provided?
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 10
Build a Prototype (50 minutes)
Prototyping is building a model of a final design in order to develop more intuition on how the product
looks and feels. Often, engineers build many prototypes when designing a product, each time changing
and improving it. Potential users of the final product (consumers) can also test out the prototypes and
offer valuable feedback on what they like and don’t like. Finally, many entrepreneurs need a prototype to
show that their idea is feasible and that they have already built a working model – if you are an
entrepreneur asking for money to develop your business, you need to be able to show that you’ve thought
your idea through.
Have the girls take their design (after approval from mentors or junior mentors) and begin building a
prototype for testing.
A team may struggle to build their toy, if they encounter technical difficulties when they see that an idea
on paper may not work well in real life. Remind the girls not to get discouraged, and help them get back
on track by helping them think of another solution.
If girls seem to be getting frustrated with their teammates or a girl seems to be getting left out of the
building, suggest that girls split up tasks to work on separately. Make sure each girl knows what she is
supposed to be working on and what her teammates are supposed to be working on. Often, frustration in
a teamwork setting arises from poor communication: a girl may not be clear on what she needs to be
doing, or how she is supposed to be making something work.
Questions to ask girls while they are building?
 What materials are you using for your toy? How will you budget the amount of material based on
your design (so as not to use more than you have)?
 What are the different parts of the toy to build?
 How easy will it be to replicate or make again?
 How do the materials change based on the part of the design?
 What small testing can you do during building to make sure the toy is working the way you want
it?
Girls should be done building at the end of this session so they can test their prototypes for the next
session. If they are not completed, take some time (max 15 minutes) at the beginning of the next session
to finish.
Reflection
 What parts of the design process did you use today?
 Did things go according to plan today? What may have helped to make things go more smoothly?
 What unforeseen challenges did girls face today? How did they respond to them?
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 11
Session Three
Focus on: The Toy Maker Challenge
(Test, Share, and Re-evaluate)
 Icebreaker/ Name Game (10 mins)
 The Toy Maker Challenge
a. Play Testing (40 mins)
b. Market Research/Re-Evaluate (30 mins)
 Wrap-Up and Reflection (10 mins)
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Conduct testing of their toy prototype
2. Hypothesize current trends in toy manufacturing
3. Make changes to their toy prototype from provided feedback from testing
Before Club Begins
 Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and
prepare in advance of clubs
 Distribute name tags and journals to each girl
 Ideally, check with another SCFG club and SCFG program manager to ask if they would give
volunteer about 15 minutes of club time to let their girls play with toys. Alternatively, girls can
rotate within the classroom to evaluate each other’s’ toys.
Age Appropriate Definitions
Competition– in business, refers to what other companies you compete with because of similar products
Market – means the customers you are targeting
Market Opportunity – finding a need that is not yet satisfied- something that hasn’t been done before
Materials Needed for Session 3:
Activity: Playtesting
Per Club
Per Group
Per Girl
Toy prototype
Clipboard with evaluation sheet
questionnaire
Journal
Pencil
Per Group
Per Girl
Completed evaluation sheets with
user input
Journal
Pencil
Activity: Market Research
Per Club
Question of the Day: Why is gathering input from potential users important when
designing a product?
Girls will be having others test their prototype to evaluate its popularity and ease of use. They will be
taking this information to re-evaluate and improve their toy.
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 12
Play Testing (40 minutes)
“Play testing” refers to testing the toys out on potential users. Before doing this activity, girls should fill out
questions for their evaluation sheets to distribute to their users. This helps them gather feedback for their
final product. Explain to the girls that this is a chance to get input from sources other than their own team,
and when designing a product, it is important to keep the users’ best interests in mind.
1) In teams, have the girls write questions for their evaluation sheet questionnaire. There are sample
questions already written out on the “Prototype Playtest Worksheet,” but girls can always add to
that. What sort of questions do the girls have about their prototype currently? Is it too big? Is it
easy to understand? Is it fun? What happens to the toy’s functionality as time goes on?
2) Once girls have these questions, they should be ready to jot down answers to these questions.
3) Girls should take their completed prototype, blank questionnaires on a clipboard and a pen to
wherever they will test their toy. As potential users play with the prototypes, girls should ask the
questions on their questionnaires and jot down users’ answers.
4) If the playtesting is being done within the club, have teams rotate stations, so that one team will
be showing their toy and gathering input from the rest of the teams.
After every group has received feedback, have the girls evaluate the results from the playtesting. This is a
good time for them to make improvements and changes based on their results. Remind the girls that they
do not need to take all the advice they were given; help them narrow down the most important
information. Girls should directly respond to at least two different feedback points that they received
today. Have them re-sketch their toy incorporating these points. The new sketch and evaluations sheets
should be kept.
“Prototype Playtest Worksheet”
As you test your first prototype out on people, be sure to gather their thoughts by asking them these types
of questions and jotting down their answers.
What do you like best about our toy?
What do you like least about our toy?
Other questions that our team has:
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 13
Market Research and Re-Evaluate (40 minutes)
When launching a new product, it is important to figure out what existing products are already out there –
don't make a product that already exists! If you had time and the ability, making a trip to the local toy store
to see what toys are out there, or going online would be methods to collect market research. If internet is
available at your site, please use it to search toys as club or with each individual group. If not, ask the
girls to think of the last time they were in a toy store or at a party where toys were given as gifts and what
they observed during this time.
This can be done as a whole group or with individual groups facilitated by a mentor.
Questions to prompt them during this conversation:
Do you see any toys that resemble the one you are making? If so, describe them:
What age range do you think your toy is meant for? Is it mainly for boys or girls? What are the reasons for
your toy fitting certain age or gender? Try to have them break through stereotypical assignment of toys
(i.e. trucks are for boys, dolls are for girls)
Now, what other toys do you see that are meant for children of that age and gender? For example, if you
think your toy is meant for girls aged 6 – 9, what toys do you see that are already out there for this group?
What are common colors used for these toys?
How much do these toys sell for?
What are these toys made from? Wood? Plastic? Metal?
Reflection
Have a whole group discussion and journal time on today’s session.
As a group and individually in journals, summarize the topic and question of the day. You can use these
questions, or your own, to prompt their thinking.
 What parts of the design process did you use today?
 What was helpful or not helpful about playtesting?
 Why is conducting playtesting and market research important when making a product?
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 14
Session Four
Focus on: The Toy Maker Challenge
(Re-Evaluate and Share)
 Icebreaker/ Name Game (10 mins)
 The Toy Maker Challenge
a. Re-Evaluate/Final Product (40 mins)
b. Elevator Pitches (30 mins)
 Wrap-Up and Reflection (10 mins)
Session Objectives
By the end of this session, your girls will:
1. Use results from playtesting and market research to improve their toy
2. Present their finalized toy prototype
3. Develop elevator pitches about their toys to share with the entire club
Before Club Begins
 Discuss with your mentoring team who will be responsible for what portions of the session and
prepare in advance of clubs
 Distribute name tags and journals to each girl
Age Appropriate Definitions
Investor– person or company who gives money to a project in exchange for part of the profits that the
project makes
Investment – money an investor gives to a project. Ideally, the investor would make more money than
the initial investment. An investor may give 50$ to an entrepreneur who makes a new kind of cell phone.
Five years later, when the cell phone is selling like crazy, for each cell phone, the investor receives 2$.
After more than 25 cell phones are sold, the investor is making money off of her initial investment!
Elevator Pitch – a shorten version of a sales pitch that covers the main point of whatever you are trying
to convey, in this case it would be the toy, to convince the person to invest (usually 1-2 minutes; the time
it takes to talk to someone in an elevator before they get to their floor)
Materials Needed for Session 3:
Activity: Re-Evaluate/Final Product
Per Club
Per Group
Per Girl
Toy prototype
Toy materials from past sessions
Journal
Pencil
Per Group
Per Girl
Elevator pitch worksheets
Note cards
Journal
Pencil
Activity: Elevator Pitch
Per Club
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 15
Question of the Day: How would you let people know about your toys?
The girls will be using any feedback from playtesting and market research to finalize their toy prototype.
They will be sharing their toy prototypes and information needed to meet the challenge through an
elevator pitch.
Re-Evaluate/Final Product (40 minutes)
JMs and mentors should be leading a group to ensure that things are moving along and more importantly,
that every girl is involved. Give the girls time to finish their toy prototype and make any last change.
Remind them of the challenge deliverables and requirements. Make sure they have had time to address
all the required points and if there is additional information they would like to include.
Remind girls that their “final” product does not need to be perfect and they can talk about any additional
changes they would make, if they had more time, during their presentation.
Elevator Pitches (30 minutes)
Help the girls plan out an elevator pitch for their teams. JMs and mentors should be leading different
groups; as usual, let the girls manage themselves and step in when necessary. Have the girls use note
cards to write any reminders they need during their presentation. Let the girls know it is okay and often
necessary for people to use visual aids when presenting, in order to convey all the information they want
to.
1. Have the girls fill out the elevator pitch sheet in their groups. This set of questions will help guide
them through what information they should discuss.
2. Be sure that the girls evenly split up the talking – the pitch should be no more than 2 – 3 minutes
long, and they should have their designs and product with them.
Make sure to leave 20 minutes for elevator pitches and ask the audience of girls for questions or
comments at the end of each presentation. Remind the girls it is helpful for peers to receive feedback and
critique, but to be supportive in their comments to each other.
Elevator Pitching Worksheet
Think you can “sell” your product in two minutes? Here are some questions that will guide you in what to
say – keep your answers brief, and put them all together to make an elevator pitch!
Adapted from: http://www.businessknowhow.com/money/elevator.htm
What is your product?
Who are you trying to sell it to? What ages?
Are there other products that are similar to yours? Which ones?
Why is your product more unique than any other product out there?
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 16
Next, make a brief introduction (state your names, company names and company roles) before explaining
all the information you wrote above. Finish on a confident, upbeat note with something like, “So in the
future, keep an eye out for our product!”
Reflection
Have a whole group discussion and journal time on today’s session.
As a group and individually in journals, summarize the topic and question of the day. You can use these
questions, or your own, to prompt their thinking.
 What parts of the design process did you use today?
 What was challenging and/or easy about creating an elevator pitch?
 What parts or sessions of the module worked well? What didn’t?
Remind the girls that this is the end of the toy maker challenge and to ask them about their experience as
engineers and entrepreneurs!
©2016, Science Clubs for Girls
The Toy Maker Module, v5
Page 17