NAAIDT: NAAIDT Project Exchange: Marble Puzzle

Marble Puzzle
D&T Online
Submitted by: Geoff Howard

Reception	Whole Class Project	Resistant Materials	Engineering
KS1	Individual Project	Graphics	CADCAM
KS2	Short Task	Food	Catering
KS3	Research and Investigation	Textiles	Fashion
KS4	Enterprise activity	ICT	Electronics
Post 16	Product Analysis	Systems and Control	Structures
Embedding ICT in DT

Lesson Context
Suitable as a KS3 resistant materials project - principally to build basic construction skills.

Resources Needed
Strips of pine pre-prepared with 3mm groove to accept acrylic top.
Joiner's precision mitre saws and large elastic bands to hold the frame together during gluing (old inner tubes can be cut into strips to provide these)
3mm clear acrylic for the top and 3mm MDF or Birch Ply for the base
Computer, colour printer and software suitable for graphics.

Teacher Preparation
Strips of material prepared.
Disc of suitable clip art and other images made available.
Assemble a display of related commercial products to stimulate ideas.

Project Brief
Design and make a puzzle based on the movement of a marble around a maze. The puzzle should be contained within a wood frame. The shape can be any regular polygon but its total perimeter must not exceed 0.5 metres.

Design and Manufacture
Decide on who will use the puzzle and think of a suitable theme (e.g. animals, sports, places of the world, famous buildings)
Choose a shape for the frame (e.g. square, rectangular, triangular, pentagonal)
Mark out, cut and assemble the frame.
Design a graphic for the base of the game using a computer, print it out and glue it to MDF or ply.
Add wood strips and any other pieces to form the maze (some may stay loose) and glue in the bottom to complete the puzzle - don't forget the marble!

Expected Outcomes
A range of marble puzzles of different geometric shapes but each including use of a computer print-out to apply surface image.

Marble Maze

Differentiation
Some pupils may be given the option of making a non-rectangular shape and invited to calculate the angles needed. Others may include a vacuum formed insert. A few pupils may be able to explore a wider range of jointing options in the time allocated.

Classroom Organisation
Computer print-outs may be created in discrete ICT sessions.

Additional Information
One way of joining the corners is to use a mitre joint. Use a precision mitre saw to cut the ends to 45 deg. for square and rectangular frames - what angle would be used for other polygons? Other joints such as lap joints can be used. Note that some joints will hide the end of the groove and others won't.

MS Word version of pupil hand-out