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School Science Workshop... Marble Run Mania! | Fizzics Education
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Marble Run Mania!

Marble Run Mania!

🚀 Physical World: Forces & Motion

Marble Run Mania

Engineering, Momentum and Problem Solving

Unlock your students’ creativity and engineering potential! In this high-energy workshop, students use accessible materials to design, build, and refine complex tracks to solve a series of physics-based challenges.

Designed to allow students to explore momentum, kinetic energy, and friction in a constructive environment, this workshop follows a rapid prototyping cycle. Students learn to predict outcomes, test their designs, and modify their tracks to successfully manage the laws of motion.

Key Science Concepts:

  • Forces in Action: Investigate balanced and unbalanced forces on a moving marble.
  • Energy Transformation: Map the conversion of Potential energy into Kinetic energy.
  • Friction & Drag: Discover how different surfaces and angles affect speed and duration.
  • Momentum & Inertia: Learn how mass and velocity influence the marble’s path.
  • Prototyping: Rapidly implement and modify ideas to overcome design hurdles.
  • System Analysis: Identify how changing one part of the track impacts the entire run.

Education-First Leadership

Led by Churchill Fellow Ben Newsome, we bridge the gap between playful design and rigorous physical world inquiry.

Ben Newsome STEM Engineering

4 Million+ Students Inspired since 2004

Learning Outcomes:

Students develop critical thinking and collaborative skills as they navigate technical constraints to achieve a functional design.

📏
Hands-on spatial reasoning.
🏗️
Engineering design cycles.

Australian National Curriculum Mapping for all our science incursions

Australian ACARA Content Outcomes:

Science F-10 Version 9.0

Foundation
  • describe how objects move and how factors including their size, shape or material influence their movement AC9SFU02
  • explore the ways people make and use observations and questions to learn about the natural world AC9SFH01
  • pose questions and make predictions based on experiences AC9SFI01
Year 1
  • describe pushes and pulls in terms of strength and direction and predict the effect of these forces on objects’ motion and shape AC9S1U03
Year 2
  • recognise that materials can be changed physically without changing their material composition and explore the effect of different actions on materials including bending, twisting, stretching and breaking into smaller pieces AC9S2U03
Year 1 & 2
  • describe how people use science in their daily lives, including using patterns to make scientific predictions AC9S1H0, AC9S2H01
  • pose questions to explore observed simple patterns and relationships and make predictions based on experiences AC9S1I01, AC9S2I01
  • compare observations with predictions and others’ observations, consider if investigations are fair and identify further questions with guidance AC9S1I05, AC9S2I05
Year 4
  • identify how forces can be exerted by one object on another and investigate the effect of frictional, gravitational and magnetic forces on the motion of objects AC9S4U03
Year 3 & 4
  • examine how people use data to develop scientific explanations AC9S3H01, AC9S4H01
  • consider how people use scientific explanations to meet a need or solve a problem AC9S3H02, AC9S4H02
  • pose questions to explore observed patterns and relationships and make predictions based on observations AC9S3I01, AC9S4I01
  • compare findings with those of others, consider if investigations were fair, identify questions for further investigation and draw conclusions AC9S3I05, AC9S4I05

Design and Technologies F-10 Version 9.0

Foundation
  • generate, communicate and evaluate design ideas, and use materials, equipment and steps to safely make a solution for a purpose AC9TDEFP01
Years 1 & 2
  • explore how technologies including materials affect movement in products AC9TDE2K02
  • generate and communicate design ideas through describing, drawing or modelling, including using digital tools AC9TDE2P01
  • use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions AC9TDE2P02
  • evaluate the success of design ideas and solutions based on personal preferences and including sustainability AC9TDE2P03
  • sequence steps for making designed solutions cooperatively AC9TDE2P04
Years 3 & 4
  • describe how forces and the properties of materials affect function in a product or system AC9TDE4K02
  • explore needs or opportunities for designing, and test materials, components, tools, equipment and processes needed to create designed solutions AC9TDE4P01
  • generate and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate attributions, technical terms and graphical representation techniques, including using digital tools AC9TDE4P02
  • select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions AC9TDE4P03
  • use given or co-developed design criteria including sustainability to evaluate design ideas and solutions AC9TDE4P04
  • sequence steps to individually and collaboratively make designed solutions AC9TDE4P05

Australian National Curriculum Mapping for all our science workshops & shows

NSW K – 10 Science Syllabus mapping for all our incursions

NSW Science Syllabus Content

A student:

  • observes the way objects move and relates changes in motion to push and pull forces STe-5PW-ST
  • develops solutions to an identified need STe-2DP-T
  • investigates how forces and energy are used in products ST1-9PW-ST
  • uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity ST1-2DP-T
  • describes how contact and non-contact forces affect an object’s motion ST2-9PW-ST
  • selects and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity ST2-2DP-T

NSW Science and Technology K–6 Syllabus (Implementation from 2027)

For explanatory points & implementation advice for each dot point, please visit the NESA Science and Technology K–6 Curriculum site

Early Stage 1

STE-SCI-01

identifies and describes characteristics of living things, properties of materials, and movement

  • Test how the movement of an object is affected by its shape
  • Experiment to observe how an object’s movement is affected by its material

STE-PQU-01 poses questions based on observations to collect data

STE-DDT-01

identifies and uses technologies to make products to address user needs or opportunities

  • Design and build a simple product that addresses a user need or opportunity
Stage 1

ST1-SCI-01

measures and describes changes in living things, materials, movement, Earth and the sky

  • Recognise that a force is a push or a pull that can make things either start moving, stop moving, change speed, direction or shape
  • Pose questions and test the effects of forces on an object’s movement
  • Test how frictional forces affect moving objects

ST1-PQU-01 poses questions based on observations and information to investigate cause and effect

ST1-DDT-01

uses technologies and materials to design and make products to address user needs or opportunities

  • Recognise that a design process breaks large projects into manageable, logical steps
  • Apply one or more steps of a design process to make a product
Stage 2

ST2-PQU-01 poses questions to create fair tests that investigate the effects of energy on living things and physical systems

ST2-DDT-01

uses a design process to create products to address user needs or opportunities

  • Explore the design of a structure, product or place and identify how user needs are addressed
  • Generate, develop and communicate design ideas
  • Test construction methods and materials to build a designed model
  • Build, test and evaluate a designed model

VIC Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0

Science

For explanatory points & implementation advice for each dot point, please visit the VIC Curriculum F-10 site.

Foundation to Level 2
  • the way objects move depends on a variety of factors including their size, shape and material VC2S2U10
  • pushes and pulls are forces that can change an object’s movement or shape and can be represented in terms of strength and direction VC2S2U11
  • experiences can be used as a basis for posing questions to explore observed patterns and relationships, and to make predictions VC2S2I01
  • observations can be compared to predictions and the observations of others, which may lead to further questions being identified VC2S2I05
Levels 3 & 4
  • the properties of natural and made materials, including fibres, metals, glass and plastics, influence their use and re-use. VC2S4U05
  • forces, including frictional, gravitational, electrostatic and magnetic, can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance and affect the motion (speed and direction) of objects. VC2S4U10
  • scientific investigations to answer questions or test predictions can be planned and conducted using provided scaffolds, including identifying the attributes of fair tests, and considering the safe use of materials and equipment. VC2S4I02
  • repeatable scientific investigations to answer questions can be planned and conducted, including, as appropriate, deciding the variables to be changed, measured and controlled in fair tests, considering potential risks, planning for the safe and ethical use of equipment and materials, and obtaining permissions for investigations conducted on Country and Place or in protected areas. VC2S6I02

Design and Technologies

Foundation to Level 2
  • explore how technologies affect movement in products and systems VC2TDE2C01
  • explore the characteristics and properties of materials and components that are used to create designed solutions VC2TDE2C04
  • explore needs or opportunities, materials, components, tools and processes for designing and creating designed solutions VC2TDE2D01
  • explore, generate and communicate design ideas through describing, drawing or modelling, using manual and digital tools VC2TDE2D02
  • use materials, components, tools and techniques to safely make designed solutions VC2TDE2D03
  • describe and select design ideas and solutions based on personal preferences and including sustainability VC2TDE2D04
  • sequence steps for making designed solutions cooperatively VC2TDE2D05
Levels 3 & 4
  • describe how forces affect function in a product or system VC2TDE4C01
  • describe how the properties of materials affect function in a product or system VC2TDE4C04
  • explore needs or opportunities for designing and testing materials, components, tools and processes needed to create designed solutions VC2TDE4D01
  • generate and communicate design ideas and decisions using technical terms and graphical representation techniques, using manual and digital tools VC2TDE4D02
  • select and use materials, components, tools and techniques to safely make designed solutions VC2TDE4D03
  • use given or predetermined design criteria including sustainability to evaluate design ideas and solutions VC2TDE4D04
  • sequence steps to individually and collaboratively make designed solutions VC2TDE4D05

Engaging for students!

What Students Experience: The Design Studio

This workshop is designed to complement our
Forces, Friction and Movement
programme through a series of student-centred design challenges. The lesson is entirely driven by the students, with our presenter and the classroom teacher working directly with them to facilitate inquiry and a deeper understanding of why things move.

The Loop Challenge

Can they make the ball loop-the-loop? Students must calculate the necessary potential energy and speed to overcome gravity at the peak of the circle.

Projectile Motion

How far can they make the ball jump? By modifying ramp angles and exit velocities, students explore the physics of flight and landing precision.

Efficiency & Speed

How fast can the ball move? Students iterate their designs to minimise friction and maximise momentum, testing if additional materials can improve the run.

EST. 2004

Authentic Engineering Design

A Trusted STEM Partner for 20 Years

Our presenters are experts at guiding student-led inquiry, ensuring that every design failure becomes a valuable learning opportunity in the scientific process.

Rapid Prototyping: High-engagement cycles of prediction, testing, and modification using specialised ramp kits.

Inquiry-Based Learning: Facilitating deep student understanding of physical forces through active investigation.

Two students setting up a wooden ramp with balls and pipes

Requirements

🏗️ Workshop Logistics

Session Requirements

👥 Capacity & Timing

👨‍🎓 Attendance: Max 30 students per class.

🏫 Target: Appropriate for Years K to 4.

Duration: 60 minutes.

🛠️ Set/Pack: 30 mins setup + 30 mins pack down.

📍 Space & Setup

🏗️ Space: A school hall is preferrable for this workshop to allow for maximum design range.

Experience: We tailor our materials to suit the conditions and the specific age group of your audience.

COVID Safe

COVID Safe: During Social Distancing – Contact us and we’ll tailor a program to suit both your school and the State’s requirements.

🛡️ $20M Public Liability
WWCC Checked
📋 Full Risk Assessments
🎓 Expert Educators

Go Further!

Complete Units of Work to Support Your Teaching

Save planning time with high-quality videos, printable experiments, quizzes, vocabulary lists, and marking rubrics.

Explore STEM Units

Did you know about our larger stage shows?

Designed to engage up to 240 students, pair this workshop with one of these school favourites:

Cost

💰 Workshop Investment

Marble Run Mania

$580 inc. GST
60-Minute Workshop
✨ $19.33 per student
(Based on 30 students)

$660 inc. GST
90-Minute Workshop
✨ $22.00 per student
(Based on 30 students)

Early Bird: Book and pay within 7 days to receive 10% off your booking.

View offers & discounts

📍 Regional: We visit country schools via Country Science Tours.

📑 Syllabus: Print a PDF for mapping of all K to 6 science visits.

Call 1300 856 828

Click below to book your primary school science workshop.

4 Million+ Students Inspired since 2004

Enquire Now

Extension Ideas!

Scientist Q & A

Often students attend our science workshops and shows with questions that stem beyond the covered topic area. Ask a scientist aims to give students a chance to get their questions answered! Run as a 30-minute session at a cost of $70 inc. GST.

Read More

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