Eighth-grade students put on their engineering hats and got creative as they tackled the Ball Maze Challenge. The hands-on learning activity challenges students to design and build mazes through which a half-inch marble can be maneuvered from a specified start and endpoint.

Working in the MakerSpace Design Lab, students formed small groups to discuss how they could create designs of specific dimensions and scope. Each group was provided the necessary materials including a 16-inch-by-16-inch piece of MDF, a fiber-based wood material, a 20-inch-by-30-inch sheet of foam core, and a 20-inch-square piece of corrugated cardboard.

As they tinkered away constructing the maze, students were given one simple rule: the ball must travel on a singular route through one tunnel and one bridge. Adding LED lights and battery-powered motion to the design was encouraged along with teacher-approved objects from home.

According to Middle School Director Brian Christman, the students are “encouraged to be creative and take design risks, with an emphasis on planning, design, care in the use of tools, and cooperative group work.”

The Ball Maze Challenge is an annual project that takes place in the Technology and Design Class. This class provides students with the opportunity to work in the MakerSpace Design Lab, a center for exploration and innovation that allows for creative project construction. As part of the embedded curriculum, Middle School students rotate each quarter through a selection of elective classes including art, theater, music, and MakerSpace.