1. Let’s Play- Pitch & Putt/Grab & Drop
Culminating Engineering and Technology Project
for 6th Grade

2. Why use it ?
This activity comes at the end of the Engineering and Technology Unit.
This culminating activity requires the students to become engineers and design/create technology that other students can use/enjoy.

3. Brief Activity Description:
Students will be required to work in small groups to create either a Pitch & Putt Hole with putter, or, a Grab & Drop game with grabber. The unit will end with a celebration of knowledge- Let’s Play Day- where students get to test out each other’s Pitch & Putt Holes or Grab & Drop Games.

4. Learning Standard: Target Age Group :
Curriculum Frameworks & Learning Standards:
(MA Crosswalks)
Target Age Group: Grade 6
(Technology/Engineering)
Grade 6 MS-ETS1 Engineering Design-
MS-ETS1-5(MA). Create visual representations of solutions to a design problem. Accurately interpret and apply scale and proportion to visual representations.
MS-ETS1-6(MA). Communicate a design solution to an intended user, including design features and limitations of the solution.
Grade 6 MS-ETS2 Materials, Tools and Manufacturing-
MS-ETS2-2(MA). Given a design task, select appropriate materials based on specific properties needed in the construction of a solution.
MS-ETS2-3(MA). Choose and safely use appropriate measuring tools, hand tools, fasteners and common power tools used to construct a prototype.

5. Lab and Equipment Safety:
There are 2 safety situations students need to be aware of- 1. Students will be using sharp objects and tools to create their projects. Students need to use caution so that they do not cut themselves. 2. While playing the “games”, students need to be careful when swinging the club or hitting a ball so that they do not hit anyone or anything in the classroom. We don’t want anyone getting hurt or anything breaking.

6. Materials Needed:
Most of the items Needed are standard classroom items and/or can be brought in by students from recycling. Also, groups can exchange items that they are not going to use with other groups. Therefore, there really is no outside cost involved.
Each Group’s bucket may include items like- tape, scissors, stapler, paper fasteners, rulers, yarn, cardboard, Styrofoam trays and cups, cardstock, skewers…
There will also be a “community bucket” of different sized and shaped objects that can be used to be Pitched and Putted or Grabbed and Dropped. This bucket may include- golf balls, ping pong balls, tennis balls, bouncy balls, baseballs, softballs, whiffle balls, cotton balls- whatever can be found at home or in the closet.

7. Procedure : Day One (45 minutes)
1. pass out and go over the activity directions and expectations- “Students will work in small groups (3-4 students per group) to design and create (with the materials provided) either a Pitch and Putt Golf Hole or a Grab and Drop Game.” also, answer any questions that students may have about the activity. 2. Students should be assigned or be allowed to choose groups to be part of to complete the activity. This depends of the teacher’s preference and/or groups of students in the class.

8. Procedure : Days Two-Four (45 minutes each day)
Day Two (45 minutes)
Students should work in their small groups to draw out designs and plan how they are going to build their projects.
Days Three and Four (45 minute blocks)
Students should build/test/adjust their holes or games.

9. Procedure : Day five (45 minutes or more if needed)
1. Groups should set up their Pitch & Putt Holes or Grab & Drop Games. 2. After set-up, students will rotate (in their groups) to other projects every 10 minutes. 3. As groups rotate through each other’s projects, a member of the group should oversee (help out as needed/answer questions…) the visiting group. The person who oversees the activity should also rotate as the groups do so that everyone gets a turn to visit other projects and watch over their own project. 4. Groups should clean-up project.

10. Procedure : Day Six (45 minutes )
1. Groups will breakdown, cleanup, recycle, put away all materials used. 2. Groups will fill out any last minute paperwork and prepare to report to the whole class about their experience. 3. Each group will share their successes, struggles, and what they learned during the Let’s Play- Engineering in Action Unit.

11. Sample Pitch & Putt hole:
Example Setup of Pitch & Putt Hole
Figure 1-

12. Sample Grab & Drop Game:
Example Setup of Grab & Drop Game
Figure 2-

13. Sample Project Directions for Students:

14. References : http://www.doe.mass.edu/stem/review.html
cators/index.html
References :