Rolling Marble Runs Unit | K-8 STEM Curriculum

"I piloted the Marble Run unit in June, and by the time my 3rd graders became 4th graders, they remembered everything—force, vocabulary. That kind of carryover is rare."

-Elizabeth, Science Teacher in NYC

Unit Description

A toy inventor's marble run keeps getting stuck — the marble never makes it to the end. Students investigate what makes a marble roll in the first place, then explore how ramp angle, surface friction, and energy transfer during collisions all affect how far and fast a ball travels. They build a baseline marble run first, then tinker their way toward a final design challenge: a 3D cardboard box run that keeps a ball rolling for five seconds or more.

What Students Learn

How gravity and unbalanced forces cause objects to move
How steepness affects the speed and energy of a rolling object
How friction removes kinetic energy and slows objects down
How energy transfers between objects during collisions
Authentic practice with all 8 Science and Engineering Practices

What's Included

10 slide-based lessons with embedded graphics and media
Step-by-step teacher guide with facilitation notes
Student worksheet packet with pre/post assessment
All hands-on building materials
Maker skill video tutorials
Optional Marble Masterpieces extension

Choosing the Right Version

Version

Features

Standards

Grades 4-5

Bar graphs, written explanations, fair testing and comparisons

3-PS2-1 · 3-PS2-2 · 4-PS3-1 · 4-PS3-3 · 5-PS2-1 · 3-5-ETS1-1 · 3-5-ETS1-2 · 3-5-ETS1-3

Grades 6-8

Median calculations, bar graphs, CER written explanations, quantitative comparisons of first and final test results

MS-PS2-1 · MS-PS2-2 · MS-PS3-5 · MS-ETS1-1 · MS-ETS1-2 · MS-ETS1-3 · MS-ETS1-4

Let’s Plan Your Unit!