Halloween is a great time of year to make lots of lovely crafts and edible creations. We’ve combined a spider paper plate craft with a fun marble and magnet maze.
In addition to being a simple and practical scientific activity, this is a great activity to learn about gravity and magnetism.
you will need
paper plate
bulging eyes
Straws or pipe cleaners
Double-sided tape or glue
Scissors
white paper
Marble
For a magnetic labyrinth
Colored card or small plastic insect.
Paper clip
Instructions
marble labyrinth
Place four straws or pipe cleaners on each side of the paper plate.
Glue the googly eyes to the plate.
Cut out 3 or 4 strips of white paper and glue them to the paper plate forming an arch.
Place a marble on the paper plate and move the plate to guide the marble through each arc.
Magnetic maze
To make a magnetic maze, cut a small shape from a piece of cardstock and attach a paper clip to it. You can also use a small plastic insect instead of a cardboard shape.
Place the small piece of cardstock on top of the paper plate and use a magnet under the plate to move it.
The clip is attracted to the magnet, so it moves around the plate with the magnet.
The science behind a marble maze or marble run
Objects only move when they are pushed or pulled.
When the plate is tilted, the marble falls due to gravity. Gravity is the force that pulls everything towards the earth.
As the marble falls downward, the potential energy is converted to kinetic energy.
The steeper the tilt of the plate, the faster the marble will move.
To slow the movement of the marble, the inclination of the plate must be small.
Extension tasks
Find a way to slow down the movement of the marble using friction. This could be done by covering the plate with felt or another material that is not as smooth as the plate.
Scientific concepts
Gravity
Magnetism
Last updated on October 2, 2024 by Emma Vanstone
#Easy #Spider #Paper #Plate #Marble #Maze
