TICKETS, TICKETS, GET YOUR TICKETS!
Inspired by Newton’s Laws of Motion, 9th grade students in Drew Zachry and Sam Reich’s Physics classes were given a task to make their own carnival game.
All of the games were controlled by the ideas of force, changing mass, and how objects react to the force of another object. For the assignment, students could either remake an existing carnival game or make a completely new one from their imagination. They then (1) plan out the game, (2) prototype their design, and (3) build the final product for Middle School students to come play.
This year students focused on inclusion. Working with Joe Christy, Director of Engagement and Inclusion, and Liz Latour, Director of the Hiatt Center, Ms. Reich and Mr. Zachry asked the students to research a population with a physical disability and a design a game that they could play the same as anyone else. For example, a traditional Skee Ball game is low to the ground and requires a person to have a strong grip. In the version created by freshman Liam Taylor, the game is on a table and uses a slingshot-like mechanism, making it accessible to individuals with cerebral palsy. See this in action—and a few additional examples—in the video below.
Our students are the ones who get to design what the world will become. We want them to have experience designing for all. — Drew Zachry
At the carnival, students provided an instructional pamphlet that outlined the physics behind their game and how they made it accessible.
Middle School students attended the Physics Carnival during snack and advisory to play all the games.
