Domino Play 

For this Tinkertime activity, you will get to explore creating chain reactions using dominoes. Be creative and have fun! 

BEFORE WE BEGIN...

Please work respectfully and responsibly with others at your station. What does that look like?

• • • Share materials, 

    • keep noise down....classes around you might be working!

    • be kind to each other and work cooperatively, 

    • keep your working space neat,

    • when directed, clean up your area and look for others to help clean up their area too,

    • pack supplies back neatly in the bin, because another class will be trying these activities.  

STEP 1:  Video with Directions 

Watch the unpacking video at the bottom of the page, then read through the steps below! 

STEP 2: A SPONTANEOUS PROBLEM

Break into teams, or work alone to complete this short challenge:  Starting with a cup full of dominoes, try to build a domino track that sends a domino, or other object, off the edge of your desk and into the cup sitting on the floor.

You will have 10 minutes to try this challenge out. Here is the link to the timer:  LINK  

When the timer goes off, we will leave our work and come together for a short discussion and story.

STEP 3: DISCUSSION AND STORY

Come together and answer these questions:

• What worked well?

• What was frustrating?

• What would you do differently if you had more time?

WATCH this quick story about Rube Goldberg:  VIDEO

STEP 4: CHAIN REACTIONS

Chain Reactions...

A chain reaction is when one action causes a different action to begin. 

Work together with a partner or small team trying out one or more of the ideas below;

Ideas to Try . . .you might also want to watch a video or two for inspiration (scroll down to see)...

• Can you make one line of dominoes split in two directions? 

• Can you make a spiral of dominoes?

• Can you make a domino ramp?

• Can you make dominoes fall from a higher place to start a row of dominoes in a lower place?

• Can you build your domino creation so that it links together to start knocking over another person's domino creation?

• How many chain reactions can you build?

IF TIME...Draw your design, or watch a video for inspiration...

Here is a template to use for your design.

STEP 5:  Cleanup

Please help each other to pack the cart back up so that it looks just like when we started!  Here is a cleanup countdown video for you!