Bowled Over

Bowled Over Organiser’s Card About the activity The children have been given a scenario where they are asked to build and test a ten-pin bowling game suitable for use outside. Through this activity you will support your group to: • Explore forces and stability while designing and testing their own outdoor bowling game • Play and evaluate the game • Create instructions. Kit list To make the bowling equipment they will need: • Plastic bottles and containers (different sizes and shapes) • Different fillings (e.g. gravel, sand, water) To test their games they will need: • Different outside surfaces • A selection of balls What to do 1. Introduce the activity using the story of Cosmic and Gem. Ask the children if they have played ten pin bowling before. 2. Give out activity cards and equipment to the children. 3. Explain that they will be using the equipment provided to test the best design of ten pin bowling. 4. Encourage children to discuss their ideas and how to carry out their investigations. Prompt questions: • What will they make the pins from? • What surface will they play on? • What ball will they use? • How will they make sure their test is fair? • How will they record their results? 5. Support children to conduct their tests and make their own records of their results. Encourage children to think about how the different variables (e.g. playing surface, shape/ weight of pins, ball) might affect the game. 6. They could also take photographs or make drawings. Ask the children to present their findings to the rest of the group, they can be as creative in their presentation as they want.

Discuss Children may need to be shown images of the pins used in indoor bowling alleys and how they are arranged. Get them to think about how the very specific shape of the pins and where they are placed might influence what happens to the pins when hit by a bowling ball. Take it further Pins made from containers that are wider at the bottom will be more difficult to knock over than pins that are wider at the top. It is important to let children discover this by trying out their own ideas. Keywords • Forces • Stability Watch out! Follow the organisation’s guidelines for outdoor work. Ensure the outdoor environment is safe and clean. Do not allow children to use equipment that is sharp or will break easily e.g. tin cans or glass bottles. British Science Association Registered Charity No. 212479 and SC039236