10 Reasons to Do the Ping Pong Pickup Engineering Challenge

By Amy Cowen on January 31, 2023 8:00 AM

Why do the 2023 Ping Pong Pickup Engineering Challenge? Here are 10 reasons this is a great STEM challenge for your students.

Example of ping pong pickup devices as examples for the 2023 Engineering Challenge

The annual Science Buddies Engineering Challenge makes it fun for students to try engineering. Each year, the Science Buddies Engineering Challenge presents an innovative and engaging engineering task and challenges students in grades K-12 around the world to use the engineering design process to brainstorm, design, build, and test a solution.

This year's challenge is the Ping Pong Pickup Challenge. Using simple materials, students are challenged to design a device that can pick up a ping pong ball at a distance and bring the ball back over the starting line. Students will use engineering design, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills to design, build, and test their Ping Pong Pickup devices. Once they have a working design, they can continue to improve the device to increase its reach. Picking up the ball from a greater distance can increase the overall score.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqFcL95QHFE

10 Reasons to Do the Science Buddies Engineering Challenge with Students

It's fun! Students will have all kinds of creative approaches to designing a Ping Pong Pickup device for the challenge. Bringing their designs to life is fun and a great way to employ active learning!

It uses simple materials. The Ping Pong Pickup Challenge uses everyday materials (paper, tape, string, and paperclips) that are inexpensive and easy to find. You may even already have these on hand. With simple materials, all students are working from the same starting point and within the same limitations to solve the challenge. (Note: Students will also need a ping pong ball for testing!)

It's accessible. The Science Buddies Engineering Challenge is open to students in grades K-12 everywhere, and the emphasis is on trying engineering and thinking like an engineer to design a solution for the challenge task. Tip! Sample Ping Pong Pickup devices shown in the directions and overview video can be helpful when brainstorming solutions with younger students, but these are not the only ways to build a Ping Pong Pickup device! With the added variable of distance, the Ping Pong Pickup Challenge easily scales in complexity to engage older students.

It demonstrates the engineering design process. Doing the Ping Pong Pickup Challenge emphasizes brainstorming, prototyping, testing, and iteration, all important steps of the engineering design process. There are lots of ways students might approach designing a device that can reach across a distance, pick up a ball, and return it to the starting line. This kind of hands-on engineering activity empowers students to be creative in designing and building their unique solution!

Iterate! The engineering design process involves testing, making changes, and testing again. Tip! Use this short video to talk about what iteration means with students.

It puts science concepts in action. Engineering projects often combine engineering design and other areas of science. Students doing this year's challenge will be learning about and using simple machines and mechanical engineering as they design and build their Ping Pong Pickup devices. What simple machines will their devices use?

Tip!: For additional lessons, experiments, and activities, see Teach About Simple Machines.

It emphasizes problem-solving. Students may find their Ping Pong Pickup devices don't work the first time. They might not be stable. They might not be able to pick up or hold the ball as it is retrieved. Students will need to practice problem-solving to find ways to improve their designs. Once their devices work, they can continue to try and increase the reach of the device. Picking up and retrieving a ball from a greater distance earns more points! Seeing their perseverance and determination in action can be incredible, and encouraging them to find ways to solve problems helps build confidence in their STEM skills.

It supports teamwork. Students can build their Ping Pong Pickup devices alone or on teams of up to four students. When working on a team, students practice important real-world collaboration and communication skills as they work together to build, test, and improve their final designs.

It's doable in and out of the classroom. The Ping Pong Pickup Challenge is designed for classroom use, but it works for out-of-school programs and for families at home, too. (Families can choose to have kids enter the Science Buddies Engineering Challenge even if it isn't assigned at school!)

It could win money for your program. There are ten $1,000 (USD) prizes up for grabs in the Science Buddies Engineering Challenge. All complete entries from students in listed geographic locations (see the rules) will be entered in random drawings for a chance to win money for the student or team's school or qualified organization. Prizes are not awarded based on high scores. Your students have a chance to win $1,000 for your program just by entering.

It's a global challenge! Students from around the world are invited to take part in the Science Buddies Engineering Challenge. While only students in certain locations are eligible to win prizes (see the rules), students everywhere can compete to get the highest scores and receive a participation certificate. The challenge is free to enter.