Playtime Reverse Engineering:  Improving the Mechanics of Motion in Classic Toys 
By:  Kari Stranberg

Project at a Glance :

Students will explore the science of force and motion by reverse engineering a traditional wind-up toy. Through hands-on experimentation, research, and expert consultations, they will apply Newton’s Laws of Motion, energy transfer, and mechanical engineering concepts to design a modernized version of a classic toy.

Driving Question:

How can we redesign and modernize an old-fashioned wind-up toy to make a more engaging, efficient and interactive product?       

Standards:

• Understand how potential and kinetic energy power wind-up toys.
• Apply Newton’s Laws of Motion to improve toy efficiency.
• ​Explore the relationship between force, motion, and energy transfer in mechanical systems.
• Engage in the engineering design process to prototype and test new toy concepts.

Team / Culture Building:

• Bug List- Toys through the Decades - as a quick warm up the next class period students did around the world activity where they had to list all of the things that bugged them about the different toys from each decade. They also listed things that they liked about these toys. ​

Entry Event:

• Wind up toy analysis - students play with classic wind-up toys (spinning, hopping, rolling, and flipping) while uncovering the science of force, motion, and energy transfer.  As they explore, they ask: What makes these toys move? How do gears, springs, and stored energy power their motion? This hands-on discovery sets the stage for their upcoming engineering challenge.

• Toys through the decades - prior to reverse-engineering a wind up toy students look at the history or toy design. They did a quick search at toys from a specific decade and then made a collage of toys they have played with during that time period. 

Click here for video link

Stakeholders:

• Students
• Parents
• Students with disabilities
• Automatic Spring Company
• MacKite Company
• Mechanical Engineers
• Toy Designers​
• Tri-Cities Historical Museum
  

Empathy Building:

• Empathy Map-Each group wll pick a stakeholder to complete an empathy map of. 
• Love Letter- Students will write a breakup letter with a childhood toy or current wind up toy. They will talk about what they loved about it but why its time to move on and design an improved toy.
• Stakeholder Map

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Science Behind the Motion - students investigated the mechanics of the wind up toys more by learning how the number of turns affected the distance or performance of the toy and had a chance to take them apart to discover connections between the pieces and the motion.​

• Reverse Engineering- Toy take Apart - students explored the inner workings of wind-up toys by carefully taking them apart to observe the gears, springs, and mechanisms that power their movement. They then drew detailed diagrams of both the outer design and internal components to better understand how each part contributes to the toy’s motion.

• Ellen Pullin, Tri-Cities Historical Museum Education Curator - visited our class to give a fascinating presentation on the evolution of toys and play. She brought in a collection of vintage toys and photos, showcasing how toy design and materials have changed over time. Students had the opportunity to interact with some of the toys and ask questions about their design and function.

Incubation:

• Combin-ide-ation Protocol - students begin by creating three categories of cards: Motion & Mechanics, Theme & Aesthetics, and Interactive Features. During the game, each student flips one card from each category and silently brainstorms one or more toy design ideas that combine those three elements. Each idea is recorded on a separate sticky note, either through a quick sketch or brief written description. Students continue flipping new card combinations and generating ideas until all cards have been used. The drawing of ideas part of the activity is completed independently and quietly—sharing and discussion come afterward.

• Share and organize Combin-ide-ation - students shared their toy design ideas from the activity and worked together to sort similar concepts into themed groups.

Checking in:

• Stop-Start-Continue - after the Speed Sharing protocol, students returned to their seats to reflect on the feedback they received. They recorded insights from different peers, organizing them into three categories: things to stop or remove from their design, things to start or add, and things that were working well and should be continued in their final prototype.

---

Solution Building:

• Students used a Bracketology activity to organzie their soluution ideas.
• Poster Session​

Critique and Revision: 

• Critical Friends
• ​Speed Sharing - After completing their solution posters, students participated in a Speed Share activity to practice and refine their ideas. In two facing lines, students took turns explaining their designs in one-minute rounds while observing each other's reactions. Listeners shared when the speaker seemed most excited, and speakers noted listener feedback.

• Feedback Capture Grid activity, students presented their toy designs to the class and received structured feedback from their peers. Classmates shared what they Liked about the design, what they Wished was included, Questions they had, and any New Ideas that came to mind after hearing the presentation, helping designers reflect and improve their prototypes.

Final Presentation:

• Sample students presentation videos can be found on the Padlet below.​

• Project Business Partner​

Click here for teacher's full plan.

​Reflection and Feedback:

• "This PBL project was an engaging and inspiring experience for both the students and myself. Watching them redesign wind-up toys, from brainstorming to refining their final designs, highlighted their growth in STEM skills, creativity, and collaboration. I’m proud of how they took ownership of their learning, navigating both technical and creative aspects. The project reinforced the importance of flexibility in PBL, as adapting to student needs is key to success. Despite time constraints requiring us to use Elevator Pitch Vlogs instead of a full class exhibition, the students successfully showcased their ideas and shared their innovative solutions. Moving forward, I plan to incorporate more peer feedback and hands-on challenges to further foster student growth and engagement." ~ Kari Stranberg, STEM Educator
• "As I observed the PBL project, I was truly impressed by the level of engagement and the depth of learning happening in the classroom. The students were actively using science vocabulary as they discussed force, motion, and design, all while creatively solving problems to redesign wind-up toys. It was a great reminder of what effective learning looks like—students connecting real-world concepts to hands-on experiences. As I left the classroom, I couldn’t help but think, "This is exactly what I love to see and hear when I walk into a classroom." The way the students were integrating science language into their design process reminded me of the moments when I taught science, and it was exciting to see that kind of learning happening." ~ Mike Shelton, MS Principal
  

Click here for the teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet . . .

Meet the Educator:

Kari Stranberg is a 5th and 6th Grade STEM Teacher at White Pines Intermediate School, Grand Haven Areas Public Schools.

     "Using Future Prep’d Design thinking sequence and protocols within my PBL projects have allowed students to think deeper about a problem and looking at it from a variety of perspectives to create a more diverse solution."