STEM Agility Course
- Recycled items including paper, cardboard, toilet paper tubes, straws
- Tape or glue
- Optional : pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks
- Optional: robotic toy bug, one per student
- Computer and projector to display video of dog completing agility course https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/sports/how-to-watch-an-agility-competition-101-prepare-to-get-hooked-on-the-sport/
- Planning sheet
Teacher Modeling/Explicit Instruction
- Training for dog agility is a great way to bond with your dog. In agility courses, dogs go through pre-determined obstacles within a certain time limit.
- In order to train their dogs, many trainers choose to build their own course with PVC pipes and plywood.
- Course regulations can be found at https://images.akc.org/pdf/rulebooks/REAGIL.pdf
- Obstacles include the following (not a complete list):
- A frame: the dog must go up one side and down the other.
- Dog walk: like a balance beam for a dog.
- Seesaw: the dog must go up one side of the seesaw, change its balance, and go down the other side.
- Open Tunnel: the dog goes in one end and out the other.
- Weave Poles: the dog weaves in and out from one end of the line of poles to the other.
- Bar Jumps: the dog jumps over a bar at various heights in the course.
- Panel Jump: this jump looks like jumping over a solid wall
- Double Bar Jump: the dog jumps over two parallel bars.
- Triple Bar Jump: the dog jumps over a series of three ascending bars.
- The dog jumps through a tire or circular object.
- Explain to students that they will be designing, creating, and decorating their own agility course using repurposed materials.
- Pass out planning sheet and go over the instructions with students.