BUILD MARBLE-POWERED COMPUTERS

Educator Guide
Version 2.0 - Covers challenges 1 to 30
 Welcome Educators!
We are excited that you’re using Turing Tumble in your classroom! This kit
is easy to use. There are no batteries to charge, no apps to install or update,
and no cords needed…just show the students how to follow the puzzle book,
and your class will be ready to go. You can use it as part of math stations,
unit studies, learning engineering concepts, independent study, introducing
computer science principles, free choice time, or in a library learning center.

This educator guide is a free companion to Turing Tumble. Everything is black

and white to make it easy for you to print or copy. This version of the guide

the rest of the challenges.

What’s in this guide?

1.
certain times where you can take a break for a lesson. The lessons anchor
the concepts learned through Turing Tumble to real life applications. You’ll

2.
explanation of the solution, common pitfalls, and the underlying concept
that the puzzle is intended to teach.

how to coach a student trying to solve a puzzle and help them understand the
underlying concepts.

ii
What is Turing Tumble?

Turing Tumble is a game where players build mechanical computers powered

by marbles to solve logic puzzles. While they play, they learn key computer

standalone tool to teach how computers work, as a precursor or supplement

to coding lessons, or as a helpful manipulative to reinforce programming and
mathematical concepts.

What does Turing Tumble teach?

Turing Tumble teaches a number of concepts and skills that are fundamental

computational thinking, logic, algorithm design, critical thinking, debugging/

concepts including logic gates, truth tables, conditionals, binary, binary

operations, and digital circuit design.

Is this guide useful to you?

Please tell us what you think! We’re always looking for ways to make Turing

well…or not at all. Please reach out to us with an email or on our Turing Tumble

Just send us an email at [email protected].

[email protected]
away. We don’t like bugs.

iii
Contents

Basics for Classroom Use................................................................................................ 1

How it Works .................................................................................................................... 8
How to Use this Guide ....................................................................................................11
Computer Logic Lesson #1: How is Turing Tumble a Computer?.........................10
Computer Logic Lesson #2: Ramps ............................................................................14
................................................................................................................ 16
............................................................................................................ 18
............................................................................................................. 20
............................................................................................................... 22
Computer Logic Lesson #3: Crossovers ...................................................................24
............................................................................................................ 26
...........................................................................28
.......................................................................... 30
Computer Logic Lesson #4: Bits ................................................................................ 32
.............................................................................................. 34
.............................................................................................................. 36
................................................................................................38
.......................................................................................................40
Computer Logic Lesson #5: Interceptors .................................................................42
.............................................................................................44
............................................................................................46
Computer Logic Lesson #6: Conditional Statements............................................48
............................................................................................ 52
........................................................................................................ 54
.................................................................................................. 56
....................................................................................................58
Computer Logic Lesson #7: Logic Gates ..................................................................60
.............................................................................................. 62
Computer Logic Lesson #8: Truth Tables ................................................................64
..............................................................................................68
.................................................................................................... 70

iv
Computer Logic Lesson #9: Registers ...................................................................... 72
...................................................................................... 76
......................................................................................................80
.............................................................................................................84
..........................................................................................................86
..................................................................................88
.........................................................................................................90
..................................................................................................... 92
Computer Logic Lesson #10: Gears and Gear Bits .................................................94
............................................................................................................. 100
..................................................................................... 102
..................................................................................................... 104
Resources ...................................................................................................................... 106

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vi
Basics for Classroom Use

Recommended Age

We recommend Turing Tumble for ages 8 and up. The puzzle book is laid out
so that a student can independently get started and progress at his/her own

University students and adults get addicted by puzzle 27, and they are
amazed by what a mechanical computer can do by puzzle 35. Younger kids

Single Player or Partners

We recommend only one to two students per board. With this game, true
understanding happens when students are physically working through the

the board to test their prediction of where the balls will fall. When you see
this happening, you will know they are getting it, but this kind of hands-on
learning can’t happen very well in a group of three or more.

Puzzle Timing

up, most students will have time to solve 4-5 puzzles.

Puzzles 1-10: 5-15 minutes each to solve

Puzzles 11-20: 10-15 minutes each to solve

Puzzles 21-30: 10-20 minutes each to solve

The remaining puzzles vary greatly from person to person

crucial that they

are too easy for them. Each puzzle introduces a new concept, rule, or trick and

think they’ve solved it immediately because they don’t yet know all the rules.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 1

 Classroom Videos

Getting Started with Turing Tumble video:

for setting up the game, how to play, and troubleshooting.

How Turing Tumble is a Computer:

This video explains how Turing Tumble is a mechanical computer and the

computer and zooms in on the microscopic switches inside the processor that
can only be seen with an electron tunneling microscope. Turing Tumble has
mechanical switches that players can connect together in clever ways to do

desktop computer, laptop or cell phone can do.

Looking inside a computer processor:

This video zooms into a computer processor all the way until you can see
the individual switches (called “transistors”) inside and the tiny copper wires

the images change from color to black and white. That’s when the creators of
the video had to switch from taking pictures with light to taking pictures with
electrons, because they’re so much smaller.

Promotional Educator Video:

This video can be used to promote Turing Tumble within your school, district,
and community.

2 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

Practice Guide

free at edu.turingtumble.com
print/copy black and white form, it also contains 30 extra “practice puzzles”
placed in between the regular ones. The practice puzzles lower the learning
curve by easing players into new concepts more gradually.

Turing Tumble on a Screen

Turing Tumble to a class. You can project a simulator on a screen, build

Currently we recommend using the following simulators.

Simulator 1 by Rich Twilton:

share their work remotely as they solve challenges via shared rooms.

Simulator 2 by Jesse Crossen:

balls falling through it with physics that look just like the real Turing Tumble.
You can even make the board larger if you want to make more complicated
machines.

Simulator 3 by Lode Vandevenne:

This simulator is easy to learn. You’ll be creating little machines in minutes.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 3

 Tips and Tricks

• The legs on the stand can be assembled two ways, but only one way holds

balls corralled.

board. The process of solving the challenge can cause the board to jostle or
the bottom lever to be triggered which can result in the balls getting released
too soon and bouncing all over.

about 8 on each side).

another piece.

them all the way down.

• Use the “emergency stop” by holding up the levers at the bottom of the
board to catch the balls from triggering more.

• The black tray that holds the legs may be placed under the box to preserve
space.

•
•
• Place the legs in the tray and set this on top of the pieces and book.
• Place the white board on the very top.

4 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

How it Works

Press here to start the

machine... ...and a ball is
released from the top.

Each ball falls down the board and when it reaches the bottom, it pushes

right red ball is left blue ball is

released. released.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 5

 Players add logic by putting

The ramp directs balls to the right or to the left, depending

on how you place it on the board. They are reversible
pieces, but once you've put them on the board, the
counterweights turn them to their original position after a
RAMP ball goes through them. The ramps are like electrical wires
in a computer and the balls are like electricity.

The crossover acts like two wires crossing over each other
without touching each other, sort of like how overpasses
allow cars to drive over other roads.
CROSSOVER

The bit
the right or to the left. These two states (left or right) can

a bit changes its direction and therefore changes the

information it stores. The bit becomes more and more
BIT
important as the puzzles progress.

When the computer’s objective is complete, the interceptor

can be used to stop the computer from releasing any more
balls.
INTERCEPTOR

Like the bit, the gear bit stores information by pointing

other gear bits connected to it by gears.

The gears and gear bits are mind-bending, but they add
a whole new level of functionality to the board. They
GEARS AND GEAR BITS also make the computer “Turing-complete,” which means
that if the board was big enough, it could do anything an
electronic computer could do!

Every kit comes with a small bag of black washers. These

should be added behind the gear bits when only two gear
bits are connected together to increase friction. However,
if more than two gear bits are connected, the washers
shouldn’t be used.

6 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

Turing Tumble comes with a book of 60 puzzles. They start out easy and

ramp pieces, but after four puzzles, the crossover is unlocked. Each puzzle
leads the player to discover new concepts that can be applied to more com-
plicated puzzles later on.
There is also a story woven into the puzzles to give them context and to
hopefully make them more interesting for some students. Each puzzle

planet.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 7

 How to Use this Guide

Computer logic lessons

it easier to teach the lesson after the students have had some practice with
the parts.

Each challenge has its own teaching and learning concepts listed below the

that might be encountered.

to use the crossover. Therefore, in the educator resources for each challenge,
you’ll see many of the same points discussed. This allows you, as a teacher, to
consult only the educator resources for the relevant puzzle, without having to
look back at the educator resources for previous puzzles to understand it.

• What players learn about computer logic

puzzle and what’s going on inside a computer. The Computer Logic Lessons
give a more thorough description of the connection.

• What players learn about the game

This section shows what players learn about the game through this puz-

work), something to notice about the puzzle book or the challenges them-

8 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

 selves, or a trick the player is learning that will need to be reused later on.

• Possible hang-ups

challenges. These are not exhaustive, but highlight the logic steps we’ve
seen players struggle with.

can improve this guide and add content for future use.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 9

Computer Logic Lesson #1: How is Turing Tumble a Computer?
Computer Logic Lesson #1: How is Turing Tumble a
Computer?

To start, let’s look at what’s inside a regular desktop computer.

There are all sorts of things in there like circuit boards, fans, lights, and

under a big fan that cools it down.

10
The computer processor (or central processing unit - CPU) is where all the

Computer Logic Lesson #1: How is Turing Tumble a Computer?

math and logic. The processor does a lot of hard work when the computer
is running and it generates a lot of heat in the process. The fan on top of it
is there to cool it down so that it doesn’t overheat.

sticking out. The pins connect the inside of the processor to things on the

the computer’s keyboard would provide input to a processor while a

screen would show information coming from the output of a processor.

What’s inside a computer processor?

of switches. The switches

so small that you couldn’t even see them through a microscope because
the wavelength of visible light itself is too big. These days, the switches
11
Computer Logic Lesson #1: How is Turing Tumble a Computer?
in a computer processor are about a thousand times smaller than the
thickness of a human hair.

The following video zooms into a computer processor all the way until
you can see the individual switches (called “transistors”) inside and the

further in, you’ll notice the images change from color to black and white.
That’s when the creators of the video had to switch from taking pictures
with light to taking pictures with electrons, because they’re so much

How do switches do anything smart?

When you hear “switch” you probably think about the switch on your

be able to do smart things,

by the same type of energy that they control
other switches because it takes mechanical
electrical energy. You can’t connect the output of one light switch to the
input of another.

mechanical energy, and they also

control mechanical

12
 Computer Logic Lesson #1: How is Turing Tumble a Computer?
electrical energy and
also control electrical energy. The image above is of a relatively large,

in Turing Tumble, you’ll discover how this one, simple property makes it
possible to build machines of limitless capability!

How Turing Tumble is a Computer Video:

13
Computer Logic Lesson #2: Ramps
Computer Logic Lesson #2: Ramps

The purpose of the ramp is to make balls always go in a certain direction.

put it on the board pointing to the right, the balls will go to the right.

What do electronic ramps look like in an electronic computer?

are used for the same purpose as ramps. Wires direct electricity where

electricity to a switch or another electrical component, or sometimes they

The picture on the left shows a microchip like you might see inside your

14
the protective coating.

Computer Logic Lesson #2: Ramps

This scanning electron microscope image of
a decapped chip was used with permission

madebydelta.com)

When you place ramps on the board, you are making the paths the balls
can travel, just like how wires make the paths through which electricity
can travel.

15
 Challenge #1: Gravity
(page 15 in puzzle book)

Challenge 1: Gravity Challenge 1 Solution

Objective: Explanation: The four ramps complete the path from

balls) reach the end. the top of the board to the bottom of the board.

Required output:

it must immediately land on the next part.

Starting setup Available parts

x4
x8 x8 x8 x8

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

23

What players learn about computer logic:

•
in an electrical circuit and the balls are like electricity. When players place
ramps on the board, they are setting up paths that balls can travel through,
just like how wires set up paths that electricity can follow.

What players learn about the game:

•
and available parts.
• The levers on the bottom are connected to the ball release on top.
• Practice putting the ramps on the board. Players will discover that the
ramps are reversible and can go on the board in either direction, depending
on where they want to route the balls.

16 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

Possible hang-ups:

•
be bouncing unpredictably because there aren’t parts leading all the way
down or the ramps are facing the wrong direction.
•
it or otherwise interfere with its operation. Press the start button down

lever to trigger the next ball.

•
direction they face before putting them on the board.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 17

 Challenge #2: Re-entry
(page 16 in puzzle book)

Challenge 2: Re-entry Challenge 2 Solution

Objective: Explanation: The starting setup leads the balls over

balls) reach the end.
the right lever, they’d release red balls, but you’re only
Required output: supposed to let the blue balls get to the bottom.

To solve this puzzle, you have to use the 5 ramps to

lead balls back over to the left lever.

Starting setup Available parts

x5
x8 x8 x8 x8

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

23 23

What players learn about computer logic:

•
in an electrical circuit and the balls are like electricity. When players place
ramps on the board, they are setting up paths that balls can travel through,
just like how wires set up paths that electricity can follow.

What players learn about the game:

•
and available parts.
• The levers on the bottom are connected to the ball release on top.
• Practice putting the ramps on the board. They will discover that the ramps
are reversible and can go on the board in either direction, depending on
where players want to route the balls.

18 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

Possible hang-ups:

• Players might initially place ramps so that the ball triggers the right lever.
This will be a good time to be sure they’ve looked at the back of the board
to see how the lever on the bottom is connected to the ball release on top.
Encourage them to place the ramps so that the balls are guided back over
to the blue side.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 19

 Challenge #3: Ignition
(page 17 in puzzle book)

Challenge 3: Ignition Challenge 3 Solution

Objective: Explanation: The ramps bring the paths of the red and
red balls. blue balls into one path that leads to the right lever.

Required output:

Starting setup Available parts

x6
x8 x8 x8 x8

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

What players learn about computer logic:

•
in an electrical circuit and the balls are like electricity. When players place
ramps on the board, they are setting up paths that balls can travel through,
just like how wires set up paths that electricity can follow.

What players learn about the game:

•
blue ball can trigger the ball release on the red side, allowing a red ball to fall.

Possible hang-ups:

start button, and they can determine what color ball comes next based on
how they direct the balls with the ramps.

20 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

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Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 21

 Challenge #4: Fusion
(page 18 in puzzle book)

Challenge 4: Fusion Challenge 4 Solution

Objective: Explanation: The paths need to come together, but

blue balls. they start far apart! Use the ramps to bring the paths
together and lead all of the balls to the left side.
Required output:

Starting setup Available parts

x 13
x8 x8 x8 x8

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

What players learn about computer logic:

•
in an electrical circuit and the balls are like electricity. When players place
ramps on the board, they are setting up paths that balls can travel through,
just like how wires set up paths that electricity can follow.

What players learn about the game:

the most elegant and simple solution.

22 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

Possible hang-ups:

start button, and they can determine what color ball comes next based on
how they direct the balls with the ramps.
• There are many ways a player can lay out the ramps to solve this
challenge. The example on the top is just one solution.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 23

Computer Logic Lesson #3: Crossovers
Computer Logic Lesson #3: Crossovers

The purpose of the crossover is to let the paths of the balls cross over

the right side exits on the left.

What do crossovers look like in an electronic computer?

The crossover acts like two wires crossing over each other, but not
touching each other, sort of like how overpasses allow cars to drive over
other roads. Electricity can move along each of the wires, but the crossing

allows the paths of the balls to cross over each other without interfering
with the path of the next marble, they are performing one small
component of what happens in a circuit board.

24
Circuit boards are used in electronic computers to keep all the wire

Computer Logic Lesson #3: Crossovers

into a carefully designed pattern of wires that connect the electronic

elements than just crossing wires. Circuit boards house transistors, CPUs,

multiple layers of copper wires sandwiched between insulators. Little

picture above, you can see lots of little vias connecting the various layers
of the circuit board, allowing the copper wires to cross over and under
each other without touching. Even on a one layer circuit board, wires can

of a circuit board to hop over other wires on the circuit board.

over and under each other.

25
 Challenge #5: Entropy
(page 21 in puzzle book)

Challenge 5: Entropy Challenge 5 Solution

Objective: Explanation: This time, you have to create your own

blue, red... path for the red balls to get over to the left lever! You
must use the crossover where your path crosses the
Required output: path of the blue balls.

Starting setup Available parts

x9
x8 x8 x8 x8

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

What players learn about computer logic:

• The crossover is a mechanical version of two wires crossing over each other

throughout the circuit board. Wires weave around, over, and under each
other to route electricity where it needs to go.
• Circuit boards are usually made of several layers of wires. Wires can cross
each other if they are on separate layers. Even on a one-layer circuit

is soldered on top of a circuit board to hop over other wires on the circuit
board.

What players learn about the game:

• Practice putting the new crossover pieces on the board.

•

26 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

 exit out the left.
•
at the top.

Possible hang-ups:

•
• When putting the crossover pieces on the board, the smile on the crossover

the way onto the board.

•
placed correctly. Players will start to notice if they didn’t slide the parts all
the way onto the board because the balls will be a little less predictable.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 27

 (page 22 in puzzle book)

Challenge 6 Solution

Objective: Explanation: The paths for the red and blue balls cross
blue, red...
at each point where they cross.
Required output:

numbers. What would happen if the paths crossed

Starting setup Available parts

x2
x8 x8 x8 x8

x5

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

What players learn about computer logic:

• The crossover is a mechanical version of two wires crossing over each other

throughout the circuit board. Wires weave around, over, and under each
other to route electricity where it needs to go.
• Circuit boards are usually made of several layers of wires. Wires can
cross each other if they are on separate layers. Even on a one layer circuit

is soldered on top of a circuit board to hop over other wires on the circuit
board.

What players learn about the game:

•
simple and elegant solution.
• Practice putting the crossover pieces on the board.

28 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

•
at the top.

Possible hang-ups:

• When putting the crossover pieces on the board, the smile on the crossover

the way onto the board.

•
placed correctly. Players will start to notice if they didn’t slide the parts all
the way onto the board because the balls will be a little less predictable.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 29

 Challenge #7: Path of Least Resistance
(page 23 in puzzle book)

Challenge 7: Path of Least Resistance Challenge 7 Solution

Objective: Create a path for the blue balls to reach the Explanation: This one is a little trickier than the last
output with only 6 ramps.
whether to go to the left or to the right. You must go to
Required output: the left this time.

Starting setup Available parts

x6
x8 x8 x8 x8

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

What players learn about computer logic:

• The crossover is a mechanical version of two wires crossing over each other

throughout the circuit board. Wires weave around, over, and under each
other to route electricity where it needs to go.
• Circuit boards are usually made of several layers of wires. Wires can
cross each other if they are on separate layers. Even on a one layer circuit

is soldered on top of a circuit board to hop over other wires on the circuit
board.

What players learn about the game:

• Players don’t have to make the balls go through every part on the board.

need to be used.

30 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

Possible hang-ups:

• This challenge has parts on the starting setup that are not meant to be
used. Encourage the players to think of the route that takes advantage of
as many of the crossovers on the board as possible.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 31

Computer Logic Lesson #4: Bits
Computer Logic Lesson #4: Bits

These bits are mechanical versions of the electronic switches inside

computer chips. Electronic switches allow you to choose which way
electricity will go based on how you set them. These mechanical switches

direction they are pointed.

You often get to choose which direction the bits point when you start your

will fall to the left.

You’ll notice that bits in Turing Tumble are a little trickier than electronic
bits because a ball passing through them changes the direction of the
bit for the next ball that falls. They don't have a counterweight (like the
ramps do) to put them back in their original position.

What do bits look like in an electronic computer?

The most basic type of electronic switch in a computer is called a

“transistor.” Transistors are usually extremely tiny, but the one in the
picture below is encased inside a relatively big, plastic package to make it

32
 Computer Logic Lesson #4: Bits
wire and out through the third wire.

that if you take four of those transistors and connect them together in
a certain way, you can create a little circuit that remembers if it’s been

store information in computer memory.

What do bits look like in a programming language?

When bits are used to store information, they are like variables in

variable, they can represent numbers, letters, or...anything else.

If (bit.direction = right) Then

ball.send_left()
Else
ball.send_right()

33
 Challenge #8: Depolarization
(page 26 in puzzle book)

Challenge 8: Depolarization Challenge 8 Solution

Objective: Explanation:
blue, red... balls released.

Required output:

Starting setup Available parts

x 14
x8 x8 x8 x8

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

What players learn about computer logic:

to the right, the ball will fall to the left. However, the bits in Turing Tumble
are a little more tricky than computer chip switches because they change
direction every time a ball runs over them.

What players learn about the game:

challenge, players must choose the starting position of the bit.

• When a ball goes through the bit, the bit stays pointed in the new direction.
This is in contrast to the ramps which have a counterweight that turns them

34 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

 back to their original position.

Possible hang-ups:

•
two curved arrows over it pointing to the left and right. That indicates that
the player must choose the starting direction the bit points.
•
counterweight of the ramps work in contrast to the bit turning and staying
pointed in the new direction.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 35

 Challenge #9: Dimers
(page 27 in puzzle book)

Challenge 9: Dimers Challenge 9 Solution

Objective: Explanation: The bit makes every other blue ball

blue, red... release a red ball, but every red ball releases a
blue ball.
Required output:

coming puzzles!

Starting setup Available parts

x 18
x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

What players learn about computer logic:

to the right, the ball will fall to the left. However, the bits in Turing Tumble
are a little more tricky than computer chip switches because they change
direction every time a ball runs over them.

What players learn about the game:

• When a ball goes through the bit, the bit stays pointed in the new direction.
This is in contrast to the ramps which have a counterweight that turns them

36 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

 back to their original position.
• The starting setup also indicates how many balls should start on top. This is

• The bit and crossover, working together, allow for a more complicated

they fall from the top.

Possible hang-ups:

•
might take a moment to think about the path the ball will go when the bit
is pointed right (starting position) versus when it is pointing left. Encourage

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 37

 Challenge #10: Double Bond
(page 28 in puzzle book)

Challenge 10: Double Bond Challenge 10 Solution

Objective: Explanation: This time, there are bits in the path of

blue, red, red… both the red and blue balls. The bits cause only every
other ball to cross to the other side of the board.
Required output:

Starting setup Available parts

x 22
x8 x8 x8 x8

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

What players learn about computer logic:

to the right, the ball will fall to the left. However, the bits in Turing Tumble
are a little more tricky than computer chip switches because they change
direction every time a ball runs over them.

What players learn about the game:

•
starting positions of the bits are chosen for the player.
• When a ball goes through the bit, the bit stays pointed in the new direction.
This is in contrast to the ramps which have a counterweight that turns them
back to their original position.

38 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

• The starting setup also indicates how many balls should start on top. This
challenge has players go back to using eight of each.
• Two bits allow for a more complicated pattern because players are able to

Possible hang-ups:

bit in this challenge.

• While there are four paths for balls at the top, players only need two paths

path to trigger the right (red) lever.

Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0 39

 Challenge #11: Selectivity
(page 29 in puzzle book)

Challenge 11: Selectivity Challenge 11 Solution

Objective: Explanation: The top bit splits the path of the blue

to bit 5.

Starting setup Available parts

x 15
x2 x0 x2 x0

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

PRESS PRESS
TO TO
START START

23 23

What players learn about computer logic:

to the right, the ball will fall to the left. However, the bits in Turing Tumble
are a little more tricky than computer chip switches because they change
direction every time a ball runs over them.

What players learn about the game:

• The starting setup also indicates how many balls should start on top. This
challenge has players only using two blue balls.
•

challenge, players choose the starting position of the top bit. The starting

40 Turing Tumble Educator’s Guide 2.0

 position of bits 1 through 5 is left.
• Players don’t have to make the balls go through every part on the board.

Possible hang-ups:

• The starting setup also indicates how many balls should start on top. This
challenge has players only using two blue balls.
• This challenge has parts in the starting setup that balls will never go
through.

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