steamlegolesson-plan

STEM Lesson Plan: The Mechanics Behind the LEGO Ganondorf Rise

ppuzzlebooks

2026-01-22 12:00:00

11 min read

Use LEGO's rising Ganondorf to teach levers, cams, and simple machines—ready-to-run, 3D-print ready STEM lesson for grades 5–8.

Teachers and parents: short on prep time, craving engaging, age-appropriate engineering activities, and stuck piecing together multiple resources? Use LEGO's interactive rising Ganondorf feature from the 2026 "Ocarina of Time — The Final Battle" set as the centerpiece of a hands-on physics and engineering lesson. This single visual and mechanical surprise—Ganondorf rising at the touch of a button—solves the engagement problem and opens a rich sequence of lessons on mechanics, levers, cams, simple machines, and classroom-made adaptations, including low-cost 3D-printing of custom parts.

Why This Matters in 2026: Trends and Teaching Context

Late 2025–early 2026 brought two key trends that make this lesson timely and practical: LEGO launched an interactive Zelda final-battle set that features a rising Ganondorf minifigure, and classroom maker technology—especially affordable 3D printers—has matured into cheaper, faster, and safer tools for K–12 use. These trends match the 2026 push toward experiential STEM learning, project-based curricula aligned with NGSS-style standards, and hybrid digital–physical making in schools.

That means teachers can leverage a culturally relevant toy to teach durable engineering concepts while meeting curricular goals: students learn mechanics by disassembling, modeling, and improving the rise mechanism, then design and test classroom-made replacements or upgrades.

Lesson Overview: Quick Snapshot (Use in one 45–90 minute class or stretch to a multi-day unit)

Grade levels: Adaptable K–12; core plan written for grades 5–8
Duration: 1–3 lessons (single demo & exploration, build session, extension: design/test)
Big ideas: Conversion of rotary to linear motion, mechanical advantage, cams and levers, iterative design
Standards alignment: NGSS engineering practices (MS-ETS1), basic physics of forces & motion (MS-PS2), and computational thinking for 3D-design extensions
Key skills: Modeling, measurement, teamwork, CAD basics, problem solving

Materials (Real-world classroom list)

LEGO "Ocarina of Time — The Final Battle" set (2026 release) or an alternate LEGO set with a rising figure mechanism
Basic LEGO Technic parts: beams, axles, gears, bushings, and cam pieces (or classroom collection)
Assorted craft supplies for classroom-made parts: cardboard, wooden dowels, rubber bands, skewers, foam board
Tools: rulers, spring scales (or digital kitchen scales), protractors, scissors, hot glue guns (teacher use), safe cutters
Optional: classroom 3D-printer (budget models like Creality/Anycubic/Flashforge in 2025–26 price ranges), PLA filament, slicer software (Ultimaker Cura or PrusaSlicer)
Worksheets: observation log, design brief, data table, rubric

Learning Objectives (Measurable)

Identify and label the simple machines in a mechanism that makes Ganondorf rise.
Model how a cam or lever converts rotary motion into linear motion with a classroom-built prototype.
Measure mechanical advantage and predict how changes in fulcrum position or cam profile affect movement.
Design an improved or alternative rising mechanism using available materials or 3D-printed parts.

Lesson Procedure: Step-by-Step

1) Engage — Demonstration & Questioning (10–15 minutes)

Begin with the LEGO set assembled (teacher demo). Press the button so Ganondorf rises. Ask students:

What moved inside the tower to lift Ganondorf?
Is that a lever, a cam, or a gear? How can we tell?

Use curiosity: the surprise rise creates immediate motivation to figure out the "how".

2) Explore — Disassembly and Identification (20–30 minutes)

In small groups, students carefully examine the mechanism, documenting parts and motion. If using the LEGO set, have students sketch the mechanism and label parts: axles, gear trains, cam(s), or lever connections. If the set is not available, reconstruct a simplified rising figure with Technic parts or classroom materials (see below).

3) Explain — Mini-Lesson on Levers and Cams (15 minutes)

Teach the concepts with mini-experiments:

Levers: Use a ruler and a wooden block as fulcrum. Move the fulcrum and measure force change with a spring scale. Define classes of levers and mechanical advantage (MA = output force / input force, or MA = input arm / output arm).
Cams: Show a circular cam vs. an eccentric cam made from cardboard. Rotate the cam and observe linear displacement of a follower. Discuss cam profile and lift.

4) Elaborate — Build and Test (45–60 minutes or multi-day)

Students choose one pathway:

Path A — LEGO/Technic Prototype: Rebuild the mechanism or design an alternative using gears, cams, and levers from the classroom LEGO bin.
Path B — Low-cost Classroom Parts: Build a cam-driven rise using a dowel as an axle, cardboard cam, and a slider made from foam board.
Path C — 3D-printed Upgrade: Design a custom cam, cam follower, or lever adapter in Tinkercad/Onshape, print in PLA, and test tolerances and fit.

For each prototype, students should:

Define the design goal (e.g., increase rise height, reduce input force)
Sketch the mechanism and predict output using simple calculations (gear ratios, cam radius)
Test with measurements: record input force, displacement, and time to rise
Iterate based on test data

5) Evaluate — Present and Reflect (20–30 minutes)

Groups present their solution with a short demo and explain how their design meets the goals. Use a rubric that assesses:

Understanding of mechanics (labels, correct explanations)
Design effectiveness (measured improvements)
Teamwork and communication

Core Science & Math Connections (explicit links to classroom standards)

Forces & Motion: Discuss how torque on an axle translates into linear lift through gears and cams.
Simple Machines: Demonstrate lever arm, fulcrum placement, and mechanical advantage calculations.
Measurement & Data: Collect quantitative data and create graphs showing displacement vs. input force.
Ratios & Proportions: Use gear ratio calculations: (output speed = input speed * gear ratio), and relate to rise speed and torque.

Design and Calculation Examples (Actionable)

Include these ready-to-use mini-problems for students to solve.

Problem A — Lever Mechanical Advantage

Using a 30 cm lever, the fulcrum is 5 cm from the load (Ganondorf). If a student applies force at the other end (25 cm from fulcrum), what is the mechanical advantage? How much input force is needed to lift a 1 N load?

Answer: MA = input arm / output arm = 25 / 5 = 5. Input force = output / MA = 1 N / 5 = 0.2 N.

Problem B — Cam Lift Calculation

Design a cam that lifts the follower 20 mm. If the cam radius varies from 10 mm (base) to 30 mm (peak), calculate the lift and describe the follower motion. Students calculate the lift as 30 - 10 = 20 mm and sketch follower displacement over one revolution.

Problem C — Gear Ratio and Speed

If a motor gear with 12 teeth drives a gear with 48 teeth connected to the cam, what's the gear ratio and how does that affect torque and speed?

Answer: Ratio = 12:48 = 1:4. Output speed is 1/4 of input speed; output torque multiplies by 4 (ignoring friction).

3D-Printing Practical Guide for Classrooms (2026-focused)

By 2026, budget 3D printers are classroom-ready: reliable direct-drive FDM machines under $300 and improved safety features make in-house printing viable. Use this checklist for printing cams, followers, and adapter parts.

File types & tools: Export STL from Tinkercad or Onshape; slice in Cura/PrusaSlicer.
Material: PLA for ease and safe odor profile; PETG for higher strength parts.
Tolerances: Use 0.2–0.3 mm layer height for quick prints; design press-fit holes with 0.2–0.4 mm clearance.
Infill & perimeters: 20–30% infill and 2–3 perimeters for structural parts; increase infill for high-load followers.
Orientation: Print cams flat on the bed for accurate cam profile; add supports for overhangs if needed.
Safety: Supervise filament handling, enforce nozzle caution, and ventilate small classrooms when printing regularly.

Tip: If your school lacks a printer, use local makerspaces, district print shops, or low-cost print services that emerged in 2025–26 with faster turnaround and classroom discounts.

Differentiation Across Grade Bands

Elementary (K–2)

Focus on observation and cause/effect: what happens when you turn the axle?
Use big craft cams, colorful sliders, and cooperative group roles.

Upper Elementary (3–5)

Measure simple distances and forces; record data on charts.
Introduce basic gear counting and lever classes.

Middle School (6–8)

Include calculations for mechanical advantage, gear ratios, and cam lift.
Ask students to prototype improvements and iterate with measurements.

High School (9–12)

Integrate CAD design, stress considerations, and material selection.
Optional electronics: add a small microcontroller (e.g., Circuit Playground, micro:bit) to automate the rise; record sensor data for analysis.

Classroom-Made Parts: Low-Cost Alternatives

If the official set or Technic parts are unavailable, replicate key elements with everyday materials:

Axles: wooden skewers or thin dowels
Gears: cardboard discs with notches taped to dowels
Cams: layered cardboard cutouts glued together for thickness
Followers and sliders: foam board or stacked cardstock

These low-cost versions let students explore the same principles, then compare classroom-made parts to precision 3D-printed or LEGO components.

Assessment & Evidence of Learning

Use multiple evidence sources:

Lab notebook entries with sketches, calculations, and test data
Video demos of prototypes in action (short clips)
Performance rubric for teamwork, design, and explanation
Reflection prompts: What worked? What would you change? How does this relate to real-world machines?

Safety and Classroom Management

Pre-approve cutters and hot-glue use; teacher-only operation for hot tools.
Enforce small-parts rules for younger students to avoid choking hazards with minifigures.
Review electrical & motor safety when adding powered components.
Plan for equitable access to the LEGO set: rotate groups or create video demos if you have a single set.

Real Classroom Case Study — A Practical Example

Ms. Rivera, a 7th-grade STEM teacher, ran this unit in March 2026 after ordering one LEGO set for demo and relying on classroom Technic parts for student builds. Her structure:

Day 1: Demo and identification (teacher set) plus lever mini-experiments
Day 2: Prototype day—students created either cardboard cams or LEGO cam-axle systems
Day 3: Iteration, measurement, and presentations

Outcome: Students reported higher engagement—especially those who linked Zelda nostalgia with hands-on making—and demonstrated accurate explanations of how cam eccentricity controlled rise height. Ms. Rivera used a simple rubric and said the strongest learning came from iteration: students who measured and changed one variable at a time outperformed those who made multiple simultaneous changes.

Extensions & Cross-Curricular Opportunities

Art: Design thematic tower art or storyboards that explain the mechanics in narrative form.
Computer Science: Add a microcontroller (e.g., Circuit Playground, micro:bit) to automate the motor and log rotations; teach basic control loops.
Design & Technology: CAD and 3D-print custom cams or hinge mechanisms; test material choice impacts.
History: Compare mechanical devices in historical machines (clock cams, early engines) with modern applications.

Common Challenges and How to Solve Them

Only one LEGO set: Use video demos, rotate hands-on stations, or task students to reverse-engineer from photos.
Limited maker equipment: Substitute cardboard cams and dowel axles; partner with local makers or print shops.
Time constraints: Break the unit into shorter labs—focus on lever lab one day and cam lab another.

Actionable Takeaways (Use These Tomorrow)

Start with a 5-minute demo of the rising Ganondorf to capture attention.
Have students draw before disassembling: predictive sketching increases observational accuracy.
Use one measurable variable per iteration (e.g., fulcrum position) to teach controlled experiments.
If you have access to a 3D printer, print a simple eccentric cam (STL ready) and test it against a cardboard cam.

Why This Lesson Works: Learning, Motivation, and Future Readiness

This lesson taps into a clear 2026 trend: combining culturally relevant themes (video game nostalgia) with maker pedagogy to teach core engineering principles. Students learn by doing, collecting data, and iterating—exactly the cognitive routines that transfer to real-world engineering. Adding 3D-printing and basic electronics prepares learners for modern fabrication and interdisciplinary problem solving.

Call to Action

Ready to run this unit? Download the complete lesson packet (worksheets, rubrics, STL files, and a step-by-step teacher guide) from our lesson library. Try the one-day demo in your next class, then scale to a multi-day project-based unit. Share your student builds and join our educator community for peer-tested variations and classroom-ready print templates.

Get the lesson packet, STL files, and teacher guide now — and bring mechanics, STEM, LEGO, Ganondorf, levers, cams, and 3D-printing to life in your classroom.

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