Rube Goldberg Machines
Rube Goldberg was an engineer and a cartoonist. He became famous for his cartoons that illustrated wacky cause and effect inventions.
Here is a link to the official Rube Goldberg website where you can see some of his cartoons.
Sample Rube Goldberg Challenges: draw a straight line, turn off a light, pop a balloon, make time fly, blow a bubble with bubble stuff.
A note on behavior: We are here to have some fun, and experiment with engineering, but appropriate respectful school behavior is expected.
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2017 Day 1
Objective: To introduce Rube Goldberg Machines. To come with some ideas for the machines.
Activator: Look at Rube Goldberg Cartoon. Describe (in list format) the steps of the machine in the cartoon.
Mini Lesson: Watch Ted Talk about OK Go Video
Student Engagement:
As you watch, list some steps that you could include in a table top Rube Goldberg machine that would work for your video.
Get in groups of 3 and brainstorm. Share your ideas and come up with new ideas as a group.
Wrap-up: Turn in your work. It must be neat and have all your names on it.
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Objective: To create a Rube Goldberg Machine, in groups of 2 or 3, that rolls dice. We will have one class period to complete this task.
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Objective: To get inspired and come up with ideas for Rube Goldberg
Watch Purdue University 2017 Rube Goldberg Competition Video
Nice Intro to Rube Goldberg Competition
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Make it go slow, and set off a mouse trap.
Pictures
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Objective: To learn about cantilevers. To design a cantilever. To learn about leverage.
Activator: Look at Cantilever Pictures
Objectives: To design and make two cantilevers. To experiment with different types of materials.
Mini Lesson:
Discuss Cantilevers
Introduce Cantilever Activity
Student Engagement:
Build a cantilever with one kit.
Build a cantilever with the second kit
Wrap-up: Clean up and Discussion
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Objective: To analyze a Rube Goldberg Video. To help design a rubric for a Rube Goldberg Machine. To work in teams to solve an engineering design task.
Activator: Watch Honda Commercial.
Mini Lesson:
Create rubric items for grading the machine.
Introduce Engineering Challenge: Goal: Get a ball in the cup.
Student Engagement:
Work in small groups to get a ball in the cup.
See if you can have 2 or more steps.
You may use a chair and the container.
Wrap-up: Discuss Activity. Clean up.
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Objective: To introduce the Rube Goldberg Project.
Activator: How can you make the actions of your steps repeatable?
Mini Lesson:
- Discuss final Goal: draw a straight six inch line.
- Deliverables: machine, video, team photo, machine drawing.
- Talk about materials.
- Talk about workspace.
- Talk about grading/participation.
- Talk about jobs for the project.
- Also each individual will have a written assignment.
Student Engagement:
Choose top 3 jobs from list.
Brainstorm ideas for final task.
Wrap-up: Cleanup
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Objectives:
To work as part of a team.
To build a Rube Goldberg Machine with at least 5 steps, that draws a straight line.
To experiment with materials and simple machines.
To create a drawing, team picture and video.
Activator: Assignments
Mini Lesson:
Look at materials
Student Engagement:
Meet, plan, experiment, build
Wrap-up: Clean up
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Rube Resources:
Watch Bill Nye the Science Guy episodes 10 Simple Machines
Travel through time: Purdue University Rube Goldberg Contest
Zipper: 2014 Contest
Magnets and Marbles
14 Best Machines
Ms Collins & Chuck
Rube Rubric 2016
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Used in 2015
Activator: Quick check-in with teams
Mini Lesson: Discuss New challenge: blow a bubble without no one blowing air with their mouth and no one holding the "bubble wand"
Student Engagement: Build machines to meet the challenge. Teams that accomplish the challenge will be awarded an item of their choice from the junk trunk.
Wrap-up: Show machines, cleanup
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High School Rube Goldberg Machines.
Rube Goldberg Video (Sample Judging)
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Jade Video 2016
Emerald Video
Emerald Full Run 2016
Sapphire Video
Garnet Video