Rube Goldberg Project

Monday's Science project. To be done at home due to space constraints. The students received this information in French, but I've translated it in English for parents. Students are allowed to work alone, in pairs or in trios only.

Students have been encouraged to finish their filming before next week so that they have time to edit their presentations.

What is the problem?
Catch the Christmas Elf with a Rube Goldberg Machine made at home, with items typically found at home or at school. You may use only one finger only one time for only one second to start your machine.

What are the important criteria?

All the simple machines we studied must be incorporated in the machine:

• Lever
• Incline plane
• Wheel and axis
• Screw and wedge
• Pulley

There are bonus points for using all three classes of lever.

What are the possible solutions?

Brainstorm materials that can be used for each of the simple machines.

List different ways you can catch the Elf.

Think about how you will initiate your machine, and how each machine can start the next.

Which solution will be used?

Design a plan (or many) before beginning construction. Materials and simple machines must be well labelled on the plan.

Here are some examples of plans found online. They do not necessarily meet all of the criteria of this project.

Upload a copy of your plan to your school Google account.

Test, assess, change, test again (and again, and again...)

Construct your machine EXACTLY AS PLANNED.

1. Use tech to film your progress and your trials. Note what worked and what didn't in your notes. What changes needed to be made?
2. Make a copy of your plan in your Google account. Note changes that you need to make to your machine on this new plan.
3. Go back to number 1 and try again until you succeed in trapping the Elf.

Success! / Success? Share your solution
Create a presentation using your footage to share your experience and your success with your class December 18 and 19.