Rube Goldberg

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Activity One
Activity Two

Names: Geri Belt, Laura Gutenmann, Dianne Morrison, William Rexroat
Grade: 8
School: Norwood Norfolk Central School
Subjects: Mathematic, Science and Technology

Problem Statement:
Using Rube Goldberg machines as a lens to focus on the engineering design MST standard to create coherency between math, science, and technology program.

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will experience, observe, and identify physical relationships through construction of various simple machines.
  • Students will recognize a Rube Goldberg contraption and reproduce it in a proportional sketch.
  • Students will design and evaluate a Rube Goldberg device using at least 7 simple machines.
  • Students will use Collins Writing to identify and evaluate Rube Goldberg devices.

Essential Questions

  • How do simple machines affect my daily life?
  • Is it always necessary to use a machine?
  • Do machines make life more convenient? Is convince worth the expense?

NYS Learning Standards:
MST Standard 5 – Technology, Intermediate

  • 5.4 - Technological Systems
    • 2 – assemble, operate and explain the operation of simple open- and closed-loop electrical, mechanical and pneumatic systems
    • 3 – describe how subsystems and system elements (input, process, output) interact within systems
  • 5.1 – Engineering Design
    • 3 – consider constraints and generate several ideas for alternative solutions, using group and individual ideation techniques
    • 4 – develop plans, including drawings with measurements and details of construction, construct a model of the solution showing a high degree of craftsmanship
    • 5 – in a group setting, test their solution against design specifications and evaluate results

MST Standard 4 – Science, Intermediate

  • 4.5 – Physical Setting – Energy and matter interact through forces that result in changes in motion
    • 1 – describe different patterns of motion of objects
    • 2 – observe, describe, and compare effects of forces on the motion of objects by applying the principles of simple machines in the construction of a Rube Goldberg device, and describing how the simple machines present in the device transform energy

MST Standard 6 – Interconnectedness, Intermediate

  • 6.1 – Systems Thinking
    • 4 – describe how the output from one part of a system can become the input to other parts

MST Standard 7 – Interdisciplinary Problem Solving, Intermediate

  • 1 – work effectively by contributing to the work of a brainstorming group, laboratory partnership, and staying on task while working
  • 3 – generate and analyze ideas by developing ideas for proposed solutions and investigating ideas
  • 5 – realizing ideas by constructing a model

New York State Performance Indication for Mathematics

  • Measurement - 8.M.1 – Solve equations/proportions to convert to equivalent measurements within metric and customary measurement systems.
  • Communication - 8.CM.11 – Draw conclusions about mathematical ideas through decoding, comprehension, and interpretation of mathematical visuals, symbols, and technical writing.

CDOS Standard 3a – Universal Foundation Skills, Intermediate

  • 2 - Thinking Skills – Uses thinking skills to solve problem and optimize
  • 4 - Interpersonal Skills – Work as a member of a team to achieve a common goal

Student Knowledge:

  • This activity is design to build on some prior knowledge of systems, simple machines and measurement.
  • Students will work across disciplines to apply concepts, make evaluations, and draw representations that show understanding of Rube Goldberg devices, engineering design and simple machines.

Assessment Plan:

  • During the activities evidence of student progress will be collected through:
  • Individual conferencing during activity
  • Teacher observation
  • Student evaluation
  • Tools to document student progress include:
  • Incredible machine of spring break activity.
  • Examination of the Incredible Machine of Spring Break (IMOSB) check sheet
  • Collins Writing FCA’s for type 3 writing
  • Grading rubric
  • Students are part of the assessment process throughout the activity. They are given check sheets and the grading rubric to help guide their progress.

Instructional Modifications:

  • The resources room teachers were consulted prior to the activity beginning to offer suggestions for students with special needs. Resource room teachers worked with students who required extra help.
  • After instruction was given the instructor moved around the room to redirect students as needed.
  • Students who excelled with this activity were encouraged to refine their work.

Resources:

  • Introduction to Technology – Chapter 2
  • Science Explore: Motion, Forces, and Energy – Chapter 4
  • Glencoe Pre-Algebra
  • Handouts
  • Technology class – Rube Goldberg Activity, check sheets, evaluation and rubric – The Incredible Machine of Spring Break
  • Science activity handouts
  • Math activity handouts
  • Various Rube Goldberg overheads
  • Rube Goldberg Binder
  • The following web resources
  • http://www.rube-goldberg.com/
  • www.edheads.org – simple machines activities
  • Bill Nye the Science Guy simple machine video
  • Wallace & Gromit – “The Wrong Trousers”, 1993 video
  • Charlie Chaplin – “Modern Times”, 1936 silent movie 10 minute clip

Time Required:

  • Planning time/Triad working time – After determining what our topic would be the team met approximately 6 times to determine who would complete each phase of the activity and when each phase would be completed.
  • Implementation – This activity is a cross discipline activity, implementation will take place over approximately 8 weeks. The 4 instructors sat down with calendars and plan books and determined when each phase of this activity needed to be completed. The actual amount of time for one teacher to implement this activity is approximately 3 weeks.
  • Assessment – Assessment was on-going. There were formal and informal instructor checks, student check sheets, Collins Writing method of assessing type 3 writing, and assignment grading rubrics.

Reflection:
This activity was developed to help students see the interconnectedness between math, science and technology. Often students appear to keep their subject matter compartmentalized and this activity allowed them to see that the knowledge gained in one subject can be implemented in another. Overall this activity went well. Students seemed to really enjoy the activities, Rube Goldberg is a “fun” method for reinforcing MST standards, and students readily transferred information from the various content areas and applied them to the activities.
If given the opportunity the technology department would like to expand this activity. When teaching problem solving (engineering design) we often do not have the opportunity to evaluate work and re-enter the problem solving loop. This activity would allow us to do this. We would have students create refined sketches using materials that they could readily obtain, make list of materials, implement and test the solution.
Using video in the math classroom was a refreshing opportunity that students enjoyed. Weak math students had chance to excel and they did. Math would like to expand the activity by having students make a scale drawing of a simple machine involving proportional reasoning and coordinate plane.
The two month interval between science, and math/technology inhibited recall without prompting from the instructors.

Rigor and Relevance Target : D