http://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rube_goldberg_machine/rube_goldberg_machine.xmlactivitytext/xmlCenter for Engineering Educational Outreach, designengineering design processmachineRube Goldbergschematicsimple machinesprototypeschematic

Engineer and cartoonist Rube Goldberg is famous for his crazy machines that accomplish everyday tasks in overly complicated ways. Students use their new understanding of types of simple machines to design and build their own Rube Goldberg machines that perform simple tasks in no less than 10 steps.

Engineers continually dip into their wells of creativity to come up with new and innovative ways of completing tasks. The classic and fundamental simple machines are incorporated and combined into an endless number of items designed by engineers and used everyday. This activity challenges students to bring out their creative side in designing complex machines to perform simple tasks. Practical representation of simple machines (prototype) Engineering design process Safe use of tools Five elements of a technology system: goal, inputs, processes, outputs and feedback120TeachEngineering.orghttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rube_goldberg_machine/activity_worksheet.dochttp://www.teachengineering.org/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_rube_goldberg_machine/activity_worksheet.pdfRube Goldberg is the ® and © of Rube Goldberg, Inc. Students can enter designs in the annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest. For current information, contact Rube Goldberg Inc at www.rubegoldberg.com or 212-371-3760.S101D432MassachusettsScience1.1 Given a design task, identify appropriate materials (e.g., wood, paper, plastic, aggregates, ceramics, metals, solvents, adhesives) based on specific properties and characteristics (e.g., weight, strength, hardness, and flexibility).68S100E25FMassachusettsScience1.2 Identify and explain appropriate measuring tools, hand tools, and power tools used to hold, lift, carry, fasten, and separate, and explain their safe and proper use.68S1011835MassachusettsScience1.3 Identify and explain the safe and proper use of measuring tools, hand tools, and machines (e.g., band saw, drill press, sanders, hammer, screwdriver, pliers, tape measure, screws, nails, and other mechanical fasteners) needed to construct a prototype of an engineering design.68S1009558MassachusettsScience2.2 Demonstrate methods of representing solutions to a design problem, e.g., sketches, orthographic projections, multiview drawings.68S1011180MassachusettsScience2.3 Describe and explain the purpose of a given prototype.68S1010C69MassachusettsScience2.4 Identify appropriate materials, tools, and machines needed to construct a prototype of a given engineering design.68S1004F28MassachusettsScience2.5 Explain how such design features as size, shape, weight, function, and cost limitations would affect the construction of a given prototype.68S1017A2FMassachusettsScience2.6 Identify the five elements of a universal systems model: goal, inputs, processes, outputs, and feedback.68United StatesCopyright 2012 - Center for Engineering Educational Outreach, Tufts Universityhttp://www.teachengineering.org/policy_ipp.phphttp://www.teachengineering.org/2011-11-207Teacher