The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project
Rube Goldberg Machines
Rube Goldberg Machines
A 5th grade STEM lesson
following the GRC Model (Gather, Reason, Communicate)
Author
Stephanie Nichols
Date 2/2/23
Notes for teachers
1-2 days, depending on extensions
List of Materials
IDEAS (can add or subtract from this list)
-rope/string
-dominoes
-planks
-paper tubes
-gutters
-empty cans, small (or large) buckets
-marbles, ball bearings, other spheres
-pulleys
-washers
-heavy books
-tape
AZ Science Standards
5.P4U1.6
Analyze and interpret data to determine how and where energy is transferred when objects move.
5.P3U1.4
Obtain, analyze, and communicate evidence of the effects that balanced and unbalanced forces have on the motion of objects.
AZ ELA Standards
5.RI.3
Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, based on specific information in the text.
Objectives:
I can use everyday items to build a Rube Goldberg machine to complete a task.
I can explain the movement of objects in my machine using specific vocabulary and research on force and energy transfer.
Agenda
Question: What is happening when objects crash into each other?
Gather:
Discuss: Pool Table (Gif)
Discuss: OK Go Rube Goldberg (Video)
Reason:
Read: Energy Transfer
Design a Rube Goldberg machine to Accomplish a Task
Communicate:
Reflect: Communicate the results with a written explanation informed by reading and research (this is assessed)
Discuss:
What do you notice about the gif on the following slide?
Discuss:
What caused each ball to move on the pool table?
Discuss:
What was the initial movement caused by?
What was the result?
How did the movement keep going?
Energy is all around us. We see energy in different forms, such as light, heat, and sound. Energy is the ability to do work. It can be stored, or used. It can also be transferred and transformed. That means energy of one type can change into energy of another type. It also means that energy can move from one object or place to another. The amount of energy stays the same-it just gets transferred. One form of energy that is really exciting is energy of motion.
A force is a push or a pull, and is one way that energy can be observed in action. Before you can push or pull something, energy must be used. Force can be used to start, slow down, or stop motion. It can also cause an object to change direction. In order to cause a change, the forces must be unbalanced. Balanced forces mean that there are equal forces in opposite direction, thus the net motion of the object will not change.
Think about the pool table gif you observed earlier. Where did you observe force? How did the force affect the balls on the pool table? Did you observe any changes in direction or speed? Where was energy transfer observable?
Read and Summarize in Discussion
Hands-on Activity Instructions
Create a machine that will move a piece of trash into the trash can without you touching the trash directly.
Assessment
1. Write an explanation that describes what you created, including the materials you used. Discuss what the goals of your model were. Use the vocabulary from the reading or from other sources to describe how the model shows concepts of energy and energy transfer.
2. Draw a model to illustrate your machine. Include labels that show what the materials are, and how they moved. Use arrows to show how the materials moved.
Differentiation
Provide students with a comic template or allow students to submit a typed reflection.
Allow students to create a short video on clips with voiceover narration describing the steps and the science concepts.
Provide students with sentence frames to use.
Provide students with a word bank.
Allow students to view https://www.generationgenius.com/videolessons/energy-transfer-video-for-kids/
Remediation
Extension/Enrichment
Create a chain reaction machine that does a different task.
Try to use more types of energy in your machine.
Create a video or slideshow instructing students on how to do this project.
Explore the comics of Rube Goldberg, and write a biography or create a presentation to show what you learned.