Outside-of-the-box STEM
Challenge students to unleash their imagination, grab a pile of junk, and design, test, and improve a machine that solves a simple problem.
“I needed a exciting way to teach students important STEM concepts and problem-solving.”
What is a Rube Goldberg Machine?
A Rube Goldberg Machine is a silly, over-the-top, wonderfully complicated invention that uses chain reaction to do a very simple job, like open a box, flip a switch, or pour a bowl of cereal. Learning isn’t a straight line, and neither are Rube Goldberg Machines. The Rube Goldberg iBlock is hands on project-based learning that turns trial-and-error into lessons in everything from core STEM concepts to creativity, collaboration, and perseverance.
Why purchase a Rube Goldberg Machine iBlock?
A Rube Goldberg Machine PBL (Project-Based Learning) iBlock helps you get from Point A to Point B with your invention. You’ll have everything you need to get going, from the learning content, consumables, and materials you’ll use to build your machine, to admission in the official contest.
Learn about the hands-on, skills-building, problem-solving fun that is building a Rube Goldberg Machine.
The iBlock project-based learning content is a great way to support the creation of your machine, and all of the investigation, invention, and innovation that go along with it.
The iBlock guides your students through the Engineering Design Process, first building context and understanding around Rube Goldberg, simple machines, and how they come together in a Rube Goldberg Machine. Then, the content leads students through the planning, design, and construction of their machine. Finally, they’ll test and evaluate their machine, learning the importance of refining, remixing, and redesigning.
Each year, The Rube Goldberg Institute invites students around the world to design and build intentionally inefficient contraptions and compete at Regional Rube Goldberg Machine Contests. Educators can lead a team or host a contest, and every participating team earns an invitation to the World Championships at Purdue University, held each spring since 1988.
Students can compete in many ways – building physical machines, designing digital contraptions in Minecraft or Unreal Engine, or sketching their ideas in the Rube Goldberg Crazy Contraption Cartoon Contest, making it easy to engage learners of all ages and interests.
Check out https://www.rubegoldberg.org/ for more information about the man, the machines, and of course, the annual contests.
The Rube Goldberg Minecraft Challenge
IMAGINE and create your Rube Goldberg Machine in the digital world of Minecraft and join the NASEF worldwide challenge. Feed a pet in the NASEF Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest!
The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest®
The Institute is proud to offer the only STEM competition in the world that requires zero cost to build and participate. Anyone, anywhere, with nothing more than a pile of junk and a great imagination can build an award-winning Rube Goldberg Machine®.
