Rube Goldberg Machines accomplish a simple task through an elaborately humorous and overcomplicated method. In this Rube Goldberg Machines PBL (Project-Based Learning) iBlock, challenge your students to think outside the box and discover the unexpected kinetic properties in everyday objects as they design their own Rube Goldberg Machine (RGM). In order to build their contraption, students will research and explore simple machines and chain reactions and how they both relate to the world around them. From ideation to interaction, students will engage in creative thinking, critical reasoning, and teamwork as they engineer these truly unique machines.
CTE Alignment: Arts, Entertainment, and Design, Advanced Manufacturing, Construction
An iBlock matches skills to standards (like Common Core or NGSS).
Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:
Make observations to provide evidence that energy is conserved as it is transferred and/or converted from one form to another. (NGSS: 4-PS3-2.)
Tiny Houses
iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:
With the world population estimated at around 7.7 billion, concerns rise over issues like housing, natural resource use, and environmental impact. Tiny houses have emerged as a movement and potential solution to mitigate our demands on energy consumption and our lifestyle footprint. Throughout this Tiny Houses PBL (Project-Based Learning) iBlock, students will explore energy consumption and efficiency, identify ways in which tiny homes can address efficiency concerns, design and engineer a tiny home solution model, and present their models at their very own home show.
