This Term we will be working in small groups to create a Rube Goldberg machine. We will read through Slide 1 together and then we will take a look at some successful Rube Goldberg machines and the way that they are assembled.
Make groups. Remember that you need to choose carefully
You will then get a large piece of butcher’s paper to draw your draft designs on.
Remember the Project criteria:
- Must have at least 10 steps - Use materials that they can easily source at school or home - Must be creative - Must be able to be assembled and packed up quickly (each lesson)
Week 6: Planning & Testing Stage 2
Remember: Don't jump straight into building! Before you do this, you need to show me:
Sketch of Stage 2
Cause & Effect Diagram - Stage 2
Then you can start building and testing the steps in Stage 2! (Remember: more detailed instructions with the process to follow are under Week 4).
Remember: Don't jump straight into building! Before you do this, you need to show me:
Sketch of Stage 1
Cause & Effect Diagram - Stage 1
Evidence that Stage 1 is working reliably
Sketch of Stage 2
Cause & Effect Diagram - Stage 2
Then you can start building and testing the steps in Stage 2! (Remember: more detailed instructions with the process to follow are under Week 4).
Week 4: Stage 1 planning & testing
This week you need to plan and start testing the first stage of your machine.
Imagine your whole, completed machine... then divide it into thirds. These thirds represent the three stages of your machine. We are going to work on one stage at a time, making sure it is well-planned and working effectively before moving onto the next stage. This also means you will only be setting up one stage at a time, which will help you make the most of each lesson.
So... this week you will be working on STAGE 1 (roughly the first third of your machine). Your whole machine should have 10 steps AT THE VERY MINIMUM... but it can have up to 30. Stage 1, therefore, should have between 4 - 10 steps, depending on how many steps you want in your completed machine.
STAGE 1 Planning, Building & Testing:
Step 1: Plan Draw a sketch of Stage 1, showing each step. This might be one large sketch, or several smaller ones that can be joined together - this might be easier so that you can share the steps between your team members.
Take a photo of your completed Stage 1 sketch. (Remember: You might like to save all pics and videos onto Google Drive to make sure you don't lose them!)
Step 2: Cause & effect flow chart Once you have completed your sketch of Stage 1, you need to create a Cause and Effect flow chart. You could draw this by hand, or use an app like Popplet. Here are some examples of what this might look like:
Take a photo of your completed Stage 1 Cause & Effect Flow Chart.
Step 3: Start building! Time to have some fun! Set up your steps and give them a go. You might prefer to do one step at a time, or divide the steps in Stage 1 between your group members. For each step you need to make sure it works well and is reliable, and then you will somehow need to record EXACTLY how that step is set up so that it can easily be rebuilt later! You may need to measure the space between objects and record this somewhere, or take close up photos of exactly how objects are arranged,
IMPORTANT REMINDERS WHILE YOU BUILD:
Remember to take photos and video footage of you building and testing your steps!
Somewhere in your documentary you need to show some steps that did not work at first, and how you changed them to make them work.
The area you work in needs to be left with absolutely NO evidence that you were there! Put everything back where it goes, and pack your materials away in your box on top of the lockers.
Be aware of your noise levels if you are not in the classroom, and respectful of the classes nearby.
I am observing each session and taking notes about how well your group worked together. This will form part of your individual assessment at the end of the project!