The Rube Goldberg Machine

Antwerp International School

As part of our innovation unit, students designed a Rube Goldberg machine. A Rube Goldberg machine is a chain reaction-type machine or contraption created to perform a simple task in an indirect and overly complicated way.

The class was split into two large groups and was given three days to go from planning to execution. According to Mr Quenneville, “That pressurised time approach allows the Grade 5 student to practice their self-management skills and further develop their understanding of the value of time, as well as time-management and collaborative learning strategies in action.”

Using the MYP Design Cycle, students structured their inquiry. They did a lot of research into different types of Rube Goldberg machines to see how they worked, what they are made from and what some of their purposes were. Then they looked into what they could use around the classroom to create their machines. Next, they designed and made diagrams of what their machines would look like and what the contraption would do, before they built their machine. The idea was that in pairs they’d each build different parts of the machine and then they’d join it together, while also learning the importance of teamwork.

There were two approaches to learning skills (ATLs) in this lesson. One was supporting others and the other was resilience. This teaches students that when you have setbacks you learn not to give up and to keep trying. In all learning experiences, students are encouraged to develop their approaches to learning skills (ATLs). The various communication, thinking, research, self-management and social skills students acquire help them to become independent learners.

Students made sure to follow these success criteria for their Rube Goldberg machines: our machine has a clear purpose, our machine uses a range of forces: gravity, friction, magnetism, air pressure, inertia, we have a clear written/drawn plan for our part of the machine, we can explain how our part of the machine connects to Isaac Newton’s Laws, we have made sure that all the different parts fit together to make the whole machine, we have evidence of how we used the different parts of the Design Cycle, I was supportive of other people in my team and I showed perseverance and did not give up when things did not work.

To learn more visit: www.ais-antwerp.be