For the freshmen's last project of the year, they had to design and build Rube Goldberg machines. Named for the cartoonist who sketched them, a Rube Goldberg machine is a complex machine, made to complete a simple task. The freshmen were divided into groups within their classes, and each group had to build a Rube Goldberg that incorporated the six main simple machines in its design. The six main simple machines are an inclined plane, a wheel and axle, a wedge, a screw, a lever, and a pulley.The students learned about how these could be employed in the project, and then went to work in the shop.
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| One of Rube Goldberg's more famous designs, the Self-Operating Napkin. |
When building, the groups were all given $200 in ETA dollars, created for this very project, and had to budget their money. Materials, tools, and expert advice all had a price. If the students kept their money in order, on a charge sheet, they were given a bonus. However, if they were doing something improper in the workshop, they were fined. This gave the students a new perspective on building, and how to make use of all that they were given.
The groups within each class had to connect their projects together, so that momentum of an object (like a marble or toy car) would continue from group to group. This stressed the importance of communication, and how it is necessary in any kind of project. The classes then took their projects down to the cafeteria, so the classes could "race" their machines. Below are some of the final projects.
The "race" in the cafeteria was a wonderful end to a wonderful year, and the teachers and teacher's assistants would like to applaud the hard work that the students put in this year. Have a great summer, and we'll see you in the fall!
