Studying simple machines with Rube Goldberg

Using a copy of a Rube Goldberg cartoon, show how the famous cartoonist drew weird and wacky machines to complete a simple task. Students will develop their own Rube Goldberg-type cartoon, using five types of simple machines, to accomplish their selected feat.

A lesson plan for grade 7 Science

By Cynthia Corley

Learn more

• The Official Rube Goldberg Web Site information about Rube Goldberg today, the Rube Goldberg machine invention contest and more

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Related topics

• Learn more about physics and physical science, science, and technology and innovation.

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Learning outcomes

Students should:

1. Understand the basic simple machines.
2. Evaluate the mechanical advantage of simple machines.
3. Design simple and compound machines.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

90 minutes

Materials/resources

• An example of a Rube Goldberg cartoon is needed. An example can be found in the Holt textbook, Physical Science (Holt, Rhinehart, and Winston, 1994), page 116. You may also obtain a copy from your media center.
• Large paper (poster board, large cardboard, newsprint, several feet of rolled paper, etc.)
• Magic markers or crayons

Pre-activities

Students will need to know the following:

• What is work?
• How do machines multiply force without multiplying work?
• How is mechanical advantage calculated?

Activities

1. Give some history of Pulitzer Prize winning cartoons by Rube Goldberg.
2. Show an example of Goldberg’s work and follow each segment to the completion of his designated task.
3. Explain that the team of students (seems to work best with two students per team) is to decide on a simple chore or task and devise a “Rube Goldberg” way to accomplish this activity.

Assessment

1. Observe team’s ideas and progress.
2. Check to see if the five simple machines are incorporated in the design.
3. Determine if the machines will accomplish the tasks they are designed to complete.
4. Creativity and imagination are also assessed.

Supplemental information

Comments

After seeing a Rube Goldberg cartoon in our textbook, it reminded me that his work became an American idiom. The term, “a Rube Goldberg,” meant an incredibly complicated, impractical scheme or device. Younger teachers may have to research more about Mr. Goldberg, but those of us who grew up in the 1940’s will be familiar with his work.