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Rube Goldberg

Machine

Build a Rube Golberg Machine

This is a great activity to do with your family!

Build or Draw a Rube Golberg machine with a certain number of working steps to accomplish a simple task.

First, Who was Rube Golberg?

Rube Golberg was an American inventor who drew pictures of contraptions made up of pulleys, cups, birds, balloons, and watering cans that were designed to solve a simple task such as opening a window or setting an alarm clock.

Step 1: Get Inspired!

First things first, you’ll want to watch some Rube Goldberg contraptions in action to get inspired. I love watching this video by a band called OK Go. It’s incredible complicated, but oh-so-amazing, it is slightly more complex than a machine I would expect you to make!

And the song, "This Too Shall Pass" has a message that is very fitting for the times we are living in right now. :)

**Remember: You can either Build or Draw your machine***

Step 2: Solve a Problem

Next, come up with a simple problem that you’re trying to solve. For example:

Ring a Bell
Pop a Balloon
Open a Door
Shut a window
Turn off an alarm clock

Once you have a problem sorted out (and don’t worry – you can change this later if you want), gather supplies…

Step 3: Gather Supplies

Collect a bucket-full of supplies and then lay them out so they’re easily seen. These can largely be found in your home — start with what you have! You will most likely start with some of these basics, and then forage your home for more supplies as you go. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Rube-Goldberg-Activity-List (1).pdf

Step 4: Build Your Machine!

Once you have the supplies ready, start building. While the OK Go video (and others like it) includes some pretty complex machines and concepts, your machine can be as simple or as complex as you like. The basic concept that we’re exploring is that of a chain reaction, so anything that tips something else over (and so one) is what you’re going for. Don’t worry too much about building things like pulleys and levers.

Here is a good video with some examples of different things you can try:

Tips for Success

Keep it simple. If this is your first time doing this, keep your steps to a minimum. You can always add more as you go!
Ask those around you for tips and ideas, WORK TOGETHER!
Aim to have fun!

The Importance of Failure

As you test and try things out, you will fail many times! This is great news! Failure is a part of the journey, and without these mistakes we won't learn how things really work! So be okay with failure and think of it as part of the learning process!

Once you have finished, take a picture or a video of the machine in action to share with your teacher!

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