Math

Today we are going to make a Rude Goldberg Machine!

A what?????

Let me explain.........

Have you ever seen a Rube Goldberg machine in action? You probably have, even if you didn’t know what it was. A Rube Goldberg machine is a contraption that uses a chain reaction to carry out a simple task. It performs a very basic job in a complicated way.

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

• Put out a candle

Step 3: Gather Supplies

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING

This is a chance for you to be creative! What do you have around the house you could use?

Things that Roll

• Marbles

• Balls: Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, etc.

• Toy Cars

• Dominoes

• Skateboard

• Roller Skate

• Mousetrap

Things that Move

• Mousetrap

• Dominoes

• Toaster

• Fan

Ramps

• Toy Train Tracks

• Marble Runs

• Books

• Trays

• PVC pipe

• Plastic tubing

• Gutters

Recyclables

• Cardboard

• Cereal Boxes

• Cardboard Rolls

• Plastic Water Bottles

• Cans

• Aluminum Foil

Household Materials

• Chopsticks

• Popsicle Sticks

• Ruler

• Wooden Blocks

• Bowl

• String

• Tape

• Sand

• Pins

• Hammer

• Balloons

• Water

• Fan

• Vinegar and Baking Soda

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, keep this simple. 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.

5 Tips for Success

1. Success breeds enthusiasm, so keep the steps to a minimum. You can always add more as you go.

2. Keep your expectations low. As said above if you succeed in making a simple machine slowly add more complicated aspects

3. Ask your friends and family for ideas and input

4. Work collaboratively

5. Aim to have fun

Activity 1: Create a Kahoot

Create a Kahoot with 5 questions from The Giver. For example, ‘What was the colour that Jonas started to see first?’ Here is a video explaining how to create a Kahoot game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfPH4GEo600

Activity 2: Vocabulary Slideshow

Create a Vocabulary slideshow/video using 5 words we explored in The Giver.

For each word include:

• Word, and part of speech (e.g. adjective, noun, etc.)

• Definition

• Images or video clips that relate to that word

• A short sentence using the word

Here is an example of what yours might look like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10n6SQn5WbM&feature=youtu.be

You might want to use your Haiku Deck app. Here is a guide to getting started with this app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXagwmJ4Fqs

Here is a link to an online dictionary: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

Activity 3: Memory transfer

For this task you are going to choose a memory to share and record it so it can be “transferred” to others.

• Choose a personal memory that you associate with a particular emotion

• Take a photo or create a video, photo still, or a drawing of that moment. For example you could record a video showing a moment of joy playing with a pet outside in the sunshine. You might recruit some actors, use props and editing effects to create the emotional impact you need.

• Add a short written description of the memory somewhere in your artwork/film.

Activity 4: 90 seconds Challenge

Create a 90-second video adaptation of The Giver. Rather than try and cram every detail of the story into a minute-and-a-half, explore ways to add your own creative flair to the narrative.

You could even submit it to the Newbery Film Festival. For more information about the festival: http://jameskennedy.com/90-second-newbery/

Example 90 second film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=96&v=KmqNb7QANoo&feature=emb_logo

Activity 5: Create a new book cover for The Giver:

Here are some example covers of The Giver: https://comparativecoverart.tumblr.com/post/110098546238/the-giver-lois-lowry

You might want to use some of the symbols from the book in your design, such as: an apple, river, eyes, forest, rain, snowflake, sun, mountains or hills, road, colours, or bird.

Activity 6: The Giver Travel Brochure

Use your ipad and your knowledge of persuasive language to design a travel brochure for the Community. Consider aspects of Community life that might inspire tourists to visit, or families to relocate there. For example, they might include information on the local economy, government, schools, climate, transport and job opportunities.

Activity 7: Create a video book report or book trailer

You could use an app like Shadow Puppet Edu, Animoto, or iMovie. Here is an example one that uses iMovie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d6hDWYOhpM

Activity 8: The Giver Community Newspaper

Create the front page of a newspaper for the Community, following a traditional front page layout. What sort of news might make the headlines? Consider the implications of “news” in a culture of Sameness. You may be able to use one of these website on this link to put together your newspaper: https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/05/5-web-tools-to-create-awesome-digital.html

Activity 9: Make your own Audiobook

Similar to the youtube video readings of The Giver, in this task you are going to record yourself reading. Find a page of text from The Giver, or another book that you have read recently, and take a photo of it. Add a voiceover recording of yourself reading with expression for 2 minutes. You might want to use an app like Doceri, Explain Everything or Shadow Puppet Edu.

Activity 10: What is a podcast?

Podcasts are very popular at the moment. It would be great to have students creating and sharing their own podcasts in the future. Perhaps they could go on the BPS website! But first, we need to understand what a podcast is. This link will take you to a list of websites with some different types of podcasts: https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/19-great-learning-podcasts-for-the-classroom

Select a few to look through and try out, and then answer 3 of these questions:

1. Which of the podcast sites did you like?

2. What even IS a podcast?

3. What can podcasts be about?

4. Why would you listen to a podcast?

5. How does it change the way you tell a story when you only have your voice?

6. How does it change the way you listen when you can’t see someone?

7. What types of sounds do podcasts include?

8. What are some ways that podcasts tend to be structured?

Activity 11: Song lyrics and figurative language

Look up the lyrics to a favourite song. Choose one that has examples of figurative language in it. Copy and paste the lyrics onto an app, then highlight a few lines of text that are examples of figurative language. Next decorate the page with images relating to the figurative language you found. You could instead create a small poster and copy a few lines from the song, and then hand draw the images.

Here is a figurative language reminder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK6jiDqQiLs

Activity 12: BTN... but different

Watch the latest episode of BTN. Write a summary of your favourite story. Write 5 questions you could ask someone else about this story.

https://www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/