A Rube Goldberg machine does not really look like it would make work easier. Introduce your class to Rube Goldberg with a resource that shows how his inventions make simple tasks harder to complete. 

Students dissect simple machines. In this simple machines lesson, students gather simple machines from their home to dissect in class. Students investigate the working parts of simple machines and construct a machine based on the designs...

Young scholars examine six simple machines and investigate who Rube Goldberg is. They explore various websites, write an article, write ten interesting facts about Rube Goldberg, and design and construct a simple machine.

Fourth graders design a contraption, which contains five different examples of simple machines and works without intervention. They sketch designs and label its parts. They present their creations to the class and relate them to Rube...

Students examine and discuss simple machines and Rube Goldberg cartoons, listing real-world examples. They design and illustrate a Rube Goldberg device, identify the simple machines involved, and write a paragraph explaining how the...

Students apply inquiry and problem solving approaches in science. They design a device (invention) that solves a special problem.

Students create a Rube Goldberg type cartoon and research an invention.  For this art inspired lesson students create their own cartoon and research inventions on the Internet. 

Students hypothesize, collaborate, and present their ideas on uses of simple machines. They research an invention, make a model of their cartoon or invent a new tool.

Simple and compound machines are designed to make work easier. When we encounter a machine that does not fit this understanding, the so-called machine seems absurd. In this activity, the cartoons of Rube Goldberg are introduced and...

Students analyze a cartoon of a Rube Goldberg machine and a Python programming language script to practice engineering analysis. This exercise enables students to see the parallels between a more traditional mechanical engineering design...