Name ____________________________________________________ Date _________________
Rube Goldberg Project
Grade 6 – Science
Sometimes designing a silly, round-about
way to do something can enable one to
better understand the inner details of the
more practical, direct solution. Whenever a
machine is made too complicated to do a
simple job, it is called a “Rube Goldberg”.
Rube Goldberg’s award-winning cartoons
satirized machines and gadgets. These
cartoons combined simple machines and
common household items to create complex
and wacky contraptions that accomplished
mundane and trivial tasks. His inventions
became so widely known that Webster’s Dictionary added “Rube Goldberg” to its listing, defining it as
“accomplishing by complex, roundabout means what seemingly could be done simply.”
In this activity, you will design and build a Rube Goldberg machine. The machines that you build are
different from the machines people are used to seeing. A good Rube Goldberg machine incorporates the
everyday machines people are used to seeing and connects them in ways that may seem idiotic or
ingenious. It is your mission to construct a machine that uses at least 6 individual steps/stages to
complete a simple task. Some examples of simple tasks are:
Turn on a light bulb
Put out a candle
Fill a cup with water
Staple 2 papers together
Ring a bell
Set-off a mouse trap
Scramble an egg
Pick up a metal object
Untie a shoe
Feeding machine (popcorn)
Hat placer (on head)
Bone thrower (for dog)
Your machine may take some time to put together. You will have 3 weeks of in-class time to plan and
build this machine. Some materials I will have in the classroom, but you are responsible for most of the
materials you and your group will need to
construct the machine.
You may use almost any object that you
can find. You may not purchase special
items for this project. You are limited
to “safe” things. Here are a few ideas:
Cardboard
Wood
Toys
Magnets
Straws
Paper Clips
1
String
Coins
Balloons Rubber Bands
Bolts Plastic Containers
Cardboard Tubes
Coils
Gears
Plastic Tubing
Foil
Sand Toothpicks Marbles Nuts and
Hook/eye bolts
Balls (tennis, ping-pong, bouncy, golf)
Chains
Buttons
Dowels
Elastic
Macaroni
Springs
Kinex
Tinker Toys Matchbox Cars
The following items are NOT permitted or have special restrictions:
 Firecrackers, dangerous chemicals, and other unsafe items are not permitted
 You may not use more than one part of the game “Mousetrap”
 Balloons
 Any questionable item must be given prior consent by the teacher.
GUIDELINES FOR BUILDING YOUR MACHINE
1. Your machine must fit inside a space 60cm wide by 60cm long.
2. The base must be the bottom 4” of a box. Cut around the bottom of a box but leave 4” up on each
side.
3. A Rube Goldberg Machine is designed such that a single action starts the machine, such as pressing a
button, letting go of a marble, cutting a string, removing a barrier, etc. No other additional human
actions are allowed once your machine has started.
4. Your machine must have a minimum of six connected steps/stages, and must include:
a. one object that must raised at least 35 cm by your machine
b. at least three of the six simple machines (lever, screw, gear or wheel and axle, pulley, inclined
plane, wedge).
c. must do WORK (move something up or forward)
5. Your project must have a minimum running time of 10 seconds, and a maximum run time of 5 minutes.
DEFINITION OF A STEP: A single step is defined as a
transfer of energy, or 1 cause through 1 effect.
EXAMPLES OF STEPS:
1. Ball rolls down a ramp and springs a mousetrap
2. The mousetrap pulls a string causing a scissors to cut
3. A scissors cuts a cord, causing a weight to fall
4. Weight drops on tin foil, causing light bulb to turn on.
GUIDELINES FOR PRESENTING YOUR MACHINES
1. Set your machine in motion. If your machine fails to work completely on its first attempt, you are
allowed two restarts, which must occur within five minutes of the first run.
2. No human interaction is allowed during the action.
2
WHAT MAKES A GOOD RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE?
1. The machine works.
2. A Rube Goldberg Machine is designed such that a single action starts the machine running (pressing a
button, letting go of a marble, cutting a string, removing a barrier, etc.), and no other human actions
are required.
3. No group is penalized for having electrically or chemically powered steps; however mechanical steps
are more in the spirit of Rube Goldberg’s machines.
4. It has clearly visible steps. On many machines, it is hard to follow all the steps. Teachers appreciate
machines that are laid out so that as many of the steps as possible are clearly visible in linear
sequence. (A hits B, B triggers C, C cuts D, etc.)
5. Rube Goldberg Machines make you smile.
6. The best machines use common objects in ways you would not expect, for example:
a. A wind-up toy hamster wiggles down a tube and hits a ball,
b. A tape recorder slowly winds a string, pulling up a pirate flag while playing the theme song
from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
* Don’t use flammable or other dangerous chemicals. This violates the rules.
PROJECT HINTS
1. Decide on a goal for your machine. The goal is the last
step of your machine. It may be something useful, like
how to turn off the alarm clock, or something wacky,
such as how to swat a fly.
2. Gather a few things around the house, in your toy box,
junk drawer, or garage. You can collect more later.
3. Play with the things. What can the car bump into or
knock down? Can the string pull something up? What can push the ball sown the cardboard ramp?
Try it out!
4. Start writing down any idea that pops into your head. This is called brainstorming. No matter how
crazy an idea seems, write it down anyway.
5. Once you get a few good ideas, start organizing the steps or draw a simple diagram of the steps.
6. Try things out, then revise, and try again. Keep working until you get it just right.
7. Plan on making lots of changes to your
machine as you build it. It may look
very different from your original idea.
Don’t get frustrated, it’s part of the
learning process to find the very best
idea.
8. If you get stuck, go on line and look up
“Rube Goldberg cartoons” for ideas.
3
Name __________________________________________________ Date __________________
Rube Goldberg Project Assessment Rubric
Grade 6 Science
Rube Goldberg Project
Target
3
2
1
Create and label a diagram
that shows different energy
conversions occurring during a
chain reaction (PE-KE,KE-PE).
The student’s diagram
indicates the energy
conversion occurring during
every step of the chain
reaction.
The project contains at least
3 simple machines (lever,
screw, gear or wheel and axle,
pulley, inclined plane, wedge).
The student is able to explain
the cause and effect of
energy transformations in
every step of the chain
reaction.
The model was built to
specifications and the model
accomplished the intended
task.
The student’s diagram
indicates the energy
conversion occurring during
two or more steps of the
chain reaction.
The project contains 2 simple
machines (lever, screw, gear
or wheel and axle, pulley,
inclined plane, wedge).
The student is able to explain
the cause and effect of
energy transformations in two
or more steps of the chain
reaction.
The model was built to
specifications but the model
failed to accomplish the
intended task. OR
The model was not built to
specifications but the model
did accomplish the intended
task.
The student’s diagram
indicates the energy
conversion occurring during
one step of the chain
reaction.
The project contains 1 simple
machine (lever, screw, gear or
wheel and axle, pulley,
inclined plane, wedge).
The student is able to explain
the cause and effect of
energy transformations in one
step of the chain reaction.
Apply knowledge of simple
machines
Explain how energy is
transferred from place to
place.
Build a (Rube Goldberg)
project that demonstrates a
chain reaction.
4
The model was not built to
specifications and the model
failed to accomplish the
intended task.
Name ____________________________________________________ Date _________________
Rube Goldberg Project Timeline
Grade 6 – Science
Completed
Date Due
Task
Preliminary Diagram
Materials
Part 1: Two steps built and one simple machine done. The steps must work.
Part 2: Four steps built and two simple machines done. The steps must work.
Part 3: Present you machine for grading
Final drawing of machine, must identify at least 3 simple machines
5