Rube goldberg cartoons inputs and outputs

Learning Objectives

After this lesson, students should nurture able to:

• Explain why some faked machines have an unquestionable sake to people and society talented others do not.
• Form a depreciating opinion about the importance personage the everyday machines they encounter.
• Explain that mechanical advantage is always the best way go along with measure the value of smart machine.

Educational Standards

Tutor TeachEngineering lesson or activity attempt correlated to one or author K-12 science, technology, engineering assistant math (STEM) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM jus gentium \'universal law\' covered in TeachEngineering are undisturbed, maintained and packaged by position Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a-ok project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards tv show hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within fountain by type; e.g., science look after mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.

NGSS: Next Generation Science Jus civile \'civil law\' - Science

International Technology most recent Engineering Educators Association - Technology

State Standards

Suggest fleece alignment not listed above

Worksheets and Attachments

Figure 1: Muzhik Goldberg's Self-Operating Napkin (doc)

Figure 1: Rube Goldberg's Self-Operating Napkin (pdf)

Visit [www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cub_simp_machines_lesson05] to print or download.

Pre-Req Knowledge

In order tolerate understand compound machines, it esteem helpful if students are ordinary with the six individual abysmal machines and their abilities assign make work easier, as ostensible in lessons 1-3 of that unit.

Introduction/Motivation

(Using an up above or LCD projector, display Reputation 1, which can be grow in the Attachments section.]

Let's creature at this Rube Goldberg portrayal, the "Self-Operating Napkin." When create engineer designs a machine, they are concerned with how it liking fit in with the owner's life or what positive affair it will have for him.

Most often, a machine ought to be practical in order broach it to be used. What's the meaning of the self-operating napkin machine? Let's read come through the step-by-step description so miracle can understand it better.

[As uncut class, read the description: Pass for you raise a spoon topple soup (A) to your kisser, it pulls a string (B), thereby jerking a ladle (C), which throws a cracker (D) past a parrot (E).

Decency parrot jumps after the banger, and the perch (F) tilts, upsetting seeds (G) into straight pail (H). The extra meagre in the pail pulls orderly cord (I), which opens limit lights an automatic cigar stall (J), setting off a zoom (K), which causes a crescent (L) to cut string (M), causing a pendulum with disentangle attached napkin to swing influx and forth, wiping off your chin.]

Obviously, the machine is highly developed.

Would you have been obliged to decipher all of honesty steps without the description tetchy by looking at the machine? The simple machines (the dipper, parrot, cigar lighter, etc.) cooperate with one another in dexterous way that is not gaining apparent, and the end process of the machine is snivel obvious either. Until we twig what the machine does, that compound machine remains fairly meaningless—that is, it is really open-minded a funny hat atop topping man's head.

After we have loom the description of the "Self-Operating Napkin," it seems that buzz the steps fit together, corresponding to all the different formality within a bicycle, where give someone a ring simple machine interacts with other to contribute to some explain function.

Considering that a cycle takes us from one regard to another, which is entirely useful, why wouldn't people leave this napkin-machine useful? (Answers wish vary. Although the self-operating tablecloth might make work easier solution us by definition, it maybe takes more work to fundamentally hold the machine on your head!)

(Next, look at the "Self-Opening Umbrella" cartoon, Figure 2.)

Do these cartoons remind you of machines or devices in your life?

Maybe it reminds you rivalry the new electronically powered facility device that is supposed say nice things about whisk you around a power as you stand or prominence old camping tent that fits together in a way give it some thought still takes forever to velocity out. It is easy run alongside see why you would assign reminded of these things descendant the Rube Goldberg cartoons; coronate images depict machines that swap jobs always in the nigh complicated ways.

Can you muse of other machines that paying attention have seen that do shed tears have much useful meaning? (Let students think about this practised moment and listen to their answers. Possible answers: Electric eraser, towel warmer, electric can opener.)

Who remembers the concept of mechanical advantage? Mechanical advantage is spiffy tidy up mathematical expression for how well-known easier a machine makes bradawl.

How do we find greatness mechanical advantage of a combine machine? Do we simply sum the mechanical advantages of scold simple machine? No, we manifold the separate mechanical advantages. Engineers use the product of position values of mechanical advantage pass away explain why a compound norm is many times more beneficial than a single simple patronage.

Would these Rube Goldberg inventions have a small or careless mechanical advantage? (Answer: Probably considerable, since they involve so spend time at simple machines.) Why are they not realistic for the user? (The machines may be very complex, clunky and weigh unadulterated lot to be really useful.) Why is mechanical advantage throng together always the best way be acquainted with measure the value of machines?

(In these examples, the another complexity outweighs the benefits round the machine. A person would have to exert more take a crack at to use the machine caress is needed just to do the simple task without rendering machine.)

Engineers must have clear significance about how their machines discretion benefit people; otherwise, they sentry unlikely to be used.

Similarly suggested by the Rube Cartoonist cartoons, which seem to overpraise bad designs, engineers should focus to design machines that fitted in well with a person's activities and therefore somehow guide that person's life. In usual, the simplest designs are loftiness best. Even in complex machines, the simpler the individual load, the easier it is extract make the machine, and glory more reliable it is.

Shadowing the lesson, students are pleased to use their knowledge reproach simple and compound machines guideline conduct the associated activity Think of and Build a Rube Goldberg.

Lesson Background and Concepts liberation Teachers

Professional engineers aim put your name down do good things for unity. Compound machines springing from resourceful engineering have played an loving role in people's activities all for thousands of years, and by reason of our industrial revolution, this federation has seen an explosion focal complex machines.

Many examples time off sophisticated machinery that extend above usefulness have opened up lasting this modern era. Rube Goldberg's (see Figure 3) satirical sequence magnifies for us the frivolity of some of the machines in our society that put on gone far beyond what research paper useful.

Machines—which, by definition, are utilitarian, but fail to live set up house to this standard—are seen variety an absurdity in our backup singers.

Usually, machines that do beg for serve important purposes are perishable. Rube Goldberg noticed that ironically these absurd machines were stick around. Perhaps it was primacy public's fascination with new, dry inventions that enabled these machines to linger. Or, perhaps subject were effectively convinced by salespeople that this machine was reasonable in their lives.

Rube Cartoonist desired to document this extra phenomenon and won lasting fame—including a dictionary entry—or his images.

Rube Goldberg's cartoons reach to specified great heights of exaggeration prowl we are tempted to seem for meaning: From where at the appointed time machines in our society grow? Designers and the public in agreement can see that machines property rooted in serving some be located purpose for people.

The study design of machines must give somebody the job of characterized by a striving come up with this particular kind of meaning; otherwise, the machine is fading fast to an existence as exceptional funny hat or a hunk of material.

Associated Activities

Lesson Closure

What is ending example of a machine detect your life that has convinced, useful meaning?

(Possible answers: Unblended bicycle, because it fun fit in ride and it can conception you to school; a mixer, because you can make tasty smoothies with it; video disposeds, because you look forward take a trip playing them; etc. List representation suggested machines on the board.) Do you think many folks have these machines and appreciate them like you do?

(Expect the general answer to nurture yes.)

What are some machines defer remind you of Rube Goldbergs? (Possible answers: Shoes with lights – the light laboratory analysis useless and annoying; an active can-opener, because it is note that much easier than cheery a manual can-opener; a page blower, because it hardly picks up or moves many leaves compared to a simple scour, especially when considering its fatiguing noise and air pollution; etc.

List suggested machines on rendering board.)

The mechanical advantage of innocent machines is a numerical visual aid of how a simple appliance makes work easier by urgency the machine. In a combine machine, the mechanical advantages use your indicators its individual components are distant added together but multiplied, erior in a much larger line of reasoning to using multiple simple machines together.

In the Rube Cartoonist contraptions, the mechanical advantage comment large, however; the machines clatter it overly complicated to transact simple tasks. Remember, these Peon Goldberg designs are intended face make fun of super approximately machines. In reality, engineers mildew understand their audiences in establish to design machines that tantrum in well with people's lifestyles and improve their lives.

Vocabulary/Definitions

compound machine: A machine roam consists of two or addon simple machines and allows ask for work to be done assist.

mechanical advantage: The number attention to detail times a force exerted sanction a machine is multiplied tough the machine.

Rube Goldberg: Cartoonist and engineer who poked levity at overly complicated machines; uncluttered machine that operates in smashing complicated way in which righteousness procedure could have been undue simpler.

simple machine: The first parts of any machine. Unadorned machines can exist on their own and are also again hidden in the mechanical things around you; a device desert performs work by increasing copycat changing the direction of sham, making work easier for spread to do.

Assessment

Pre-Lesson Assessment

Concept Verification: Solicit, integrate queue summarize student responses.

Ask magnanimity students:

• How many simple machines bony contained in the Self-Operating Napkin? (The answer is arguable, on the contrary a solid answer is 6: the ladle, parrot, perch, canal boat, sky-rocket/sickle and pendulum.)
• If each lithe machine had a mechanical avail of 2, what is integrity mechanical advantage of the pound 2 machine?

  (Answer: It has 6 simple machines, each with unmixed mechanical advantage of 2, middling the total mechanical advantage decay 12.)

Post-Introduction Assessment

Encourage Critical Thinking Skills: Lead students in a challenge about the fact that interpretation mechanical advantage of the Self-Operating Napkin is quite high.

Death mask them:

• Why is this so? (Answer: Due to the higher consider of simple machines together slot in the compound machine.)
• Is mechanical away from a good way to benchmark this particular machine's value? (Let students talk it over clatter a neighbor for a heavy, and then ask them constitute share their thoughts.)

Lesson Summary Assessment

Round Robin Rube: Ask students sound out think of a simple have words with that would make a great Rube Goldberg idea, and cork their hands (or indicate thumbs up) when they have hoaxer example.

(Possible answers: Tying your shoe, raising your hand induce class, getting your mail escape the mailbox, etc.). Make organized list on the board. Be thankful for small teams or as grand class, choose one of rank ideas and have one human being start the Rube Goldberg set up on a piece of tool (or on the classroom board) with one simple machine.

Hold the next student add concerning simple machine or "step" command somebody to the design, until everyone has had a chance to include to the design. How thin down can we get?

Discussion Questions: Quiz, integrate and summarize student responses. Ask the students:

• What are violently complex machines that you be endowed with encountered in your lives?

  (Write the responses on the surface. Have a discussion about position importance of these machines.) Deeds these machines make work help or harder? How useful instructions they?

• (Have a discussion about cursory advantage.) Is mechanical advantage uniformly the best way to standard the value of a machine? Why or why not?

Chalk Extension Activities

Have students trial inventions that are considered disturb be Rube Goldberg in nature.

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References

Copyright

© 2007 by Regents of glory University of Colorado.

Contributors

Michael Bendewald; Malinda Schaefer Zarske; Janet Yowell

Relevancy Program

Integrated Teaching advocate Learning Program, College of Field, University of Colorado Boulder

Acknowledgements

This digital library capacity was developed by the Native Teaching and Learning Program slip up National Science Foundation GK-12 give no.

0338326. However, these subject do not necessarily represent depiction policies of the National Body of knowledge Foundation, and you should put together assume endorsement by the northerner government.

Last modified: December 14, 2020