Your creative challenge this week is all about using
---chain reactions--- A chain reaction is a series of events, each caused by the previous one. For example, one domino falling over and hitting another causes another domino to fall over and hit another, which causes that domino to fall over and hit another, which causes that domino to fall over and hit another, which causes that domino to fall over and hit another…
You might have seen this video which uses chain reactions (it has almost 10 millions views!).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nn7NZI_LN4
Chain reactions can be found in science, nature and useful machines…they can also be used in not-so-useful machines like the one in the video and those designed by Rube Goldberg; that’s where we are taking our inspiration from this week.
You will:
- learn about Rube Goldberg and the wild machines he inspired. - learn about pulleys and levers. - design and sketch your own crazy contraption to perform a simple task. - write a set of instructions for using your invention.
This learning will be over the whole week. You may want to miss a set of pages in your blue exercise book OR turn to the back of your book and start there (a bit like how we do English and SPaG in the same book).
Contraption (noun) - a machine or device that appears strange or unnecessarily complicated, and often badly made or unsafe.
You may remember George’s mum calling computers,‘tin-can contraptions’ DAY 1 – Learn about Rube Goldberg
Rube Goldberg was a famous engineer and cartoonist.
He first worked as an engineer but later became a cartoonist and drew complicated contraptions made up of everyday objects like pulleys, cups, birds, balloons and watering cans. People liked them because he often created very complicated machines to do a very simple action, like open a window or set an alarm clock. His most famous is a self-operating napkin (pictured above).
Can you work out how each part operates, beginning with A – raising a spoon. You can see it in action in this video. Or discover lots more of his inventions here.
Interestingly, Goldberg only drew the pictures, he never built any of his inventions. However, his cartoons have inspired other makers and builders to create wild inventions to solve everyday problems.
Check out this Guinness World Record for the largest ‘Rube Goldberg’ style machine.
While you watch, can you spot: ✓ a bicycle wheel, ✓ a plastic cone, ✓ a shopping trolley, ✓ a boxing glove, ✓ a microwave; and ✓ a rubber duck?
What other everyday objects are used?
What simple, everyday action does the machine perform? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBOqfLVCDv8
Now watch the slowest Rube Goldberg machine here! It takes more than 6 weeks! Take a little break and try out these Rube Goldberg inspired games:
Tom’s Trap-O-Matic Game Simple Machines
Have you ever played Mouse Trap?
It’s another example of
a crazy contraption using a chain reaction.
DAY 2 – Learn about levers and pulleys
Next, we’re thinking about how your crazy contraption will move.
You could simply have a domino-style effect that pushes one thing onto the next or a track that a rolling object follows.
but, if you want to change the direction or size of the force, you’ll need a machine.
What is a machine?
A machine is any device that is used to change the size or direction of the force.
Machines are often used to make a task easier (for example to life or move a heavy object using a smaller force). Common simple machines include gears, levers and pulleys.
You will be learning about levers and pulleys and having a go at home.
As you go, record your ideas and learning notes in your blue exercise book.
Levers Try it at home
A lever is a bar used for raising and moving You will need: weights, centred on a fulcrum, or turning point. - rubber - ruler - weights (1p coins work well) - a small toy to lift up.
Set up your lever: Place the rubber on a flat surface.
Place the ruler on top of the rubber – start with the rubber in the centre of the ruler. Place the object you A fulcrum doesn’t have to sit on the ground. want to lift on one end. A shovel is a lever. Begin to add weights to the other. How many pennies does it take to lift the object?
Now move the eraser (the fulcrum) to a different position under the ruler – either closer to the load or further away.
Try adding pennies again to lift the load – Did it take Moving the fulcrum changes the amount of force more or less pennies? it takes to raise the load; this can make it easier or harder! Try again with the eraser (the fulcrum) in a few
different positions. There are three different ‘classes’ of levers depending on where you put the load. You can record your results of in a table like this:
Position of fulcrum Effort required Watch this video to discover each one. (eraser) (pennies)
15cm 5 Everyday Levers 10cm – closer to load
20cm – further from load There are lots of levers in everyday life.
What did you conclude?
The closer/further away the fulcrum is from the load the easier it is to lift.
This means the effort is greater/lesser the further the fulcrum is from the load.
Consider how you might use a lever in your Rube Goldberg contraption. Blue Book: Draw an example of each class of lever and label it with force, fulcrum and effort. What class of lever will you use? You can draw a seesaw, wheelbarrow and fishing rod as your examples OR you might find your What could the fulcrum be? own examples. How will you add the effort to one end?
Pulleys Everyday Levers
A pulley is a simple machine that helps lift Can you find pulleys in everyday life? a load. It is a wheel that turns around a Draw any objects will pulleys and label each part. central point (the fulcrum). It usually has Share your discoveries with us. grooved edges so a rope sits snuggly on it. Try it at home - this may be trickier than the levers!
You will need:
The simplest pulley system contains just one pulley.
Instructions:
Thread the pulley onto the rod.
Place the rod between two high surfaces (try between two chairs, two piles of books, two tin cans or two tables) and When a force is applied in one direction, secure with tape. the object being pulled moves in the opposite direction. The force used to pull Take a piece of string and attach your weight to one end (try the rope will be the force applied to the adding a paper clip and hooking things onto this). object. That means you can only lift something you’d normally be able to. Place the string over your pulley.
However, the more pulleys you add, the Try it out: pull on the end opposite to your weight. easier it is to lift something.
Watch this video about pulleys in action.
Think about how you might use pulleys in your own Rude Goldberg machine.
Will your pulley go up or down? If you can, try adding more pulleys or change how you use What will the load be that weighs it your pulley, just like in the video. down?
DAY 3 - Designing a Rube Goldberg Machine.
Step 1: Decide on a simple problem to solve. • Ringing a bell • Pop a balloon • Open a door • Shut a window • Put out a candle
Remember contraptions are often useless and overly complicated, so the simpler the better!
Step 2: Collect Ideas
Consider everyday objects that you could use. Remember you don’t need to have the object in your house – you only need to be able to draw your contraption.
Create a mind map of different objects organised into useful categories. Here are some to get you started. There are also plenty of videos to get you inspired below.
Things that roll Things that move Things that fill up • marbles • mousetrap • bowl • toy cars • toaster • timer • fan • Ramps for rolling • dominoes Things that fill up • train track • bowl • books • timer • cardboard tube • Things that burst/explode Things that can poke/hit Other object ideas • vinegar and baking • hammer • magnet soda • books • balloon rocket •
Videos of Rube Goldberg inspired machines:
Find lots of amazing contraptions at Joseph’s Machines like The Page Turner.
Check out this step-by-step milk pouring machine which includes some ideas at the end.
Machines using BIG objects: Funny OK Go Machine and 3M Brand Rube Goldberg Machine
Made-at-home machines: https://youtu.be/n9MGNtb2iS8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHwDf8njVfo&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv5WLLYo-fk Cardboard mechanisms
Everyone’s making them, even Kermit the Frog: Sesame Street makes Rube Goldberg machines!
DAY 4 – Design your crazy contraption!
It’s the final day and we are ready to design our crazy contraptions! By the end, you should have a drawing of your machine and a set of instructions about how it works. It’s a good idea to label each part with a letter like Rube Goldberg does.
To help you, I’ve collected some ideas on the next few pages. You can also look back at the videos from yesterday and there are lots of amazing Rube Goldberg inventions on his website.
How should I get started? I recommend you start at the end and then work your way back. It is also useful to design each section of a separate piece of paper and build up your machine. This way it’s easy to add or remove things. (Remove the middle pages from your blue book if you need loose paper).
We would LOVE to see your final designs. Share a picture with us by email. Happy inventing!