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Lesson Plan

Rube Goldberg and the Meaning of Machines

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Rube Goldberg and the Meaning of Machines lesson plan also includes:

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. 

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Concepts
satire, machines, work, rube goldberg, simple machines, compound machines, humor, cartooning, design, engineering design, technology resources
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Additional Tags
machine, satire, work
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Instructional Ideas
  • Research some of the other Rube Goldberg cartoons and have the class identify the simple machines
  • Divide the class into groups and have them draw a compound machine that uses all six simple machines
Classroom Considerations
  • The activity assumes pupils have an understanding of the six simple machines
  • The ninth in a 10-part series
Pros
  • The plan comes with a graphic to explain a Rube Goldberg machine
  • The resource includes assessments 
Cons
  • The lesson plan does not spell out the instructional method