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Table of Contents
3) Introduction
4) Recommended Next Generation Science Standards Connections
5) Who is Rube Goldberg?
6) Lesson 1: What are Simple Machines?
7) Lesson 2: Make a Pinwheel featuring a Wheel and Axle

Book connection: Simple Machine to Wake Up in the Morning
NGSS: K-PS2-1; K-PS2-2; 3-5-ETS1-3
8) Lesson 3: Open a Door using a Lever

Book connection: An Excellent Way to Make Breakfast
NGSS: K-PS2-1; K-PS2-2; 3-5-ETS1-2
9) Lesson 4: Win a Race with an Inclined Plane

Book connection: A Surefire Way to Catch the School Bus
NGSS: K-2-ETS1-1; 3-PS2-2; MS-ETS1-3
10) Lesson 5: Test Your Strength with Pulleys

Book connection: An Awesome Way to Open a School Locker
NGSS: 2-PS1-3; K-2-ETS1-3
11) Lesson 6: Draw Your Own Simple Machine Cartoon Using a Wedge
Book connection: A Goof-Proof Way to Sneak into Class
NGSS: K-PS2-1; K-2-ETS1-2
12) Lesson 7: Use a Screw to Move Water Uphill

Book connection: An Epic Way to Make a Painting
NGSS: K-2-ETS1-1; MS-ETS1-1
13) Lesson 8: Build Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine

NGSS: 2-PS1-2; 2-PS1-3; 4-PS3-3; 4-PS3-4; 3-5-ETS1-1; 3-5-ETS1-2;
3-5-ETS1-3; MS-PS3-5; MS-ETS1-2; MS-ETS1-4
14-24) Resources
RUBE GOLDBERG’S SIMPLE, NORMAL, HUMDRUM SCHOOL DAY

Introduction
Rube Goldberg’s Simple, Normal, Humdrum School Day was created by Jennifer George,
Rube Goldberg's granddaughter. This derivative work is primed to introduce the hilariously
overwrought inventions of her grandfather to a new audience. The idea was to follow young "Rube"
through his day and see all the gizmos he comes up with to make his life easier. George worked
closely with Ed Steckley, the illustrator, Charlie Kochman, the Editor, and Joseph Herscher, the
designer who helped engineer most of the contraptions in the book. Our hope is that you use this
book as a fun tool when teaching kids about STEM and STEAM principles and to inspire them to build
and tinker on their own.
This curriculum guide is meant to accompany the book Rube Goldberg’s Simple, Normal,
Humdrum School Day by Jennifer George and provide a frame work to understanding simple
machines. It is purposefully written to be adaptable to almost any grade level, ability or background.
These lessons can be used in succession, separately or in any order that is appropriate for your
school. The standards used in guidance of creating this curriculum are the Next Generation Science
Standards (http://www.nextgenscience.org/). For questions, please contact
[email protected].
The Learning Outcomes this curriculum will provide are:
1. Understand the basic simple machines.
2. Evaluate the mechanical advantage of simple machines.
3. Design simple and compound machines.
Time requirements have specifically been left off the following lesson plans as we understand
every school has a different schedule and each teacher knows their students best. We estimate that
the lessons are approximately one class period long, though could be extended to two or more class
periods long.
Assessment Ideas:
1. Observe student’s ideas, progress and teamwork.
2. Observe student’s understanding of the physical task of each simple machine.
3. Assign students open-ended questions for reflection through writing/talking/summarizing/journaling.
4. Have students think-pair-share before, during and after the lesson.
5. Give students a one-question quiz on the main concept of the lessons.
Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 3


Recommended Next Generation Science Standards Connections
Kindergarten
K-PS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or different directions
of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.
K-PS2-2. Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the speed or direction of
an object with a push or a pull.
Second Grade
2-PS1-2. Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the
properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.
2-PS1-3. Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made of a small set of
pieces can be
disassembled and made into a new object.
Kindergarten-Second Grade
K-2-ETS1-1. Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to
change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or
tool.
K-2-ETS1-2. Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps
it function as needed to solve a given problem.
K-2-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the
strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
Third Grade
3-PS2-2. Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can
be used to predict future motion.
Fourth Grade
4-PS3-3. Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when objects collide.
4-PS3-4. Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to
another.
Third-Fifth Grade
3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for
success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely
to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to
identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
Middle School
MS-PS3-5. Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an
object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object.
MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a
successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the
natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet
the criteria and constraints of the problem.
MS-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions
to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria
for success.
MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool,
or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.


Who is Rube Goldberg?

Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) was a Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist best known for his zany
invention cartoons. He was born in San Francisco on the 4th of July, 1883 – and graduated from U.
Cal Berkeley with a degree in engineering. His first job at the San Francisco Chronicle led to early
success, but it wasn’t until he moved to NYC and began working for Hearst publications that he
became a household name. Rube Goldberg is the only person ever to be listed in the Merriam
Webster Dictionary as an adjective. It’s estimated that he did a staggering 50,000 cartoons in his
lifetime. For videos about Rube: https://www.rubegoldberg.com/about/.
A Rube Goldberg Machine is “a comically involved, complicated invention, laboriously

contrived to preform a simple operation” (Webster’s New World Dictionary). Humor and a narrative
are what separate a Rube Goldberg machine from a chain-reaction machine. Each of Rube’s
cartoon’s told a story and his entire goal was to get you to laugh.
Rube Goldberg, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 dedicated to promoting STEM & STEAM
education for students of all ages and to keeping laughter and invention alive through the legacy of its
namesake. Annual competitions, image licensing, merchandising, and museum and entertainment
opportunities continue to grow and enhance the brand. At the helm is Rube’s granddaughter, Jennifer
George, with her recent book, Rube Goldberg’s Simple, Normal, Humdrum School Day.
For a “Skype in the Classroom” lesson with Jennifer, please email [email protected].
For more information, go to: www.rubegoldberg.com


Lesson 1: What are Simple Machines?
Resources:
1. Rube Goldberg’s Simple, Normal, Humdrum School Day book by Jennifer George
2. Simple Machines worksheets (see Resources, page 16-22) See “Simple Machine Station Guide”
for each station’s materials and resources for worksheets.
Guiding Questions:
1. What is a Rube Goldberg Machine?
A. A Rube Goldberg Machine is “a comically involved, complicated invention, laboriously
contrived to preform a simple operation.”
2. What are the 6 Simple Machines?
A. The 6 Simple Machines are: wedge, screw, lever, wheel and axel, inclined plane and pulley.
See following Resources worksheets for definitions and examples.
3. What do Simple Machines do?
A. Simple machines make work easier for us by allowing us to push or pull over increased
distances. They help humans increase and/or redirect the force applied to an object. The main
benefit of machines is that they allow us to do the same amount of work by applying a smaller
amount of force over a greater distance.
Activities
1. Read Rube Goldberg’s Simple, Normal, Humdrum School and give students some history of
original cartoons by Rube Goldberg.
2. Discuss the 6 Simple Machines and Guiding Questions with students.
3. Show an example of Goldberg’s invention or an invention from the book, and follow each segment
to the completion of his designated task, highlighting each simple machine.
4. Find the six simple machines illustrated in the inventions in the book. See the last page of the book
(STEM Starts Here) for reference.
5. Complete the first two worksheets from the Resources section: Page 13 “Label the 6 Simple
Machines from Rube’s Inventions,” and Page 14 “Circle and Label Simple Machines in Rube’s
Invention.”
6. Assign students a Simple Machine Station to start at and set a rotation schedule. (Students
generally need at least 15 minutes at each station).
4. Review with students in a large group, or at each station, what the experiment is.
5. After the students have had a chance to visit all six stations, ask one student from each station to
give a quick summary explanation of that simple machine to the class.
Further Ideas:
1. Have a scavenger hunt to look for the 6 Simple Machines is use around your house, neighborhood
or school.
2. Recreate some of the depictions of the 6 Simple Machines from the book using household
materials.


Lesson 2: Make a Pinwheel featuring a Wheel and Axle
Materials/ Resources:
A Simple Machine to Wake Up in the Morning illustration, letter G “Train Wheel and Axel”
2. Pinwheel template (see Resources, page 23)
3. 8” squares of heavy paper, plastic bendy straws, hole punches, tape, scissors, pencils.
Pre-activities:
Students will need to know the following:
1. What is a Wheel and Axle?
A. A Wheel and Axle is a simple lifting machine consisting of a cylindrical drum or shaft joined
to the wheel to provide mechanical advantage. Synonyms: axis, shaft.
2. How is a pinwheel a Simple Machine?
A. The “wheel” of a pinwheel is the blades and the “axle” is the straw the blades spin around.
Activity:
1. Fold your square of paper in half at the corners, corner to corner, both ways and unfold.
2. Cut slits from the corners ¾ of the way in towards the middle, as indicated by the lines on the
template.
3. Punch a hole over each dot on the template, 5 total including each corner and the middle.
4. Take a bendy straw and bend it to a right angle.
5. Place the short end of the straw through the center hole of the paper (see image 5 below).
6. Pull one corner to the center of the card and thread the hole over the straw. Tape down (see
image 6 below).
7. Repeat until all four points are joined in the center (see image 7 below).
8. Remove the straw and widen the holes with a pencil so the wheel will spin easily.
9. Replace the wheel on the straw; fold over the tip of the short end of the bent straw and tape down
so that if forms a bump, keeping the wheel on the axle.
5. 6. 7.
Differentiation:
1. Paper squares can be different sizes to make larger or smaller pinwheels. Does a larger pinwheel
need more force (blowing on it harder) to make it spin?
Further Ideas:
1. Discover and experiment with other Wheel and Axles: cars, bicycles, Ferris wheels, door knobs,
etc. How do they make work easier for people? Discuss.


Lesson 3: Open a Door using a Lever
Resources:
An Excellent Way to Make Breakfast illustration, letter A “Board and Can Lever”
2. Any door with hinges
Guiding Questions:
1. What is a Lever?
A. A Lever is a rigid bar resting on a pivot, used to help move a heavy or firmly fixed load with
one end when pressure is applied to the other. Synonyms: crowbar
2. How is a door a Lever?
A. A door is a Second Class Lever because its pivot point/fulcrum (hinge) is at the end, the
load (weight of the door) is at the center, while the effort (opening the door) is applied at the other
end.
3. Why does moving where you push to open the door from (door knob, middle or hinge side) change
the amount of force needed to open the door? Has the amount of work changed?
A. No, the amount of work has not changed. Moving the point effort is applied (your hand) on
the door closer to the fulcrum (door hinge) changes the distance you need to push. If you apply the
force over a longer path, you need less force to perform the same amount of work. This is exactly
what you are doing when you push the door on the door knob which is the point furthest away from
the hinge. The arc your hand makes becomes larger (see image A below), so you do not need to
apply as much force to open the door.
Activity:
1. Discuss the job of a Lever and Guiding Questions with students.
2. Locate a few different doors around your school or house; close door but no not latch so that it
could open with a push.
3. Have students push open the door by placing their hand on the door knob. How does this feel?
4. Have students push open the door by placing their hand on the middle of of the door. How does
this feel? Is it harder or easier than using the door knob? Why?
5. Have students push open the door by placing their hand on the hinge side of door. How does this
feel? Is it harder or easier than using the door knob or middle of the door? Why?
6. Make a graph with students depicting their opinions of which location on the door (knob, middle or
hinge side) was hardest to push and easiest to push (see image below). What does the effort needed
to move the door tell us about how much work the person is doing? Discuss.
Further Ideas:
1. Mark the door with sticky note in the location you want students to push (see image below).
2. Change the order of hand placement (hinge, middle then door knob) in the experiment.
3. Discover and experiment with other Levers: spoons, wheel barrows, seesaws, scissors, staplers,
brooms,
Hinge
and Middle
baseball bats. How do they make work
Door Knob Door
easier for people?
Distance you need
to push to open
Hinge
the door.
Door Knob
Easiest GoldbergHardest
Copyright Rube Inc. 2017 Hinge 8
Door Knob
Door

Lesson 4: Win a Race with an Inclined Plane
Resources:
A Surefire Way to Catch the School Bus illustration, letter B “Zip Line”
2. Two small toy cars of the same weight and size, material to make ramps like cardboard, thin wood
or sheets of plastic and blocks or small boxes, measuring tape
Guiding Questions:
1. What is an Inclined Plane?
A. A plane inclined at an angle to the horizontal; sloping ramp up which heavy loads can be
raised. Synonyms: ramp, slant, gradient.
2. How is the zip line from A Surefire Way to Catch the School Bus an Inclined Plane?
A. The zip line is an inclined plane because it slopes downward from beginning to end. Gravity
is pulling Rube’s mass down the negative incline of the zip line producing the direction of motion.
3. Why does changing the angle of an Inclined Plane change the distance a car will travel when rolled
down it?
A. The pull of gravity acts more on an object rolling down a ramp inclined at a steeper angle,
causing it to accelerate and move faster. Any object on or near the surface of the earth experiences a
constant pull of gravity that is directed straight down. When the object is on a ramp, it does not
experience the full straight-down pull of gravity. When the ramp is steeper, the car will go faster and
travel a longer distance.
Activity:
1. Discuss the job of an Inclined Plane and Guiding Questions with students.
2. Have students set up two ramps of different angles next to each other using the materials listed
above by resting the cardboard, wood or plastic sheet on blocks (see image below). Label the ramps:
lower ramp A, taller ramp B. Make sure there is a lot of space at the end of the ramp so the cars can
travel unhindered. Setting up the ramps on the floor is best.
3. Assign two students, one to each ramp, with small toy cars. Have students hold their car at the top
of the ramp, then release the cars at the same time. Make sure students do not add force to the cars
by pushing them.
4. Let the cars stop rolling on their own and measure the distance they each traveled.
5. Repeat the activity with different students and record the data.
6. Make a graph with students depicting their measurements of the distances the cars travel (see
image 6 below). What does the angle of the Inclined Plane tell us about the distance the car will
travel? Discuss.
Further Ideas:
1. Make a giant inclined plane by placing a table on an angle to meet the floor, then race cars down it.
2. Discover and experiment with other Inclined Planes like stairs and ladders. How do they make
work easier for people? Discuss.


Lesson 5: Test Your Strength with Pulleys
Resources:
An Awesome Way to Open a School Locker illustration, letter B “Pulley”
2. Two long rods, such as broom handles, a 10’ piece of rope
Guiding Questions:
1. What is a Pulley?
A. Wheel with a grooved rim around which a cord passes. It acts to change the direction of a
force applied to the cord and is chiefly used to raise heavy weights. Synonyms: sheave, drum.
2. How does a Pulley make work easier?
A. Pulleys help make work easier because when you pull down on the rope, you are moving
with gravity, making the motion more efficient.
3. What are the different types of Pulley systems?
A. A Fixed Pulley’s wheel and axle stay in one place. A good example of a fixed pulley is a flag
pole: When you pull down on the rope, the direction of force is redirected by the pulley, and you raise
the flag. A Movable Pulley is a pulley that is free to move up and down, and is attached to a ceiling or
other object by two lengths of the same rope. Examples of movable pulleys include construction
cranes and modern elevators. A Compound Pulley consists of combinations of Fixed and Movable
Pulleys.
Activity:
1. Discuss the job of a Pulley and Guiding Questions with students.
2. Tie the rope to one end of one rod. Place the second rod parallel to the first, loop the loose end of
the rope around the second rod and back to the first. Set up one student on each pole holding it out
horizontal in front of them. Have a third student hold the loose end of the rope (see image below).
3. Have the student holding the loose end of the rope pull on the rope while the other two students
pull back on the rods. What happens?
4. Now loop the rope around the rods five or six times. Have two students hold the rods and one
student hold the loose end of the rope (see image below).
5. Have the student holding the rope pull. Now what happens? Have more students (2-3) join
inholding on to the poles. Who is doing more work? Why can the student pulling the rope move the
students holding the rods?
Further Ideas:
1. Who uses Pulleys to make their work easier? Sailors (sail rigging), people at the gym (weight
machines), and people using fishing rods (reel).


Lesson 6: Draw Your Own Simple Machine Cartoon
Using a Wedge
A Goof-proof Way to Sneak into Class Late illustration, letter K “Arrow”
2. Draw Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine worksheet (see Resources, page 24), pencils, markers
Guiding Questions:
1. What is a Wedge?
A. Piece of wood, metal, or some other material having one thick end and tapering to a thin
edge, that is driven between two objects or parts of an object to secure or separate them. Synonyms:
doorstop, chock.
2. Is a pencil point a Wedge?
A. Yes, it is!
Activity:
1. Discuss the job of a Wedge and Guiding Questions with students.
2. Show an example of a Rube Goldberg machine from Rube Goldberg’s Simple, Normal, Humdrum
School Day, such as A Goof-proof Way to Sneak into Class Late and follow each segment to the
completion of his designated task, highlighting each simple machine.
3. Explain that students will decide on a simple chore or task and devise a “Rube Goldberg” way to
accomplish this activity using at least three simple machines.
4. Have students draw a cartoon of their machine labeling each step and making sure to include
humorous elements.
5. Have students present their cartoon to to class explaining how it would work to accomplish
their chosen task.
Differentiations:
1. Students can work alone, or in larger groups, on their cartoon.
2. Students can draw larger cartoons on rolls of paper.
3. Students can collage pictures of objects into their cartoons instead of drawing them.
4. Have students cut their drawing out of the worksheet; scissors blades are two Wedges.


Lesson 7: Use a Screw to Move Water Uphill
An Epic Way to Make a Painting illustration, letter L “Lawn Mower Blades”
2. 3’ of thin flexible clear plastic tubing per student, a 2’ pipe or stick per student, masking or duct
tape, shallow dishes or pans, water
Guiding Questions:
1. What is a Screw?
A. Short, slender, sharp-pointed metal pin with a raised helical thread running around it and a
slotted head, used to join things together by being rotated so that it pierces wood or other material
and is held tightly in place. Synonyms: bolt, fastener.
2. What is an Archimedes Screw?
A. The Archimedes Screw is a machine that can be used to transfer water from a lower body of
water into elevated irrigation ditches; water is pumped by turning a screw-shaped surface inside a
pipe. For this project, the Screw will be the clear plastic tubing on the outside of the stick.
Activity:
1. Discuss the job of a Screw and Guiding Questions with students.
2. Show students a video of an Archimedes Screw in action such as:
http://kids.britannica.com/kids/assembly/view/69599
3. Give each student a stick or pipe, piece of plastic tubing and tape. Have students tape one end of
the tubing to one end of the stick.
4. Next wrap the tubing around the stick so that it winds to the other end. Tape in place.
5. Place one end of the stick/tubing contraption in the shallow dish of water at a 45-degree angle.
6. Slowly turn the stick/tubing contraption while maintaining the 45-degree angle. The water should
move up the plastic tubing. If not, try adjusting the angle you are holding the contraption at, adding
more water to the dish or adjusting the way the tubing is wrapped around the stick.
7. Discuss the history of the Archimedes Screw and have the students research historical uses of the
contraption.
8. Have students share their research with the class.
Differentiations:
1. Students can work alone, or in larger groups, on their contraption.
2. Students can make larger Archimedes Screws with longer and/or larger sticks and tubing.
Further Ideas:
1. Have the students research the historical uses of all the Simple Machines and present their
findings.


Lesson 8: Build Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine
An Epic Way to Make a Painting illustration, letter L “Lawn Mower Blades”
2. Random junk, literally anything you have: cups, boxes, toy cars, balls, tape, paper clips, string,
tubing, pipes, sticks, plastic recyclables, paper/cardboard, scissors, rubber bands, safety pins, etc.
Guiding Questions:
1. Who is Rube Goldberg?
A. Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) was a Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist best known for his zany
invention cartoons. He was born in San Francisco on the 4th of July, 1883 – and graduated from U.
Cal Berkeley with a degree in engineering. His first job at the San Francisco Chronicle led to early
success, but it wasn’t until he moved to NYC and began working for Hearst publications that he
became a household name. Rube Goldberg is the only person ever to be listed in the Merriam
Webster Dictionary as an adjective. It’s estimated that he did a staggering 50,000 cartoons in his
lifetime.
2. What is a Rube Goldberg Machine?
A. Rube Goldberg Machine is “a comically involved, complicated invention, laboriously
contrived to preform a simple operation” (Webster’s New World Dictionary). Humor and a narrative
are what separate a Rube Goldberg machine from a chain-reaction machine. Each of Rube’s
cartoon’s told a story and his entire goal was to get you to laugh.
Activities:
1. Review cartoons by Rube Goldberg. Examples here: https://www.rubegoldberg.com/gallery
2. Review each simple machine with class. Have students brainstorm ways to connect simple
machines to make compound machines.
3. Show students videos of Rube Goldberg Machines: https://www.rubegoldberg.com/rube-tube/
4. Set parameters for each step, what “counts” as a step, such as an energy transfer, plus size
allotment for each machine (a table top or a few desks pushed together is recommended for each
group of students).
5. Break students into groups of 2-4 each.
6. Assign a task for the machine to complete, or let the students choose their task, and decide how
long they will have to build their machine. We recommend Pop A Balloon or Trap A Mouse.
7. Have students build a three step Rube Goldberg machine. The teacher may assign materials from
the Trunk or let students choose.
8. After the allotted period of time, each team of students should “run” their machine to see if it works
for the rest of the class.
Differentiations:
1. Have students write a machine task description like Rube Goldberg (A. The palm tree falls over,
knocking into parrot B….etc. See Resources for examples of text accompanying cartoons).
2. Have students present their machines to the rest of the class with the task description serving as a
narrative.
3. Have students judge the machines on a rubric you create or for funniest, most creative, etc.
4. Have students create machines with more steps or include all of the simple machines.


Name: Date:
Label the 6 Simple Machines from Rube’s Inventions
Key words: Pulley, Lever, Inclined Plane, Screw, Wedge, Wheel and Axle


Name: Date:
Circle and Label Simple Machines in Rube’s Inventions

Key words: Pulley, Lever, Inclined Plane, Screw, Wedge, Wheel and Axle


Simple Machine Station Guide
Lever- The students will make a lever out of Screw- The students will make a screw out of
the given materials and explore the relationship an inclined plane. Student will cut the square
of the fulcrum to the load. The students will diagonally to make an inclined plane. Tape one
discover that it is easier to move an object of the short edges of the triangle to a pencil.
when the fulcrum is closer to the load. Wrap the triangle around the pencil. They will
Materials: actually see the inclined plane as part of the
Wooden ruler, Object to lift, Tape, Can or toilet screw.
paper roll, Lever worksheet Materials:
Hint: 9 inch Paper Square, Tape, Pencil, Scissors
Move the fulcrum closer to the load. Tabletop, Screw Worksheet
Move the fulcrum away from the load. Hint:
What is a screw made out of?
Inclined Plane- The students will make How can you make an inclined plane with the
inclined planes with boards varying the slope of given materials?
the board. There will be rubber bands around
the book. The students will tie the string to the Wedge- The students will cut paper with both
rubber bands and pull the books up the sharp scissor and dull scissors. They will
different inclined planes. They will also pull the observe that the sharp scissors will cut better
books straight up without using the inclined than the dull scissors.
planes. The students will find that it take more Materials:
work to move an object up an inclined plane Paper, Dull Scissors, Sharp Scissors, Wedge
with the steepest slope. Worksheet
Materials: Hint:
2 Boards varying in lengths, String, Rubber How are the cuts different?
bands, Ruler, Heavy Book, Inclined Plane
worksheet Pulleys- The students will make a pulley with a
Hint: sewing spool, string, and a pencil. They will
Look at the stretch of the rubber bands straight use this pulley to lift an object. They will
up compared to different inclined planes. compare lifting the object with the pulley and
without the pulley. They will find that it is easier
Wheel and Axle- The students will push one to lift an object with the use of a pulley.
car on its side and the other on its wheels. Materials:
They will note the difference in distance Sewing spool, String, Pencil, Object to lift,
traveled. Pulley worksheet
Materials: Hint:
2 matchbox cars, Rulers, Wheel and Axle Compare using the pulley and not using the
Worksheet pull
Hint:
Try one of the cars on its side.


LEVER
Lever
lev·er, ˈlevər,ˈlēvər/, noun
1. a rigid bar resting on a pivot, used to help move a heavy or firmly fixed load with one
end when pressure is applied to the other. A first-class lever is a stick where the
fulcrum is between the weight and the energy moving the weight (your hands, for
example). Some common first-class levers are see-saws, crowbars, pliers, scissors
(which use two first-class levers together), and a hammer pulling a nail. A second-
class lever is a stick where the fulcrum is at one end of the stick, you push on the
other end, and the weight is in the middle of the stick. Some common second-class
levers are doors, staplers, wheelbarrows, and can openers. A third-class lever is a
stick where the fulcrum is at one end of the stick, you push on the middle, and the
weight is at the other end of the stick. With a third-class lever, you have to put in more
energy than you would just lifting the weight, but you get the weight to move a longer
distance in return. Some common examples are a broom, a hoe, a fishing rod,
a baseball bat, and our own human arms.
Synonyms: Crowbar.
Make a lever out of the given materials and explore the relationship of the fulcrum to
the load.
Discover that it is easier to move an object when the fulcrum is closer to the load.
Materials: Wooden ruler, Object to lift, Tape, Can or toilet paper roll.
Does the lever make it easier to lift the load?
Move the fulcrum closer to and away from the load. Which is easier to lift?
Draw an example of a lever in action.



INCLINED PLANE
in·clined plane, noun
1. a plane inclined at an angle to the horizontal. 2. a sloping ramp up which heavy
loads can be raised by ropes or chains.
Synonyms: Ramp, slant, gradient.
Make inclined planes with boards varying the slope of the board. Try leaning the board
against objects of different heights. Tie rubber bands around the book. Tie the string to
the rubber bands and pull the books up the different inclined planes. Also pull the
books straight up without using the inclined planes.
Materials: 2 Boards varying in lengths, String, Rubber bands, Ruler, Heavy Book.
Is it easier to pull the book straight up in the air, or up the inclined plane? Why?
Look at the stretch of the rubber bands during the straight up pull compared to
different inclined planes. During which is the rubber band longer?
What is an example of an inclined plane in your every-day life?


WHEEL AND AXLE

wheel and ax·el, noun
1. a simple lifting machine consisting of a rope that unwinds from a wheel onto a
cylindrical drum or shaft joined to the wheel to provide mechanical advantage.
Synonyms: Axis, shaft.
Push one car on its side and the other on its wheels. Note the difference in distance
traveled.
Materials: 2 matchbox cars, Rulers.
Which car moved easier, the one on its’ wheels or the one on its’ side?
If cars did not have wheels, how might they move? Would it be harder this way?


SCREW
skro͞o/, noun
1. a short, slender, sharp-pointed metal pin with a raised helical thread running around
it and a slotted head, used to join things together by being rotated so that it pierces
wood or other material and is held tightly in place.
Synonyms: Bolt, fastener.
Make a screw out of an inclined plane. Cut the paper square diagonally to make an
inclined plane. Tape one of the short edges of the triangle to a pencil. Wrap the triangle
around the pencil. An inclined plane is part of a screw.
Materials: 9 inch Paper Square, Tape, Pencil, Scissors.
What is a screw typically made out of?
What do we use screws for in every-day life?
What tool do we use to get a screw into a piece of wood? Why?


WEDGE
wej/, noun
1. a piece of wood, metal, or some other material having one thick end and tapering to
a thin edge, that is driven between two objects or parts of an object to secure or
separate them.
Synonyms: Doorstop, chock.
Scissors are made up of two wedges (the blades) and fixed at an axis point. Cut paper
with both sharp scissor and dull scissors. Observe that the sharp scissors cut better
than the dull scissors as the wedge’s point narrower and therefore slices more easily.
Materials: Paper, Dull Scissors, Sharp Scissors.
Which scissor is easier to cut with, the sharp or the dull? Why?
How are the cuts different?
Is a scissor a simple machine or a compound of two simple machines?


PULLEYS
pul·ley, ˈpo͝olē/, noun
1. a wheel with a grooved rim around which a cord passes. It acts to change the
direction of a force applied to the cord and is chiefly used (typically in combination) to
raise heavy weights.
Synonyms: Sheave, drum.
Make a pulley with a sewing spool, string, and a pencil. Use this pulley to lift an object.
Compare lifting the object with the pulley and without the pulley.
Materials: Sewing spool, String, Pencil, Object to lift.
Compare using the pulley and not using the pulley. Which is easier to lift the
load?
Where do we use pulleys in our every-day life?
Draw an example of a pulley system using more than one pulley.


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Rube Goldberg Machine Contest®, Rube Goldberg Machine™ and Rube Goldberg Challenge®

4) Recommended Next Generation Science Standards Connections

5) Who is Rube Goldberg?

6) Lesson 1: What are Simple Machines?

7) Lesson 2: Make a Pinwheel featuring a Wheel and Axle

8) Lesson 3: Open a Door using a Lever

9) Lesson 4: Win a Race with an Inclined Plane

10) Lesson 5: Test Your Strength with Pulleys

12) Lesson 7: Use a Screw to Move Water Uphill

13) Lesson 8: Build Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine

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Who is Rube Goldberg?

A Rube Goldberg Machine is “a comically involved, complicated invention, laboriously

For more information, go to: www.rubegoldberg.com

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Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 7

Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 9

Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 10

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Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 13

Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 14

Circle and Label Simple Machines in Rube’s Inventions

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Does the lever make it easier to lift the load?

Draw an example of a lever in action.

What is an example of an inclined plane in your every-day life?

Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 18

WHEEL AND AXLE

Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 19

What is a screw typically made out of?

What do we use screws for in every-day life?

What tool do we use to get a screw into a piece of wood? Why?

Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 20

How are the cuts different?

Is a scissor a simple machine or a compound of two simple machines?

Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 21

Where do we use pulleys in our every-day life?

Draw an example of a pulley system using more than one pulley.

Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 22

Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 23

Draw a Rube Goldberg Machine!

Copyright Rube Goldberg Inc. 2017 24

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