Step 1: Plan ahead
In this performance task, students apply what they've learned about storing, releasing, and transferring energy by building their own Rube Goldberg machine to turn on the flashlight they created in Mystery 6. To complete the performance task, students will need the ramps, levers, and various classroom materials from Mystery 4 and 5. They will also need their flashlight (with a switch) from Mystery 6.
Students may bring in materials and objects from home to use in their machines.
Step 2: Gather supplies
Students will work in groups to build a Rube Goldberg Machine. Each group will need:
- Scissors
- At least four stickers or strips of masking tape (Note: We use stickers like these because they substitute well for strips of tape and are easier to hand out in a large class)
- Dixie cup
- Up to four jumbo paper clips about 1¾ inches long (you can use small ones, but you’ll need twice as many)
- One of the ramps built in Mystery 4
- One of the levers from Mystery 4 (or the ruler, marker, and rubber band used to make it)
- 3 x 5 card
- A few books to stack for height
- Table or desks to work on
- Small 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch marble
- A marker to write with
Students can also add a variety of materials to extend their chain-reaction machines. You can ask them to bring things in, or gather some basic materials to keep in the classroom. See the list below for items we recommend having on hand. Or, for more ideas, watch "Inspiration for Chain Reaction Builders" in Extras to see some possibilities.
- Extra printouts of the “Chain-Reaction Starter Kit” handout from Mystery 4 (in case students want to make more ramps)
- Card stock for making custom-built ramps
- Paper cups to serve as ramp supports
- Books and boxes to add height
- Dominoes or objects that will topple like dominoes (dominoes built of LEGO bricks, cassette tapes, paperback books, markers standing on end, etc.)
- String
- More stickers
- Things that roll (empty cans, toy cars, rubber balls, markers lying down, toilet-paper tubes)
- Unconventional ramps (like empty binders)
Step 3: Print out classroom materials
Each student will need:
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