DISCUSS:
When you set up a domino, you’re putting part of it up high. Can you think of any other situation where putting something ‘up high’ causes something special to happen?
Hint...
Think about things you might have seen in an earlier lesson.
DISCUSS (1 of 2):
Can a domino knock down one that’s just slightly bigger than itself?
Try doing this yourself if you can. You can use books if you don’t have dominoes. Or you can go to the next slide to see a video of us doing it.
HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED:
It worked! A domino has just enough energy to knock down a domino that’s slightly bigger than itself. Now that you know this, go to the next slide.
DISCUSS (2 of 2):
CHALLENGE: Do you think there could be a way to knock down something REALLY big, like a domino as tall as a building, using only smaller dominoes?
Draw a picture if you can think of an idea.
DISCUSS:
In terms of energy, why is it possible to use something the size of a brick to knock down something the size of a small house?
Can you explain this? Make a drawing if it’s helpful.
Think about: Where is there stored energy? Where does the stored energy come from?
DISCUSS:
Why do you think scientists call falling dominoes a “chain reaction”?
If you have a friend nearby, you can help each other with the next few steps. But if you are working alone, don’t worry!
We have added some special steps just for you. If a step says you need a friend to help, just go to the next step to see how you can do it alone!
Discuss (1 of 2):
Look at the "Wonder" column of your class See-Think-Wonder chart. Have any questions been answered by this Mystery?
Use the drawing of the Rube Goldberg machine to help you.
Discuss (2 of 2):
What would happen if a piece was removed from the Rube Goldberg machine?
Label the objects that start to move because of a collision with another object.
Draw a dashed line that traces the path of energy through the Rube Goldberg machine.
Use a star to show all of the places energy is transferred between objects along the path.
In this lesson, students construct an explanation of how energy is stored, released, and transferred in chain reactions, such as falling dominoes. In the activity, Build a Chain Reaction (Part I), students are presented with an engineering design challenge to create their own chain reaction machine--a project they will continue in Lesson 5. Students experiment with a “Chain-Reaction Starter Kit.” This kit includes a lever and a ramp, which serve as the first two steps of a chain-reaction machine.
Preview activityChain-Reaction Starter Kit printout | 1 per student |
Marble Corral printout | 1 per student |
Markers
Must be at least 1/2" in diameter because it will serve as the fulcrum of a lever.
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Details
1 marker per student
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Rulers
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1 ruler per student |
Scissors
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1 pair per student |
Dixie Cups (3 oz)
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1 cup per student |
File Folder Labels (Stickers)
We prefer stickers because they are easier to distribute in a classroom.
Or pieces of tape.
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Details
3 labels per student
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Paper Clips
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1 clip per student |
Paper Cups (8 oz)
Cup cannot be more than 4" tall.
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Details
1 cup per student
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Rubber Bands (#32)
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1 band per student |
Small Marbles
1/2" marbles will also work.
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Details
1 marble per student
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We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own, but will need a partner to help with some steps.
We strongly recommend pairing this lesson with Lesson 5, “Can you build a chain reaction machine?” If you plan to do Lesson 5, don’t throw away the ramps that your students build in this lesson. Students will use these ramps when creating their very own chain reaction machine.
Marbles are very fun, but can be very distracting! We suggest waiting to distribute marbles to students until Step 17 of the activity.
Student slideshow: English | Spanish
Teacher printout: English & Spanish
In this reading, students learn how a rubber band-powered toy airplane helped inspire other early flying machines.
In this reading, students learn how different types of energy occur during a roller coaster ride.
In this reading, students learn what a Rube Goldberg machine is.
La Macchina Botanica (The Botanical Machine) starts when a ball rolls down a ramp and ends by watering a plant. Watch the video for fun. Then watch it again, looking for places that energy is stored. Can you identify where energy is stored and how energy is transferred from one object to another.
Some questions to talk about:
If you don’t have dominoes but you want to make a long contraption that will fall down in an interesting way, you’re in luck. All you need to make a herringbone chain is popsicle or craft sticks and paper cups.
This 7-minute video from Kinetic King Tim Fort tells you everything you need to know.
Looking at the chain reactions that other people have built will give you ideas for your own chain reaction. There are many chain reactions online. Here are some of our favorites.
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