- 11. Any and all messes created by your machine must be promptly cleaned up by your team within the 9 minute run/reset time.
- 12. Be on your honor. Any destructive action, borrowing, or stealing by any member of a team against another machine or team will receive demerits and an F on the project.
- 13. Your grade will be made up of the group project grade and an individual participation grade. It will be your responsibility throughout the course of the project to demonstrate your full participation.

### Task Ideas

Fold a napkin, feed a small animal, light a match, open a soda can, screw a lid on a jar, raise a flag, turn on a radio, set off a party popper, blow up a balloon, prepare a bowl of cereal, turn on a light, turn a page in a book pour a drink in a cup, mix a kool-aid drink, put toothpaste on a toothbrush, put a golf ball in a hole, turn on a flashlight, swat a fly, water a plant. These are only ideas. Be creative and unique; however you must get final approval from me. Projects that do not receive prior approval may not be graded.

### Project Hints

1. Your own imagination and creativity are all you need to build a super Rube Goldberg machine. But if you're having trouble getting started, here are a few tips to help you. Also, be sure to check out Rube Goldberg cartoons, and the Rube Goldberg Machines on You Tube.

- 2. Gather a few things from around the house, in your toy box, junk drawer, or garage. Balls, marbles, dominoes, string, toy cars, mousetraps (never use a rat trap - it could break the bones in your hand), magnets, cardboard or tubes, etc. Don't worry, you can collect more later. Avoid fire or dangerous chemicals.
- 3. Now play with the things! What can the car bump into or knock down? Can the string pull something up? What can push the ball down the cardboard ramp? Try it out!

4. Get a piece of paper and start writing down any idea that pops into your head. This is called brainstorming. No matter how crazy the idea seems, just write it down for later. Even if you don't use it, it may help you think of more things. Having trouble brainstorming? Then try this. Write down 50 uses for a computer disk (other than what it is intended - to store computer files). It can be anything, as silly as you want! That will jumpstart your brain! Or go through the alphabet, naming one machine part for each letter: Airplane, Balloon, Comb...

- 5. Once you get a few good ideas for your machine, make a list, in order, of the steps, or draw a simple picture of the steps.
- 6. Plan on making quite a few changes to your machine as you build it. It may look different from your original drawing. Try not to get frustrated, this is part of learning what works best.
- 7. If you get stuck at a certain step of your machine, why not try to work your way backwards? Start at the last step, and connect the part to it that triggers it. Or take a break away from the machine. Sometimes you'll come back with a fresh solution to the problem.

8. Maybe you've overlooked the most important element of an outstanding Rube Goldberg machine: WACKINESS! Rube saw the humor in every situation. His ludicrous cartoons were a satire on the American public for their complicated methods for solving a problem. Be sure to follow ALL the guidelines of the project, but then, GO CRAZY! A true Rube Goldberg machine would be boring without some common household items (old toys, toilet plunger, egg beater, mousetrap, typewriter...).