Today we began traveling on our path to engineering excellence. We got to know one another by discussing our favorite inventions and talking about things we would like to invent. Some of the class members are brand new to Rube Goldberg and some of them have lots of experience, including with LEGO Robotics.
After lunch, the students found their teammates and started their very first STEAM Machine! Toolboxes, drills, wood, foam, glue guns, cardboard, Legos, markers, tape, ramps, and computers — oh my! What story will they tell by linking all the pieces together? Videos featuring past Rube Goldberg machines gave them inspiration to tell their story. Then they made a plan and began putting their ideas into action. The end task for the first machine will be tossing paper into a trashcan.
(Did I mention the bubbles on break? All great scientists need a break from their invention to get re-inspired — that is, after all, how gravity was discovered.)
The creation process requires a lot of trial and error. Mistakes teach us how to be greater and to think bigger. Over the next three weeks the students’ machines will continue to grow and will contain more and more steps with lots of different components. Challenges will arise and they will rely on each other to make it work, so stay tuned!