Rube Goldberg Machines- Inquiry & Project Based Learning

When introducing the Systems Unit to my grade 8 class, I was looking for a way to engage them with the subject matter from the beginning. A colleague of mine suggested having students create their own Rube Goldberg Machine.

Rube Goldberg was a 19th Century engineer and inventor best known for a series of cartoons depicting complex machines performing a simple task. 

In our first class in the Systems Unit, I asked students to construct their own Rube Goldberg with the materials I gave them in their tool-kit and any other materials from the classroom. They were asked to create a machine using a minimum of three different steps to get a ping pong ball into a plastic cup.

Students were given: a ping pong ball, a plastic cup, tape, popsicle sticks, string, paper, paper clips, toothpicks, a ruler, and a toy car.

Having never used this activity before or even making my own Rube Goldberg machine, I was uncertain how the activity would go. I was thrilled to see that my students were enthusiastic and engaged in the task. This activity is great for  kinaesthetic learners, and is a great way to introduce the unit. I have included a few videos of the Rube Goldberg Machines my students created.

As we progressed through the unit, I had students asking me if we could make another Rube Goldberg Machine. In response to the enthusiasm my students showed for creating their own inventions, I chose to use a Rube Goldberg Machine as a final assessment in the unit.  

The assignment was to invent a compound machine, made of 2 or more simple machines that will make a task easier for the show Dragons Den. The students were asked to submit

• A neat drawings of the machine complete with:

• The name of the machine
• The two simple machines labelled
• Measurements of the weights and distances 

• A short description of their invention answering the questions: 

• What problem does your compound machine solve or what task does it make easier?
• Why did you choose to use the simple machines you did to overcome the problem?
  
  

Students were also asked to calculate the Mechanical Advantage, Work, and Mechanical Efficiency of one of two of the simple machines used. Students presented their inventions to the class as though they were on the TV show Dragon's Den. 

                                                       

     

Industry & Quality of Life Lesson Plan- Teaching Empathy Through the Affective Domain

When teaching my grade 8 class about economic systems, we discussed the issue of quality of life, and its connection to industry. In a previous lesson we made the connection that countries with a low quality of life as determined by the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) have predominantly primary industries, whereas countries with a high quality of life have mostly services industries due to our surplus incomes.
We then began to explore the idea that in recent years global companies have began to establish manufacturing plants in developing countries because they can keep their costs low and profits high by paying low wages. This activity was in response to come comments from students that the consumer has no power or responsibility to be concerned with the quality of life of the workers in the countries where the products we buy are manufactured. Students suggested that it was usually a positive thing to have factories established in developing countries because it gave opportunities for work. When the issue of child labour came up, some students suggested that since these students did not have the possibility of attending school that at least they could contribute to their family's income.
I used this activity to encourage students to make connections between their role as a consumer and the lives of people working in the factories that produce the products they buy.
By appealing to the affective domain, I was aiming to help students tap into their sense of empathy, and realize their power and responsibility as consumers.
The grade 8 class responded thoughtfully, and were able to make connections and develop empathy and a sense of their responsibility as members of a global community. We were able to get into a discussion on free trade versus fair trade and debate the advantages and disadvantages of each, a discussion informed by their understanding of quality of life in other countries.

Grade 8 Geography- Economic Systems Unit

New Industry in Your Community Activity Lesson

Focus of Lesson	Discussing the connection between industry & quality of life, and the question if consumers are responsible to be aware of the quality of life of the workers to manufacture the products we buy? In this activity students will learn about the impact of establishing a new industry, and will apply what they know about the location factors of industry, land use, and the impact of industry on quality of life. In small groups of two or three, students will consider the impact of a chosen industry if it were established in London.
Learning Outcomes	Specific Expectations Knowledge and Understanding outline the fundamental questions that all economic systems must answer: what goods are produced; how they are produced; for whom they are produced; by whom they are produced; and how they are distributed explain how the availability of particular economic resources (e.g., quantity and quality of land, labour, capital, entrepreneurial ability) influences the economic success of a region Inquiry/Research and Communication Skills formulate questions to guide and analyse research on economic influences and relationships locate relevant information from a variety of primary and secondary sources communicate the results of inquiries for specific purposes and audiences, using computer slide shows, videos,websites, oral presentations, written notes and reports, illustrations, tables, charts, maps, models, and graphs use appropriate vocabulary to describe their inquiries and observations. Map, Globe, and Graphic Skills use thematic maps to identify economic patterns Application investigate and describe how a new or existing industry affects the economy of a region.
Background	Prior Knowledge Required How the establishment of a new industry creates change in an area The location factors an industry considers when choosing where to set up their business Kinds of land use in a community How industry is tied to quality of life
Development	Ask students to look at the labels on the clothing they are wearing and make a list of the top ten countries the products were made in.  Locate these countries on a quality of life thematic map and ask students to identify patterns. What is the connection between industry and quality of life?  Discussion: Should consumers be concerned about the quality of life of the people manufacturing the products we buy? Positives and negatives of buying locally manufactured products: price etc.  Slideshow: pictures, information and statistics about China as the top manufacturer of clothing in our classroom. Discussion on the connection between child labour and HDI- does it really help an area? Homework: compare two companies that produce similar products, one company that manufacturers its products abroad and one that manufactures its products locally- compare prices.  Ask students to get into groups of two or three Explain simulation scenario The London municipality would like to attract a new industry to the area, and it is your job to research and pitch that industry to the Chamber of Commerce. Each pair or group will choose an industry, and determine the advantages and disadvantages of having that industry in London. You will present your findings in a Prezi presentation & the class will vote on which industry would most benefit London. You should consider: location factors of industry, land use in London, and the impact of industry on quality of life. Hand out & read the assignment instructions as a class. Introduce students to Prezi. Create success criteria together as a class Students will be given the rest of the period to brainstorm, and should have their industry selected & approved by the teacher by the end of the class.
Closure	Students will be given four class periods to brainstorm and research their industry, and to put together their Prezi Presentation. There will be two days of presentations and voting.
Assessment	Summative assessment of the quality of the presentation, information, vocabulary and key concepts used in the assignment.