Crazy Contraptions: Build Rube Goldberg Machines that Swoop, Spin, Stack, and Swivel with Hands-On Engineering Activities
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“Gr 4-6–Inspired by cartoonist (and trained engineer) Rube Goldberg, Perdew intersperses introductions to six simple machines from inclined planes to screws, explanations of Newton’s laws of motion, and projects that use these principles and tools to show energy in motion and sequential actions. The projects, which include a device for knocking down a “one-armed Lego dude” to a working catapult (or “Treat Launcher”), are all constructed from easily available materials. Most include hints or challenges aimed at inspiring tinkerers to concoct alternative designs to accomplish the same results. Along with plentiful diagrams and color illustrations, nearly every spread features a vocabulary list. Many also include one or more Q-code links to relevant videos online. VERDICT: A delight for all budding engineers in elementary grades who, as Perdew puts it, ‘like to think of complex ways to accomplish simple tasks.’”
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Detailed Book Description
Why use a simple hand motion to wipe your mouth when you can build a machine to do it for you?
Toppling dominoes, rolling marbles, racing balloon cars, springing catapults, and whizzing zip-lines are all elements used to build Rube Goldberg machines in Crazy Contraptions: Build Rube Goldberg Machines that Swoop, Spin, Stack, and Swivel with Hands-On Engineering Activities. The book introduces kids ages 9-12 (and beyond!) to the wacky machines designed by Goldberg, which were based on complicated chain reactions used to accomplish very simple, sometimes ridiculous, tasks. Young engineers are invited to invent, design, create, and play as they make their own Rube Goldberg machines using the engineering design process and lots of imagination! while
Throughout Crazy Contraptions, hands-on STEM activities, contraption hints, essential questions, and links to online primary resources help readers learn the basics of force, work, motion, and simple machines, while exploring their creativity as they design and build their own crazy contraptions.
Crazy Contraptions is part of a set of two Build It Engineering books that explore the engineering technology behind our daily lives. The other titles in this series is Bots! Robotic Engineering with Hands-On Makerspace Activities.
Try these hands-on engineering projects!
- Turn on a CD player
- Screw a lid on a jar
- Pop a balloon
- Make a zipline
- Make a balloon car
- Build a catapult
| Paperback, $17.95 9781619308268 |
Hardcover, $22.95 9781619308237 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Timeline
Introduction
Meet Rube Goldberg
Draw Your Own Cartoon
Chapter One
Things You Should Probably Know Before You Get Started
Balloons and the Laws of Motion
Newton Supports Seat Belts
Chapter Two
Play with Inclined Planes
Knock It Over
Pyramid Demolition
Chapter Three
Looking at Levers
Collapsing Cards
Treat Launcher
Ring a Bell
Chapter Four
Whoa! Wheels and Axles!
Water the Plant
Candy Delivery!
Send a Message
Chapter Five
Plucky Pulleys
Raise the Flag
Zippering Zip Lines
Roll the Dice
Chapter Six
Wild About Wedges
Turn the Page
Boat Launch
Tea Time!
Chapter Seven
Savvy About Screws
Turn on the Music
Tighten a Lid
Pop! Goes the Balloon
Chapter Eight
Go Big!
Go Big
Go Small
Go Loud
Glossary
Metric Conversions
Resources
Essential Questions
Index