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Autodesk provides free software licenses to educators for many of their products, including Autocad, Tinkercad, Fusion 360, and 3DS Max.

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Autodesk Education Community Resources | Autodesk

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Learn how Autodesk empowers students & educators with training, curricula, professional development, and formal certifications for all ages and skill levels.

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"Yes and" vs. "Yes but"

So you're exploring new ideas with the rest of your design team. The goal is to generate a bunch of ideas and pursue the most promising ones. These ideas will then be iterated on over and over again until your idea has become a solution to the initial problem. Easy enough right?

Brainstorming sessions with your team can be exciting! You are charging down the road towards new ideas. Here is where you can flex your creativity muscles and suggest that idea you were thinking about before you went to bed last night. The meeting begins with a lot of promise. Ideas start flying out from all over the room. There are whiteboards and sticky notes everywhere. After a few minutes the initial excitement wears off and people start looking around the room.

Your teammate suggests an idea she has had for the feature you are brainstorming for your product. Everyone in the room gives her attention. However, after she's done presenting her idea a chorus of people offer her reasons why the idea won't work.
""Cool idea but this isn't realistic and I don't understand why it would be x instead of y... x isn't feasibly possible for our developers to even build."
You can feel the energy drain out of the room as teammate after teammate offer the ideas they've brainstormed be shut down by the "yes but" critics. Eventually a few of the "best" ideas are chosen and thus ends the brainstorming session. You walk away just glad you didn't share your craziest idea that might have gotten you booed out of the room 😂

Exploring new ideas together as a team can be a tricky part of the design process. It can be fun but also overwhelming. Brainstorming sessions can take forever and be dominated by the loudest most charismatic team members. They can be fruitless if ideas aren't given proper space to grow. Some wonder if we should brainstorm in teams at all.

I think exploring new ideas together as a team is important when designing. Collaborating together and hearing a diverse set of ideas and feedback can help create stronger solutions. In order to do this it's important to foster a culture of openness and trust between your team.

Ideas are safe and accepted by the team no matter how "out there" they are - When you allow ideas to have the ability to thrive and flow freely between team members you create a safe space for your team to be creative. No longer are they worried about what others will think of their crazy idea. They offer it proudly knowing no idea is a dumb one when in the exploration phase.

Ideas are formed together - No egos with this method! "Yes and" encourages teamwork and collaboration. It's not "my idea vs your idea". It's more like "here's an idea I've had let's work together to make it into a better one".

Excitement and team morale builds - You avoid team members tuning out during the session because every idea is accepted and acknowledged. As more ideas are added to and built together you will feel the excitement level increase. This is the feeling of true teamwork taking place.

Ideas build on one another - Saying "yes and" when exploring new ideas allows you work together on the idea. You are able add to and suggest new directions to take the idea that you believe will help it grow into a solution. As this process happens around the room, more and more ideas are built and grow together into interesting concepts.

Kills the idea too early - Your teammate suggests a wild idea and you tell them it's a neat idea but it will never work. What has this done to help you explore together? Nothing. The idea dies before it ever has a chance to grow into something more with the teams help. "Yes but" stifles creativity and teamwork.

Ideas are solo- My idea is my idea and your idea is your idea. You critique mine and I will critique yours. You vs me. This creates an unhealthy environment where egos are on the line. This encourages competition between idea not teamwork through exploration.

Slows down the design process - "Yes but" creates long conversations about why an idea is bad. When you are exploring ideas you don't want long conversations on each idea. You are focused on exploring a variety of ideas quickly.

Ideas are fragile. It's important to create a safe space for ideas, even the wild ones, to live, transform, and mature into well thought out solutions. A method you can implement to encourage ideas to flow freely is a strategy called "yes and". It's simple.

Whenever a teammate suggests an idea, no matter how crazy, you don't shoot it down right away. You don't offer critical feedback that shuts down the creator and their idea. You are patient and hopeful by answering with a "yes and..." then adding something on top of their idea. You say "yes and" in order to allow the idea space to grow into something better. By saying "yes" you acknowledge the person who had the idea and then foster collaboration by adding another idea on top of the suggested idea. It starts a conversation instead of shutting one down.

Here are a few distinctions between being a person that says "yes and" versus someone who is always saying "yes but".

Next time you are exploring new ideas with teammates try using the "yes and" method. You might be surprised with how many ideas you come up with and how it creates a healthy relationship between you and the rest of your team moving forward. Remember ideas are fragile. We need to everything possible to create an environment that encourages crazy ideas.

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Be a "yes and" kind of designer when exploring new ideas with your team

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"Yes and" vs. "Yes but" So you're exploring new ideas with the rest of your design team. The goal is to generate a bunch of ideas and pursue the most promising ones. These ideas will then be iterated on over and over again until your idea has become a solution to the initial problem.

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Good design is all about empathy!

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Food Packaging Design Hacks That Will Change the Way You Eat

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Innovation and creativity abound in the world of food packaging. But that doesn't stop the casual consumer from finding ways to hack some of the most quintessential packaging designs. Check out these amazing food hacks and what brands are doing to build them right into their package experience.

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Introduction: Earbud Buddies

Technology and Engineering, Grades 3 - 8
Lesson Overview
In this activity, students practice the Engineering Design Process on a challenge that is relevant to them, while learning 3D modeling on Tinkercad. The Earbud "Buddy" is a fun creation that helps keep an earbud cord from getting tangled when storing the earbuds. The earbuds could be a simple set provided by the teacher, or the student's own set.

Students will combine art, math, and technical concepts as they create a design that is meaningful to them while dimensioning it to fit the physical objects they have measured. The designs are likely to be quick to print (less than 15 min) allowing for multiple iterations while students improve and refine their designs.

This project is structured to follow the Engineering Design Process (EDP), a process that helps designers in any discipline create solutions to problems. While there are many ways that people solve problems, designers often use the EDP because it offers a clear roadmap for them to follow as they work towards a solution.

First, designers Define the challenge they are facing, then Learn more about the problem and Explore existing solutions. It's tempting to skip these first few steps and head straight into brainstorming, but don't! When designers take the time to understand the problem clearly, they come up with much better solutions. The Design phase is where brainstorming happens. Designers brainstorm multiple possible solutions, then develop a few of them into more detailed plans. Encourage your students to plan at least 3 of their potential ideas before choosing a design direction and starting to Create a product based on their design. If they hit any roadblocks trying to create their first design choice, they'll be able to revisit their alternate design plans and choose a new direction - without starting from scratch. Designers then take time to Observe their design and see how they can Improve it. We strongly recommend that students have an opportunity for at least 2 Create-Observe-Improve cycles. When students feel they have to "get it right the first time," they are less willing to take risks and be creative. By repeating the cycle, they have a chance to fix flaws and adopt successful ideas from classmates, and in fact, they're practicing what professional designers really do. A good design cycle builds in time for the designer to Reflect on their product and the process of making it, looking for learning habits and insights that will help in future challenges. When the work is complete, designers are ready to Share. They bring their work into the real world, by posting, publishing, presenting, or exhibiting - or giving or selling if appropriate! - what they've made. For students working through a design process, a real audience helps students connect their learning and work experiences to the world outside the classroom. For Makerspaces and Maker projects, in particular, this is hugely important for building confidence in every student and a sense of community among Makers. To help students work through this process, be sure to build in planned "stops" at each step for students to record their thoughts and progress as they work through product iteration cycles.
Essential Question(s)
How can the Engineering Design Process be used to help students be effective and creative inventors?

How are measuring and math skills important in product design?
Skills Practiced:
Time Required: 2-3 Hours design time
Materials Needed:

Step 1: Define

Context
It is likely that students have had contact with audio "earbud" headphones, and experienced the problem of a tangled cord. What if they could solve this problem for their own earbuds, and create a device that is fun and useful? The Engineering Design Process and 3D modeling are both very useful tools for designers and problem-solvers. This activity is simple, fun, and also includes measuring and calculating area and volume.
The problem/challenge
Definition: students use Tinkercad to design Earbud Buddies with custom features. IN this activity, the designs are expected to be relatively flat, unless otherwise specified by the teacher.
Criteria:
Students choose 3 of the following to include in their Earbud Buddy
Constraints:
Overall Earbud Buddy size and print time
Learning /product Goals
Students will make Earbud Buddies for their own use, for a specific need defined in the classroom, or for sharing in the classroom.

Step 2: Learn / Explore

1. Research:
Look at existing earbuds on audio headphones. Look online for examples of "earbud holders". Look at the packaging that earbuds come in and any storage devices they may come with. Ask other students and adults how they keep their headphone wires neat and prevent tangling. Students can list what they like/find useful and don't like /don't find useful about existing products.
2. Collect:
Have students create an inspiration page where they sketch and/or document a few of the earbud holders they like, such as a blog*, Google Docs, a notebook, poster, etc.

* Padlet is also great for this - it's a free digital pin board in which users can share ideas and inspiration (including links and photos) while collaborating.

Step 3: Design

1. Design:
A good place to start for this activity is a flat design where the earbuds are some significant feature, such the eyes on a character, a pair of flowers, a bird sitting on eggs, ears on an animal, or speakers on a boombox. The major parts that students design are the shape, the features that hold the earbuds, the place to wind the cord, and a way to hold the loose end of the cable. Students brainstorm ideas using the Project Definition and the Criteria and Constraints specified in the "Define" step. Use the inspiration page created in "Learn / Explore" step as a reference.

Option A: draw designs on how the Earbud Buddy will look and/or function. Use paper, whiteboard, drawing apps.

Option B: Build simple models using crafting materials (paper, glue, clay, pipe cleaners, etc.) to show look and/or function.

Option C: Let the students play around in Tinkercad to get familiar with the program and make practice models.

It is important that students create at least three different ideas. Many will want to go with their first idea. Encourage them to make life-size sketches of the Earbud Buddy so they can start thinking about the details, then play around with ideas and see what comes of it. Generating ideas can be hard work, but putting in the time and effort can produce great creative and unexpected results.

Some examples:
A. Owl:
Dimensions:

Width - 1 ⅝ in (45 mm)

Height - 2 in (54 mm)

Features:

Wrap around body

Holes for eyes to hold earbuds

Hole in the nose to hold headphone jack.

B. Bear:
Dimensions:

Width - 1 ¾ in (45 mm)

Height - 1 ⅝ in (54 mm)

Features:

Wrap around body

Holes to cradle ears

C. Fish:
Dimensions:

Width - 3 ⅝ in ( mm)

Height - 2 in ( mm)

Features:
2. Choose a Direction:
Have the students choose a design that meets the criteria of the project. Sketch these designs and emphasize that this is their design "direction" and that the design they create may be different as they learn more about the tools available and iterate through the design cycle.

Step 4: Create

1. Choose a motif.

a. You can create a life-size sketch drawing of the earbud buddy, outline and color it in with a dark color sharpy, and scan in the image. This image can then be converted into an SVG file, and imported into Tinkercad for use.

b. You may also use Scribble Block to make your own shapes.

2. Decide whether earbuds will be held in holes or cradled.

3. Measure:

Cord diameter

Microphone length

The rubber part of the bud

4. Set the overall shape hight to ⅛" (.125).

5. Add holes/cradles for earbuds.

6. Add notch for the end of the cord.

7. Make the design yours - add more detail, text, refine shape, etc.

8. Check size against the constraints and modify as needed.

9. Use a 3D printer slicer program to check build time and volume, and modify the design as needed.

10. 3D Print the Earbud buddy by exporting the file as an STL. You can also export as an SVG for laser cutting. (Try exporting small SVG details to create cricket stickers to add to your Earbud Buddies.)

11. Try it out! Does it hold the earbuds, keep the cord neat, and look good to you?

12. Iterate through the design cycle going back to Step 7 in this list.

Step 5: Observe, Improve, Iterate

1. Try out the new Earbud Buddies! See how well they hold the student's designated Earbuds, and if they work for others as well. Encourage students to share their creations and come up with ideas for new devices.

2. It's a good idea for students to have an opportunity for at least two design-build-improve cycles. When students feel they have to "get it right the first time" they are less willing to take risks and be creative. On the second time through they can fix flaws and adopt successful ideas from classmates.

3. Provide stopping points for the class where students can observe, evaluate, and document their design.

4. Create documentation guidelines for students to record their thoughts and progress as they work through product iteration cycles. This can serve as a formative assessment.

Criteria:

A description/sketch of the design

How well the design met the project definition, criteria, and constraints

What students liked about their design

What students want to improve on the design

Suggestions for improvement

Constraints:
Students choose 3 of the following to include in their Earbud Buddy
Download pdf with possible prompts for Steps 5 and Step 6
Overall Earbud Buddy size and print time

Step 6: Reflect

Reflect: After the design and build time is over, have students reflect on the process and product. This reflection is similar to the one in the "Observe, Improve, Iterate" step but now includes reflection on the process as well.

Download pdf with possible prompts for Steps 5 and Step 6:

Step 7: Share

Give the students and opportunity to share their Earbud Buddies with the class or some other community. Options for sharing include presentation, demonstration, blog or online post, video clip, physical display, family events, and maker fairs, or in the use for which it was intended.

Step 8: Project Extensions

Examples:

Design a simple device that wraps up an extra cord and effectively shortens the cord when using the earbuds. This could be a feature added to the storage device or a standalone item.

Create an Earbud Buddy with more 3D features such as

Explore entrepreneurship concepts - students can create product pitches and filmed commercials for their Earbud Buddies.

We hope you had fun designing and sharing your Earbud Buddies. What did you make? What materials did you use? We want to see! If you did this in a K-12 classroom, what subject was it in?

Send us an email or leave us a comment so we can see what you're making.

Visit our website k12maker.mit.edu to get resources for K-12 teachers:

1 Person Made This Project!

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Earbud Buddies: Technology and Engineering, Grades 3 - 8Lesson Overview In this activity, students practice the Engineering Design Process on a challenge that is relevant to them, while learning 3D modeling on Tinkercad. The Earbud "Buddy" is a fun creation that he...

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On the Road with Vehicle Performance

Author(s): Gregory L. Vogt, EdD

Update: The Hess Corporation is offering free STEM Kits to 1,000 educators! Each STEM Kit contains twelve (12) Hess RVs with ATVs and Motorbikes for use with Baylor College of Medicine's free, accompanying curricular guide.

Applications will be accepted on the Hess site through February 15, 2019. For details and to apply, visit the Hess website at https://hesstoytruck.com/stem/.

Baylor College of Medicine and Hess Corporation have teamed to offer a unique resource for teaching STEM content to young students. The 2018 HESS RV with ATV and Motorbike, used in combination with the free curricular guide, On the Road with Vehicle Performance, provide a powerful STEM learning experience that engages as it teaches. Fill out the short form at the bottom of this page to download your free teacher's guide and classroom slides.

While designed for middle school students (grades 4-6), each activity in the guide can easily be adapted for students in higher or lower grades. The lessons may be used sequentially or separately, and/or inserted into an existing curriculum.

The following STEM activities are available.

1. Road Trip: Distance vs. Time Restrictions - Using the 2018 Hess RV, how many state capitals can the team visit in 14 days while abiding by the "rules of the road"?

2. RV-ing: Energy Efficiency vs. Vehicle Mass - How does vehicle mass affect its fuel efficiency?

3. Off-roading: Angles and Slopes - What is the maximum angle at which the 2018 Hess ATV can safely operate?

4. Gearing Up for Motorbike Racing - How does the 2018 Hess Motorbike work, and who are the best riders?

5. ATV: Design and Test an Obstacle Course - What turns an obstacle course into an adventure??

6. Vehicle Stability: Two Wheels vs. Four Wheels - Which vehicle, the 2018 Hess ATV or the Motorbike provides the greatest stability and why?

7. RV: Custom Designing Interior Spaces - What should the vacant space immediately behind the 2018 Hess RV's cab seats be used for, and what features should it contain?

8. Internet Ad Campaign: 2018 Hess RV with ATV and Motorbike - What should be included in an advertisement to announce the new Hess RV Supercenter and its opening special, the 2018 Hess RV with ATV and Motorbike?

On the Road with Vehicle Performance: STEM Activities for Use with the 2018 HESS RV, ATV and Motorbike was developed in a partnership between Baylor College of Medicine and the HESS Corporation.

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Simple and Compound Machines

Author(s): Gregory Vogt, Ed.D.

To prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, students must learn STEM concepts and engage in practical experiences that demonstrate how these concepts apply in the real world. With this in mind, Baylor College of Medicine and Hess Corporation have teamed to offer a unique resource for teaching STEM content to young students. The 2017 Hess Dump Truck and Loader, used in combination with the free curricular guide, Simple and Complex Machines, provide a powerful STEM learning experience for students and teachers. Fill out the short form at the bottom of this page to download your free teacher's guide and classroom slide set.
STEM ACTIVITIES
Each activity in this guide uses the Hess Dump Truck and Loader to explore different aspects of simple and compound machines. Teachers are provided with a primer about these machines and an explanation of mechanical advantage. The activities can be used sequentially as a unit or inserted into an existing curriculum.

While designed for middle grades (4-6), they can easily be adapted for upper and lower grades. The activities support the Three Dimensions of Science Learning in the Next Generation Science Standards (nextgenscience.org). Some activities include student pages that can be used for assessment or be placed in science notebooks. This guide and the 2017 Hess Dump Truck and Loader combine to provide a powerful STEM learning experience that is stimulating, enriching and just plain fun.

The following STEM activities are available.

1. Heavy Equipment: Simple Machines - How many simple machines can you find and identify in the 2017 Hess Dump Truck or Loader?

2. Lifting Forces - How do dump trucks unload their cargo?

3. Traction and the Center of Gravity - Why does the 2017 Hess Loader have continuous tracks instead of wheels with big treads for traction?

4. Degrees of Freedom - How many degrees of freedom does the Hess Loader have?

5. Loader Games - What operator skills are needed to successfully compete in loader games?

6. Bridges: Supporting Heavy Loads - Can your team construct a bridge strong enough to permit the 2017 Hess Dump Truck and Loader to cross safely?

7. Writing for STEM - What do users need to know to operate and maintain the 2017 Hess Dump Truck and Loader in good condition?

8. Adding an "A" to STEM - What is the best way to market the 2017 Hess Dump Truck and Loader?

Simple and Compound Machines: STEM Activities for Use with the 2017 Hess Dump Truck and Loader was developed in a partnership between Baylor College of Medicine and the Hess Corporation.

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lesson; science; stem; science; physics; physical science; gregory vogt; greg vogt; simple machine; compound machine; backhoe; bridge; center of gravity; degrees of freedom; dof; dump truck; excavator; first class lever; force; friction; fulcrum; gravity; gears; hydraulic; inclined plane; inertia; input arm; joint; kinetic energy; lever; load; loader; motion; pneumatic; potential energy; energy transfer; output arm; pulley; robot; screw; second class lever; simple machine; slope; speed; third class lever; traction; wedge; wheel and axle; art; engineering; technology; math; mathematics; mechanical; mechanical advantage; technical writing; baylor college of medicine; hess corporation; hess toy truck; hess dump truck and loader

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Author(s): Gregory Vogt, Ed.D. To prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, students must learn STEM concepts and engage in practical experiences that demonstrate how these concepts apply in the real world. With this in mind, Baylor College of Medicine and Hess Corporation have teamed to offer a unique resource for teaching STEM content to young students.

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Force, Motion, Friction and Energy

Author(s): Gregory Vogt, Ed.D.

© Baylor College of Medicine.

To prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, students must learn STEM concepts and engage in practical experiences that demonstrate how these concepts apply in the real world. With this in mind, Baylor College of Medicine and Hess Corporation have teamed to offer a unique resource for teaching STEM content to young students. The 2016 Hess Toy Truck and Dragster, used in combination with the free curricular guide, Force, Motion, Friction and Energy, provide a powerful STEM learning experience that is stimulating, enriching and just plain fun! Fill out the short form at the bottom of this page to download your free teacher's guide and classroom slide set.

While designed for middle school students (grades 4-6), each activity in the guide can be adapted easily for higher or lower grades. The lessons may be used sequentially or separately, and/or inserted into an existing curriculum.

The following STEM activities are available.

1. Investigating Friction - How do different road surfaces affect the distance traveled by the Hess Toy Truck?

2. Determining Average Speed - What is the dragster's average speed over a measured course?

3. Drag Racing and the Center of Mass - Which dragster/driver is fastest, and why?

4. Built to Scale - What is the scale of the truck and dragster in the 2016 Hess Toy Truck set?

5. Truck Pull - What is the relationship between the weight of the truck's load and the distance it can be towed?

6. On the Level, Going Up, Going Down - Which road surface (level, uphill, downhill) provides the greatest fuel efficiency for a truck transporting the dragster?

7. Break the "World Record" Car Jump - How far can the 2016 Hess Toy Dragster jump?

Force, Motion, Friction and Energy: STEM Activities for Use with the 2016 Hess Toy Truck and Dragster was developed in a partnership between Baylor College of Medicine and the Hess Corporation.

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Explore the ingenious designs and intriguingly gorgeous places that people call home.

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Uploaded by Everyonesaleader on 2016-03-08.

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Instant Challenges are performance-based, task-based, or a combination of the two Although each Instant Challenge has different requirements, all Instant Challenges reward teams for their teamwork. Instant Challenges are kept confidential through the day of the tournament.

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Ready, Set, Design is one of our favorite group activities, for adults and kids alike, at Cooper-Hewitt. It's a highly adaptable design challenge that can jump-start collaborative and creative thinking in any group. We use it with kids' groups at the Museum, for internal staff meetings, and even at industry conferences and summits we host. The activity is such a success with our participants that we've gotten a lot of requests for a how-to guide.

Here it is! We created this short instructional video and accompanying PDF that explain Ready, Set, Design for group leaders. Use it at your next meeting, class, rehearsal, or brainstorm session - any place you need a fresh burst of creativity.

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Ready, Set, Design! | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

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Ready, Set, Design is one of our favorite group activities, for adults and kids alike, at Cooper-Hewitt. It's a highly adaptable design challenge that can jump-start collaborative and creative thinking in any group. We use it with kids' groups at the Museum, for internal staff meetings, and even at industry conferences and summits we host.

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Materials:
10 pieces of paper
1 yard of tape
1 stuffed monkey (or other animal)

Challenge:
Craft a chair for the monkey that will stand for at least 10 seconds and that gets the monkey at least 8 inches off the ground.

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Build a Rube Goldberg Machine with Kids

So, are you interested in building a Rube Goldberg-style machine with little kids? This post will give you a few tips and ideas to make your own complicated machine.

This project has long been on my to-do list with my kids. We are long-time fans of marble runs (see the resources page for recommendations), and extending our love for rolling balls and ramps into the world of Rube Goldberg was a no-brainer. And triple hurrah for projects that celebrate STEM and STEAM learning. We were on the hunt for easy Rube Goldberg ideas, watched a few videos, and came up with this fun solution that works for young children.

About Rube Goldberg

For the uninitiated, Rube Goldberg was an American Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer, and inventor, and his work is a classic example of the melding of art and science. Goldberg began his career as an engineer, and later became a cartoonist who drew elaborate illustrations of contraptions made up of pulleys, cups, birds, balloons, and watering cans that were designed to solve a simple task such as opening a window or setting an alarm clock. Interestingly, Goldberg only drew the pictures, and never built any of his inventions. However, these pictures have since served as inspiration for makers and builders who want the challenge of making wild inventions to solve everyday problems.

And apparently, Rube Goldberg is a now an adjective in the dictionary! You can read more about Goldberg here.

Step 1: Get Inspired

First things first, you'll want to watch some Rube Goldberg contraptions in action to get inspired. My kids and I LOVE this video from OK Go. It's incredible complicated, but oh-so-amazing, so don't think for one hot second that you'll be able to replicate this with little kids. I'll add more inspiring videos below.

Step 2: Solve a Problem

Next, come up with a simple problem that you're trying to solve. For example:

Once you have a problem sorted out (and don't worry - you can change this later if you want), gather supplies...

Step 3: Gather Supplies
You can print out the following list here.
Collect a bucket-full of supplies and then lay them out so they're easily seen. These can largely be found in your home or classroom - start with what you have! You will most likely start with some of these basics, and then forage your home or classroom for more supplies as you go. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Things that Roll

Marbles

Balls: Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, etc.

Toy Cars

Dominoes

Skateboard

Roller Skate

Mousetrap

Things that Move

Ramps

Recyclables

Household Materials

Step 4: Build Your Machine!

Once you have the supplies ready, start building. While the OK Go video (and others like it) includes some pretty complex machines and concepts, keep this simple for preschoolers. The basic concept that we're exploring is that of a chain reaction, so anything that tips something else over (and so one) is what you're going for. Don't worry too much about building things like pulleys and levers for young children.

Take a look at our machine to get a sense of what's possible.

Our Rube Goldberg Machine in Action

5 Tips for Success

1. Success breeds enthusiasm, so keep the steps to a minimum. You can always add more as you go.

2. Keep your expectations low

3. Ask your child for ideas and input

4. Work collaboratively

5. Aim to have fun

A Note on Failure

As you test and try out different set-ups, you'll undoubtedly fail a few times. I could have filled a 20 minute video with outtakes from all our misses (the balloon is a good example of that). But this is great news! Failure is an intrinsic piece of the invention process, and without these mistakes we won't learn how things really work. So embrace failure and celebrate it as part of the learning process.

Next Steps: Full STEAM Ahead

Ask: What other simple problems could we solve?

Ask: What materials could we use?

Ask: Why didn't that work? How could we fix it or try it again?

Encourage your child to problem solve by seeking out materials and moving objects.

Did you enjoy this project? Join the semi-secret Club TinkerLab on Facebook to swap and share more ideas like this.

Inspiring Rube Goldberg Machines

Watch this one light up a Christmas tree

Learn about Rube Goldberg Machines on Sesame Street

Easy Rube Goldberg Example

More Projects like this one
DIY Paper Tube Marble Run Fort Building Kit DIY Water Wall, it's like a marble run, but with water! Build an easy light table Make Gumdrop Sculptures
Activate Learning with STEAM

If you've been a loyal TinkerLab fan (thank you! you mean the world to me.) you'll know that I'm happiest sharing projects that live at the intersection of disciplines. Too often we're quick to separate science from writing or math from art, but when we seek out ways to make interdisciplinary connections, learning can be more meaningful and novel discoveries can be made.

In that vein, you may also enjoy these projects that circle around STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) ideas. This week's theme is REACT, and you can see the other reaction-related ideas here:

Stixplosions | Babble Dabble Do

Smoosh Painting | Meri Cherry

Color Changing Chemistry Clock | Left Brain Craft Brain

Zoom Ball | What Do We Do All Day?

Glowing Hands | All For The Boys

Rainbow Reactions | Lemon Lime Adventures

Colorful Chemical Reaction | Frugal Fun for Boys

STEAM on Pinterest

You might also enjoy following my STEAM + STEM Activities board on Pinterest for more ideas like this.

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Engineering Kids | Rube Goldberg Machine - TinkerLab

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How to build a Rube Goldberg machine with little inventors, ages 4 and up.

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We love engineering projects and my kids make their fair share of paper airplanes. This is a fun twist on the paper airplane, and I'll show you how to make straw and paper airplanes.

I was amazed at just how far this simple contraption could go!

I've been wanting to make one of these for a while, and then along came Asia Citro's newest book, The Curious Kids' Science Book: 100+ Creative Hands-on Activities for Ages 4-8. (affiliate).
Note: This post may contain affiliate links.
And wouldn't you know, right there on page 123 is a project called Design a Straw Plane and Change the Parts to Change how it Flies.

Yes!

If you enjoyed my book or have a curious and creative child between the ages of 4 and 8, The Curious Kids' Science Book is just for you.

You will need two pieces of paper for this activity: one will be half the length of the other

Cut two strips off the end off a sheet of paper that are approximately 1″ wide.

Cut one of the strips in half

You will now use two pieces of paper: The long one and one of the short ones. Ours measured at roughly 1″ x 8.5″ and 1″ x 4.25″. This does not have to be precise.

Tape the paper strips into loops

Tape the loops to either end of a straw, making sure that they are facing the same direction.

Fly your plane.

Try using different lengths of paper

Use different weights of paper

Move the paper closer to the center of the straw

Measure how far your plane can travel

Make a paper airplane and compare the distances traveled

If you enjoy making things that fly, try making a flying teabag hot air balloon.

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Design Challenge: Make Straw and Paper Airplanes | TinkerLab

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We love engineering projects and my kids make their fair share of paper airplanes. This is a fun twist on the paper airplane, and I'll show you how to make straw and paper airplanes. I was amazed at just how far this simple contraption could go!

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How to Make a Marble Run with Kids - TinkerLab

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With simple, household supplies like paper rolls and tape, I’ll show you how to make a marble run with kids as we think like engineers.

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The Marshmallow Challenge was originally designed by Tom Wujec. This work by Carrie Odgers Lax for LaxEdTech is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Copy, modify, and share to your heart's content. Linked or embedded content may be covered under separate licenses.

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Upload pictures of your prototype and evidence of the process you used to test your design. If you have a Google Doc, Sheet, or Slide(s) with notes/data, you can embed it here. Upload pictures of your notes, sketches, or other evidence of your brainstorming efforts.

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SketchUp School Youtube Channel

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sketchup "sketchup tutorial" "sketchup tutorials" "google sketchup" "sketchup free" "sketchup pro" "sketchup rendering" "sketchup make" "sketchup 2017" "sketchup 2018" "sketchup warehouse" "sketchup modeling" "sketchup plugins"

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SketchUp School is where professionals go when they're serious about learning SketchUp. Our channel is about sharing some of what we've learned from teaching professionals in Architecture, Interior Design, Construction, Film & Stage, Landscape Architecture, and Kitchen & Bath Design how to do what they need to do with SketchUp for more than a decade.

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That thin metal box at school where you cram all your stuff? Lockers aren't designed for students today. In fact, the design of lockers hasn't changed since the days of your great grandparents!

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Why you should make useless things | Simone Giertz

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Free and Open Source

Blender is a public project hosted on blender.org, licensed as GNU GPL, owned by its contributors.

For that reason Blender is Free and Open Source software, forever. Learn more

Part of the industry

Blender is a member of ASWF, Khronos, Linux Foundation and OIN. It's also well supported by major hardware vendors such as AMD, Apple, Intel, and NVIDIA.

It's about people.

Designers, developers, engineers, artists. All driven by passion. All using Blender to make an impact.

The Ecosystem

Countless communities and thriving businesses are built around Blender.

Together, these tutorial makers and content creators, add-on developers and global marketplaces form an ever-expanding ecosystem.
Find Blender Communities
Everything You Need

Cycles is Blender's built-in powerful unbiased path-tracer engine that offers stunning ultra-realistic rendering.

· Real-time viewport preview

· CPU & GPU rendering

· PBR shaders & HDR lighting support

· VR rendering support

Blender's comprehensive array of modeling tools make creating, transforming and editing your models a breeze.

· Full N-Gon support

· Edge slide, inset, grid and bridge fill, and more

· Advanced sculpting tools and brushes

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· Python scripting for custom tools and add-ons

VFX professionals say: "Probably the best tracker in the market". Blender includes production ready camera and object tracking. Allowing you to import raw footage, track the footage, mask areas and see the camera movements live in your 3D scene. Eliminating the need to switch between programs.

· Auto and Manual tracking

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Thanks to the high quality rigging and animation tools, Blender is being used for numerous short films, advertisements, TV series and feature films now.

· Envelope, skeleton and automatic skinning

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Story Art, Drawing 2D in 3D

Really! Drawing directly in a 3D viewport makes a lot of sense. It opens unsurpassed workflow freedom for story-boarders and 2D artists.

· Combine 2D with 3D right in the viewport

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Blender has a flexible Python controlled interface. Layout, colors, size and even fonts can be adjusted. Use hundreds of add-ons by the community or create your own using Blender's accessible Python API.

· Customize the interface layout and colors

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· Draw over the OpenGL viewport

· Connect with Blender's Render API

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blender.org - Home of the Blender project - Free and Open 3D Creation Software

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Manu Prakash: Lifesaving scientific tools made of paper

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Inventor Manu Prakash turns everyday materials into powerful scientific devices, from paper microscopes to a clever new mosquito tracker. From the TED Fellows stage, he demos Paperfuge, a hand-powered centrifuge inspired by a spinning toy that costs 20 cents to make and can do the work of a $1,000 machine, no electricity required.

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At age 14, in poverty and famine, a Malawian boy built a windmill to power his family’s home. Now at 22, William Kamkwamba, who speaks at TED, here, for the second time, shares in his own words the moving tale of invention that changed his life.

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Cup Stack Take 1
Sport Stacking World Record
Stack 'Em Up Activity (PBS)

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Last year the cup stack was one of my FAVORITE team building activities ( see post here). So, naturally, I wanted to give it another shot! The Cup Stack is a fun, yet challenging activity that promotes team work. The supplies are basic: cups, string, rubber bands. I go ahead and tie the string to the rubber bands so it is ready to go. I make a few for groups of 4 and a few for groups of 5, this way no matter what the numbers are in the classroom I can make it work.
I start by asking students what teamwork is. What does it look like? sound like? feel like? We brainstorm a list of ideas that I hang in the classroom for students to refer to. Each class comes up with a variety of ideas, but they all center around the same theme.

Then I introduce their challenge. I start off my admitting that this will be a frustrating activity. We discuss ways to handle our stress and feelings that arise when others make a mistake or don't do what we want them to do. I model that they will each be given 6 cups and a rubberband with strings attached to it. Their job is to stack the cups into a design by only holding onto their individual string.

I demonstrate that when everyone pulls on their string the rubberband opens wider, and vice versa. I also show them the challenges of picking up a cup that has tipped on its side or fallen on the floor. No matter what happens, they must follow the one rule: YOU CAN ONLY TOUCH YOUR STRING. No touching the rubber band, no touching the cup, and no touching other group member's strings. I reinforce how communication is so important in order to reach the goal. Then I set them off. Here are some videos and pics.

After about 10-15 minutes, we pause and reflect on our experiences. I ask them to rate their group on how well they worked together using the ideas we wrote at the beginning of the lesson. I ask them what went well for their group. I also ask them what didn't go well for their group. We talk about different strategies and ways we an handle ourselves when things don't go the way we want them to. Throughout the activity I walk around and facilitate positive communication, so I usually have a few examples to help springboard the discussion.

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Last year the cup stack was one of my FAVORITE team building activities ( see post here). So, naturally, I wanted to give it another shot! The Cup Stack is a fun, yet challenging activity that promotes team work. The supplies are basic: cups, string, rubber bands.

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Learn Onshape

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Onshape is a product development platform that brings together all the tools needed to develop a product from conception to production.