Learning Activity

This Too Shall Pass: Rube Goldberg Energy Transfers

Subject Area

Science

Grade(s)

4, 8

Overview

This activity is designed to be an introductory activity to generate student thought and interest in energy transfers and identification of potential and kinetic energy transfers in a system.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Science (2015) Grade(s): 4

SC15.4.2

Plan and carry out investigations that explain transference of energy from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.4.2

Vocabulary

  • Construct
  • Transfer
  • Energy
  • Potential energy
  • Kinetic energy
  • Friction
  • Conduction
  • Absorb
  • Reflect
  • Circuit
  • Open circuit
  • Close circuit
  • Heat
  • Radiation
  • Convection
  • Collision
  • Motion
  • Electrical energy
  • Stored energy

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound, light, or heat.
  • The transfer of energy, including the following:
    • Collisions between objects.
    • Light traveling from one place to another.
    • Electric currents producing motion, sound, heat, or light.
    • Sound traveling from one place to another.
    • Heat passing from one object to another.
    • Motion, sound, heat, and light causing a different type of energy to be observed after an interaction.
  • Heat is produced in many ways.
  • Heat can move via conduction.
  • The properties of different objects cause them to be able to absorb, reflect, and/or conduct energy.
  • Electric currents pass through a circuit.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Collaboratively plan and carry out an investigation that converts energy one form to another.
    • Identify the phenomenon.
    • Identify the evidence to address the purpose of the investigation.
    • Collect the data.
  • Construct an explanation using evidence about heat production.
  • Develop a model demonstrating that different objects can absorb, reflect, and/or conduct energy.
  • Develop a model demonstrating electric circuits.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.
  • Heat energy can be produced in many ways.
  • The properties of objects, e.g. ability to absorb, reflect, or conduct energy, relate to their function.
  • Electric energy can be transferred through circuits.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Planning and Carrying out Investigations; Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions; Developing and Using Models

Crosscutting Concepts

Energy and Matter
Science (2015) Grade(s): 8

SC15.8.16

Apply the law of conservation of energy to develop arguments supporting the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object (e.g., bowling ball hitting pins, brakes being applied to a car).

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.8.16

Vocabulary

  • Law of Conservation of Energy
  • Argument
  • Claim
  • Kinetic Energy
  • Energy Transfer
  • System

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Kinetic energy is energy that an object possesses due to its motion or movement.
  • Changes in kinetic energy may include changes in motion, temperature, or other observable features of an object.
  • When the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from that object.
  • When the kinetic energy of an object increases or decreases, the energy of other objects or the surroundings within the system increases or decreases, indicating that energy was transferred to or form the object.
  • The Law of Conservation of Energy states that in a closed system, the total energy of the system is conserved and energy is neither created nor destroyed.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Make a claim about a given explanation or model for a phenomenon, including the idea that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from that object .
  • Identify and describe the given evidence that supports the claim.
  • Evaluate the evidence and identify its strengths and weaknesses.
  • Use reasoning to connect the necessary and sufficient evidence and construct the argument.
  • Present oral or written arguments to support or refute the given explanation or model for the phenomenon.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • The law of conservation of energy states that in a closed system, the total amount of energy remains constant and energy is neither created nor destroyed.
  • Energy can be converted from one form to another, but the total energy within the system remains fixed.
  • Energy can be transferred between objects in the system.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Crosscutting Concepts

Energy and Matter

Phase

Before/Engage
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • I can identify changes in potential and kinetic energy in a system.
  • I can give an example of kinetic energy being transferred from one object to another.

Activity Details

Pre-assess students' understanding of "energy" by asking students: "What is energy?"


Guide the discussion to the conclusion that energy is the ability to make something happen (to "do work").

Review briefly with the students potential and kinetic energy.  Ask students:  "How do you know if something has potential energy?"  (It has the ability to make something happen.)  "What is kinetic energy?  (the energy of an object due to its motion).

Tell the students, A Rube Goldberg machine is a machine intentionally designed to perform a simple task in an indirect and over-complicated fashion.  Most students may be familiar with the game, Mousetrap, as an example.  

Show the students the video, OK Go-This Too Shall Pass-Rube Goldberg Machine.  As the students watch, have them tally how many energy transfers they noticed (count the dominoes sequences as one).

Discussion questions: 

  • What was the initial source of energy?  (the push of the toy car-kinetic energy, and the positioning of the objects in the system-potential energy)
  • How many energy transfers did you see take place?  (Answers will vary depending on how observant students are.)
  • What was the final energy transfer?  (paint hitting human targets)
  • Does the energy just "get used up"?  (No, it is dissipated as heat.)
Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Use an "exit ticket" task: 

Give a specific example from the video of an energy transfer.  Include the words potential energy and kinetic energy in your response.

Variation Tips

As an extension students could make simple Rube Goldberg machines using common items from the classroom or brought in from home and explain the energy transfers going on in their machines.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

The teacher should preview video beforehand to make sure it is appropriate for his/her particular group of students.  The teacher may want to mute the sound.

Be familiar with definitions of energy, potential energy, kinetic energy, and momentum. 

Digital Tools / Resources

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine - Official Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

maandr01
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