Design & Build It- Machines and 3D Design

During design and build it week we learned about machines and 3D design.  The students were introduced to six basic machines: Wheel & Axle, Inclined Plane & Wedge, Pulley, Lever, Screw and Gears.  They were shown images and videos of some of these machines at work.  Then they split into groups and explored these machines both in the classroom and in science city:

 

 

 

 

We discussed how simple machines work together to create more complex machines/processes and watched videos of some of these machines.  Then it was time for the students to build their own simple machines through building sets and computer games: 

The next class we learned about Rube Goldberg and Rube Goldberg machines.  We looked at some of Goldberg's cartoons, watched some videos of machines at work and then designed our own.  We first discussed blue prints and plans.

Rube Goldberg's "Professor Butts and the Self-Operating Napkin"

Then we got some more build time:

 

Playing Mousetrap

While half of the class was building the other half took a crack at 3D design with 3DTin

 after looking at some 3D plans for machines, etc.:

More information & Resources:

Simple Machines Info-http://cdn.makezine.com/make/pdf/MTM_chap01.pdf

Games- http://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/Activities/Games/simple_machines/

http://engineering-games.net/

http://fantasticcontraption.com/

 Awesome Gear Clock: http://www.amazon.com/Fascinations-First-Time-Clock-Puzzle/dp/B002CMNMUY

Building Materials- http://www.mindware.com/p/KEVA-Contraptions-200-Plank-Set/44156

http://www.amazon.com/Quercetti-Georello-Tech-266-Pieces/dp/B0002CYT80

Arthur Ganson- http://www.arthurganson.com/ - great machines and video on how he makes them

3DTin- http://www.3dtin.com/