|
Curriculum Correlation
|
Audience volunteers are crucial in the
completion of the working mousetrap.
- Science - The lever, wheel, pulley, gear, inclined plane, and screw
are the basic units used to construct all larger machines. By working with
an unusual medium, students learn that these machines can be made out of
anything and see uses for them that are not always obvious.
- Math - Students are encouraged to build problem solving skills by
trying to work out ways of using the basic machines to construct a working
mousetrap.
- Art - An unusual medium for art is demonstrated to open the
minds of students to thinking differently. Art is combined with science as
students are invited to use the balloon pieces in reconstructing the
mousetrap after the show. In addition, many students create their own
Rube-Goldberg mousetraps in their classrooms or at home.
Getting ready for the performance
- Examine machines in the environment and learn to recognize the
components of machines in the classroom.
- Discuss the basic elements that complex machines are built with.
- Discuss ways of putting simple machines together to form a more
complex one.
After the performance
- Identify the things that make the balloon mousetrap different from
and similar to other machines the students are familiar with.
- Try to recreate the mousetrap on paper or with another medium.
- Discuss other unusual machines designed to solve common problems.
Some groups may wish to design a new Rube Goldberg style machine to do
another simple task.
- When the performance is geared at small groups, all of the balloon
structures are left in the classroom in order for students to experiment
with the unusual machines.
- A small review booklet containing coloring pages and questions is
available for the students. You can download
the review booklet now.
References
The Way Things Work by David Macaulay is highly recommended as a
reference for building and understanding both simple and complex machines.
Improving these resources
Teachers and parents are encouraged to write to us with further suggestions
to place here for others to use in conjunction with the show.
|
