teaching stem elements using rube goldberg inventions

Leigh ZeitzUniversity of Northern Iowa2015 Statewide Teaching and Learning Conference

nationalacademies

STEM employees earn 25% more than non-STEM

STEM-Related jobs grow 17% over next decade

2010 unemployed: STEM workers 5.3 % vs 10%

Minorities (Women, African American, Latinos)

compose 70% of workforce but only 20% STEM

>50% of students beginning with STEM degree

switch to Non-STEM degrees in first 2 years

Stemadvantage.org

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DOING PROJECTS

Not relevant to students

Based on Driving Question

Doesn’t resemble Real World

Non-collaborative

Not many choices

Graded by teacher perceptions

Turned into the teacher

PROJECT BASED LEARNING

Requires collaboration

Follows teacher’s instructions

Could provide real solutions

Requires team collaboration

Make most of the choices

Based on rubric

Public audience

Teachthought.com

Significant Content

A Need to Know

A Driving Question

In-Depth Inquiry

Student Voice and Choice

21st Century Competencies

Critique and Revision

Public AudienceBuck Institute for Education

Inventions of Professor Lucifer Gorgonzola Butts

1914- 1964

Artwork Copyright © and TM Goldberg Inc.All Rights Reserved. RUBE GOLDBERG ® is a registered Trademark of the Rube Goldberg Inc. All materials used with permission.Rubegoldberg.com

How do I get the Marble in the Bucket?

Students Brainstorm 10 ways to get the ball in the bucket

Show photo of students brainstorming Show list of ideas they created

Students Brainstorm 10 ways to get the ball in the bucket

Show photo of students brainstorming Show list of ideas they created

Kinesthetic Learners

Invent Tomorrow links

Rube Ideas videos

Identify machines/ideas

Videos

Experience

Imagination

How It Works

Watch It Work

1. Identify the Simple Task.2. List the parts of the simple

task.3. Discuss how the parts work

together4. Diagram an invention with

1. At least 15 ideas.2. Uses at least 3 forms of

energy.5. Set up a plan for how it

would be built.

Develop a Problem-Based Learning mindset

Initiate an essential question.

Provide some process structure.

Identify deliverables but don’t strictly define the contents.

• Language

• Concepts

• Process

• Science

• Tech

• Writing

Science PS 2-1 Designs a solution to a problem involving

Newton’s 3rd Law PS 2-2 Designs an experiment to show effects of

Newton’s 2nd law Technology

21.6-8.TL.1 Demonstrate creative thinking in the design and development of innovative tech products and problem solving

21.6-8.TL.4 Use critical thinking to conduct research, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate tech tools and resources.

Journaling the Process

Reflecting on what they created.

Sharing own feeling.

Commenting on others’ reflections.

Inventing is like writing a book. You get to have fun imagining new things, and when you’re done you feel like you accomplished something. That why I think inventing is cool beans. - Griffin

We’re starting a new project, and I think we have some pretty good ideas! We’re creating a Lego robot to transport a chip into a bowl of salsa. The only thing is, we have to get the chip back out, so that’s a challenge.

I think it’s awesome that we get to use our creativity so much, and create machines that you have fun thinking of. Also, getting to see the other group inventions is pretty cool too.

Invented in MineCraft

Video recorded the inventions

Shared with class

Invented At Home

Video recorded the inventions

Shared them with class

Shooting a Basket

Setting off Fireworks

Turn a book page

Shoot a Felt Marker