Scholarship Physical Science 4th Quarter INDIVIDUAL Independent Study Project
Goal 1: Students will build a “Rube Goldberg” device that meets the listed requirements.
“Rube Goldberg” device specifications:
 The machine must perform ONE task of the student’s choice (tasks occur at the end of an energy sequence).
 Human energy may only be used once to begin the device’s action—this is not counted as an action performed by the
machine.
 No further human energy can be applied to the device once it starts.
 A minimum of FIVE different actions must take place once the device is started.
o All activity associated with one lever, pulley, ramp, etc. is part of one action. (see last page for example)
o Any, and all, dominoes used can only count as ONE action. This also includes any other items used to create a
“domino effect”.
o The five actions DO NOT include sound or thermal energy this quarter.
 The machine must contain a combination of at least TWO movable pulleys and/or levers.
Last day to
Eye hooks and parts that do not rotate are not pulleys for this project.
submit
Journal
 Any task, involving the moving of an object, must move the object a
and Pictures
minimum of 8 centimeters up, down, or sideways.
April 28th
 If electricity is being used, the device many NOT plug into a wall outlet (must use
batteries).
Presentations
 The machine must be anchored on a portable base (platform).
begin
o The area of the base can be any shape
o The area must be NO WIDER than 80 cm (it has to fit through the door to
May 1st
school and classroom.)
 ALL materials for this device will be supplied by the student.
 NO materials can be borrowed from the teacher or school.
 Students must be able to transport the device to and from school.
Demonstrating the “Rube Goldberg” device
 The student will have THREE free attempts to successfully demonstrate the device.
o A fourth attempt will cost 5% of the final grade if successful (10 points).
o A fifth attempt will cost 10% of the final grade if successful (20 points).
o No more than five attempts will be allowed.
 Each student will have 20 minutes to successfully perform their device. This includes setting up, practice and up to five
official attempts.
 On final presentation day 10% will be deducted from the final grade for each occurrence of the following:
o Changing the design of the device.
o Receiving assistance before or between attempts from people other than your partner.
Presentation dates
 Dates will be determined by a “lottery” method.
 Students will be presenting during regular class time.
 Projects cannot be left in the classroom overnight, due to lack of storage space, unless special arrangements have been
made with the teacher PRIOR to presentation day.
Extra credit options (You may earn up to 10% extra credit):
 Students may earn a 5% bonus by choosing ONE or 10% bonus by choosing TWO different additions to be incorporated
with the device from the following selections :
o Having a minimum of SIX actions with one action involving electrical energy.
o Having a device that performs at least TWO different tasks.
Goal 2: Students will submit a reflective journal and pictures of their device.
Journal Requirements
 Minimum of 5 practice trials.
o With each trial a journal entry with the following is required:
 What?
 So what?
 Now what?
-What?-Explain your machine and provide details on how it should work
- Why did you choose the actions included in your machine?
- Why did you choose the task(s) in your machine?
-If this is a repeat trail what happened with the changes you made? Did anything different happen this trial that did not
happen the first trial?
-So what? - If your task/action(s) didn’t work, why not? If everything worked as it should, how are you going to make sure it
continues to work as planned?
-Now what?-What are you going to do to make your machine better?


Pictures of final design
o Show all parts labeled correctly.
o All dimensions of the device listed in meters or centimeters
o Shows the entire device
o Matches the actual device submitted
o Contains no spelling errors
Sequence of energy conversions (flow chart) taking place in the toy
 A minimum of FIVE types of energy with FOUR energy conversions should be included. Types of energy may be used
and/or counted more than once. The five actions DO NOT include sound or thermal energy this quarter, but these
energies should be included in the flow chart.
 Each energy description should include the following and be labeled in this order:
o The classification of energy as potential or kinetic.
o The type of energy.
o An explanation of how this type of energy relates to the movement of the device.
 Arrows are to be included on the chart to interconnect energy types.
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
Any student who will be absent during the week of May 1st due to a field trip, in-school performance, out of school
trip, or other preplanned absence must notify your teacher seven days before the absence occurs so the presentation
schedule can be changed accordingly.
Any student missing their scheduled time slot for any reasons listed above will be presenting his/her device no later
than May 12th.
Failing to notify the teacher about a pre-arranged absence seven days in advance will result in no credit being awarded
for the project.
Flow chart example
A
A
B
B
A ball starts from the top of the hill at point A and rolls to a stop at point B.
The energy flow chart for this action is shown below.
Kinetic
Heat
There is
friction
between the
ball and the
surface.
Kinetic
Sound
The ball emits
sound as it
moves.
Potential
Gravitational
The ball starts
at the top of
the hill.
Kinetic
Mechanical
The ball begins
rolling down
the first hill.
Kinetic
Heat
There is
friction
between the
ball and the
surface.
Potential
Gravitational
The ball gains
gravitational
energy as it
rolls up the
smaller hill.
Kinetic
Mechanical
The ball begins
rolling down
the second
hill.
Kinetic
Sound
The ball emits
sound as it
moves.
Scholarship Physical Science- Rube Goldberg INDIVIDUAL Device Score sheet
Student Name ________________________________ Period ______
Rube Goldberg device points
/100
PowerPoint/Poster points
/100
Extra Credit points—May choose up to TWO different options:
Option 1: Device has a minimum of SIX actions
(not including thermal and sound energy) with one action
involving electrical energy (+10 pts).
+0
+10
+20
Option 2: Device performs at least TWO different
tasks (+10 pts).
Point deductions (not including trials 4 and 5)
Receiving assistance from students during project presentation. (20 pts)
Changing the design (making modifications) to the device. (20 pts)
Not having device attached to a portable platform/base. (20 pts)
Not turning in print out/OR digital of PowerPoint. (20 pts)
Take longer than 20 minutes to present device. (20 pts)
Device plugs into outlet for electricity (24 pts)
Project does not fit through door (40 pts)
TOTAL POINTS
/200
Final score
%
Scholarship Physical Science- Rube Goldberg INDIVIDUAL Device Evaluation
Student Name ________________________________ Period ______
Points:________/100
How many pulleys or levers are used in this design?
How many different actions (not including thermal and sound energy)
occur in this device?
How many actions involve electrical energy?
How many tasks are to be completed?
Student changed the design of the device on testing day (-40 points per occurrence)
Point
deduction
-20
pts.
-40
pts.
-60
pts.
-80
pts.
-100
pts.
-120
pts.
-140
pts.
-160
pts.
-180
pts.
-200
pts.
-140
pts.
-160
pts.
-180
pts.
-200
pts.
Student received assistance on testing day (-40 points per occurrence)
Point
deduction
-20
pts.
-40
pts.
-60
pts.
-80
pts.
-100
pts.
-120
pts.
Device plugs into an outlet for power (-24 points)
Device not attached to a sturdy base/platform (-20 points)
Project takes longer than 20 minutes to present (-20 points)
Attempt 1
FREE
Attempt 2
FREE
Attempt 3
FREE
Attempt 4
-10 points
Attempt 5
-20 points
Successful
Successful
Successful
Successful
Successful
Number of
prompts
needed
Number of
tasks
completed
Number of
prompts
needed
Number of
tasks
completed
Number of
prompts
needed
Number of
tasks
completed
Number of
prompts
needed
Number of
tasks
completed
Number of
prompts
needed
Number of
tasks
completed
Unsuccessful
Unsuccessful
Unsuccessful
Unsuccessful
Unsuccessful
Rube Goldberg Individual Device Rubric
Design
(X5)
_____/20
Actions
(X7.5)
_____/30
Continuous
motion
(X5)
_____/20
Tasks
(X7.5)
_____/30
4
The device uses a
minimum of two
pulleys and/or
levers.
3
The device
performs a
minimum of five
actions.
The device
performs a
minimum of four
actions.
The device
performs a
minimum of three
actions.
The device
performs a
minimum of two
actions.
The device
performs fewer
than two actions.
After the initial
action the
machine will
continue without
any further
human energy.
After the initial
action the student
has to prompt the
machine once for
it to complete its
sequence.
After the initial
action the student
has to prompt the
machine twice for
it to complete its
sequence.
After the initial
action the student
has to prompt the
machine three
times for it to
complete its
sequence.
After the initial
action the student
has to prompt the
machine more
than three times
for it to complete
its sequence.
The device does
not successfully
perform any
tasks.
The device:
1) Successfully
performs at least
one task.
2) Will move
objects the
minimum 8 cm (if
moving an object
is the desired
task).
2
The device uses
one pulley or
lever.
The device:
1) Successfully
performs at least
one task.
2) Does not move
one or more
objects a
minimum 8 cm (if
moving an object
is the desired
task).
1
0
The device uses
no pulleys or
levers
Journal Rubric
4
Journal
(x10)
40 points
Team: 7 trials completed
Individual: 5 trials
completed
3
2
1
0
Only three of four
requirements are
included.
Only two of four
requirements are
included.
Only one of the
four
requirements are
included.
None of the
requirements
are included.
OR
Labels are
illegible
The diagram
contains one
error within the
following areas:
1) Energy types.
2) Explanation of
energy types.
3) Energy
conversions.
4) Arrows.
5) Spelling.
The diagram
contains two
errors within the
following areas:
1) Energy types.
2) Explanation of
energy types.
3) Energy
conversions.
4) Arrows.
5) Spelling.
The diagram
contains three
errors within the
following areas:
1) Energy types.
2) Explanation of
energy types.
3) Energy
conversions.
4) Arrows.
5) Spelling.
The diagram
contains more
than three
errors within
the following
areas:
1) Energy types.
2) Explanation
of energy types.
3) Energy
conversions.
4) Arrows.
5) Spelling.
Teacher
comments for
incorrect
journaling:
All with the following
included:
1) What?
2) So what?
3) Now what?
Digital
Photographs
(x7.5)
30 points
Sequence of
Energy
Conversions
(x7.5)
30 points
Digital Pictures of FINAL
design:
1) Lists all dimensions of
the device labeled
correctly and in meters or
centimeters.
2) Shows all energy
conversions (entire
device)
3) Matches the actual
device submitted for final
grade.
4) Contains no spelling
errors.
The diagram:
1) Will show a minimum of
7 types of energies and 6
conversions. (Heat and
sound do not count
towards the 7 energies
but should be included in
the flow chart).
2) Will show no errors in
energy types or
conversion sequence.
3) Will show an
explanation of each
energy type that correctly
relates to the movement
of the toy.
4) Includes arrows.
5) Contains no spelling
errors or grammatical
errors.
Energy Introduction for Scholarship Physical Science
Energy
 Energy enables physical work to be done.
 Energy is a property a body has that helps it move against a force.
 Physical work is done when something moves against a force.
o This needs a transfer of energy to take place.
o Work is done when we lift an object from a table onto a shelf.
 We are lifting the weight (a force) upwards.
 Energy is transferred from our arm to the object.
Types of energy
 Potential- Energy that is stored in a body and has the potential to do work.
o Chemical
 Energy a body has because of what it is made of.
 Present in a battery, explosives, food, gasoline
o Elastic
 Energy stored when something is stretched or compressed.
 Present in a pulled rubber band or squashed spring.
o Gravitational
 The energy a body has because it is near something
 When we lift an object up, we transfer energy to it.
 We say that it gains gravitational potential energy.
 The higher the object is lifted the more gravitational energy it will gain.
o Nuclear
 Energy stored in the nucleus of atoms that can be released during fission, fusion, or radioactive
decay.
 Kinetic- Energy a body has because it is moving.
o How much kinetic energy a body has depends on its speed and mass.
o Sound
 Energy that causes a vibration that propagates as a typically audible mechanical wave of
pressure and displacement, through a medium such as air or water
o Heat
 Energy transferred from hot regions to cool regions because of the temperature difference
between them
o Electrical
 Kinetic energy of moving charges in an electrical circuit
o Electro-magnetic
 Energy derived by electromagnetic radiation, such as light or X-rays.
o Mechanical
 The ability to do work
Additional information may be found in your textbook.
What is a lever or a pulley?
Lever-is a rigid bar resting on a pivot, used to help move a heavy or firmly fixed load with one end when pressure is
applied to the other.
Moveable Pulley- is a wheel on an axle or shaft that is designed to support movement and change of direction of a
cable or belt along its circumference. The axle needs to rotate in order for it to act as a moveable pulley.
The following examples are NOT moveable pulleys…
The wire is passing on a hook which does not
move/rotate.
The string is passing through eyehooks which do not
move/rotate.
Other examples
All of these ramps count as one action.