Grier Rube Goldberg Machine Recognized
In early May, the team of Grier students who designed and constructed a Rube Goldberg Machine learned that their design received some division awards. The team received 4th place for the Rube Goldberg Creative Spark Award, 6th place for the Spirit of Rube Goldberg Award, Rube Goldberg Teamwork Award. Unfortunately, the machine did not score high enough to move on to the next level of the competition, but learning from experiences like this and going back to the drawing board to design something even better the next time around is exactly what engineering-minded Grier girls do. Mrs. Forest and Grier School is proud of the team for their hard work and dedication. We look forward to next year’s design!
Ten Grier juniors worked all winter long to complete an entry into this year's online Rube Goldberg Machine Contest. The machine had to pour a bowl of cereal in 20-75 steps. The Grier machine used an amazing chain reaction to pour cereal and even drop a spoon into the bowl.
Creativity is one component of the complex machine’s design. Grier’s team opted to use an outer space theme, titled “Flying Saucers” that features planets and stars and lots of bright, primary colors. It is as though an event in space kick-starts a series of events that lead to a bowl of cereal being poured in a kitchen on Earth.
In the initial step, a member of the team sets a pendulum into motion, launching a ball down a ramp, into a cup, followed by a series of ramps, cups, balls, and pendulums. A domino-effect of books depresses a toaster, which releases a spring-loaded effect, opens the refrigerator door, and causes cereal to pour down a chute into the bowl. While the milk did not pour during this run, the spoon successfully dropped right into the bowl!
In the initial step, a member of the team sets a pendulum into motion, launching a ball down a ramp, into a cup, followed by a series of ramps, cups, balls, and pendulums. A domino-effect of books depresses a toaster, which releases a spring-loaded effect, opens the refrigerator door, and causes cereal to pour down a chute into the bowl. While the milk did not pour during this run, the spoon successfully dropped right into the bowl!
The students mainly worked on this task during weekends and after school throughout the winter months under the guidance of Mrs. Kelly Forest, Head of the Science Department. Mrs. Forest’s husband, Dr. Chris Forest of Penn State’s Meteorology and Atmospheric Science Department, helped the students build the machine’s set. Students involved in this project are: Amy T., Heather P., Michelle S., Noah L., Brittany S., Christine Z, Caroline F., Melissa K., Ealing J. and Kristen C. It took many, many hours to bring this machine together.
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By R.Woolfrey | Photo credit: K.Barr
Grier School
2522 Grier School Rd. | P.O. Box 308; Birmingham, PA 16686-0308
Phone: 814-684-3000 | Fax: 814-684-2177
Phone: 814-684-3000 | Fax: 814-684-2177
