Ready to put your bear-sized imagination to the test? Let me give you an idea of the amazing fun that this adventure contains. The task is to move a ball from one cup to another.
Solution one: You could just pick one up, and dump it into the other cup. Good job, Bear Cub! You have completed the action in the simplest way possible. Now let’s add some fun…Rube Goldberg style!
Solution two: Knock over a row of dominos. They bump into a marble, which falls off of a ledge into a cup. The pulley attached to the cup whizzes downward onto lever, causing it to tip. The ball on the other end launches off into the second cup, which was set in the right position to catch it! WOW! Rube Goldberg was an amazing inventor, cartoonist, and engineer. Just like you, he had a huge imagination and he LOVED to add lots of funny steps to complete actions. In this adventure, you learn to complete actions by adding pulleys, levers (like a teeter-totter) and moving chain reactions! Adding all of these steps also adds a lot of fun, so get your paws ready to Make It Move!
Rationale for Adventure
This adventure teaches the boys about action and reaction. Using common objects, Bear Scouts will learn about chain reactions, pulleys, and levers. The boys will take all of the things that they learn and create a fun Rube Goldberg– type machine. This adventure is all about creating a chain reaction to accomplish a simple task— and having a lot of fun along the way!
Requirements
Complete all of the following:
- Create an “exploding” craft stick reaction.
- Make two simple pulleys, and use them to move objects.
- Make a lever by creating a seesaw using a spool and a wooden paint stirrer. Explore the way it balances by placing different objects on each end.
- Complete one of the following:
- Draw a Rube Goldberg–type machine. Include at least six steps to complete your action.
- Construct a real Rube Goldberg–type machine to complete a task assigned by your den leader. Use at least two simple machines and include at least four steps.
Takeaways for Cub Scouts
- Learning about action and reaction
- Cooperating as a den to complete a task
- Encouraging your fellow Scouts
- Looking at common objects (such as dominoes, craft sticks, marbles, string, paper cups) from different perspectives and exploring how they balance, tip over, stack, and fall to create Rube Goldberg machines.
Historical Requirements
2015 Handbook Requirements
Bear Handbook, page 206
Bear Den Leader Guide, page 139
- Create an “exploding” craft stick reaction.
- Make two simple pulleys, and use them to move objects.
- Make a lever by creating a seesaw using a spool and a wooden paint stirrer. Explore the way it balances by placing different objects on each end.
- Do the following:
- Draw a Rube Goldberg–type machine. Include at least six steps to complete your action.
- Construct a real Rube Goldberg–type machine to complete a task assigned by your den leader. Use at least two simple machines and include at least four steps.
