Alana Prettitore
March 16, 2008
Journal 3-5
Energy/Rube Goldberg Week
I. Research Question
In my research, everyone said Goldberg was most known for his cartoon inventions. There were apparently dozens, if not hundreds. No source that I cam across had a most famous one, but the one I saw most often was of the man sitting down and having soup. It’s called “Professor Butts and the Self-Operating Napkin.”
II. Summary
On Tuesday, Mr. Couillard was out and in groups we completed several worksheets. First, we watched an interesting documentary by the guy who made the Super Size Me movie. It was called 30 Days off the chart. Basically, two uninformed, typical Americans from NYC are sent to the Dancing Rabbit home. They lead lives of very wasteful human beings – they consume, consume, consume and give nothing back to the earth. They actually use so much that if everyone used as much as they did, then we would need 12.5 Earths to support needs. Unbelievable! So these people much use EVERYTHING in an environmentally-friendly way. The way they shower, eat, go to the bathroom, etc.! Everything was recycled – even poop – and they had very educational experiences. I wouldn’t enlightening though because at the end after learning about how much they are killing the Earth, they said they would try to walk more and buy better light bulbs….how can one go through an intense experience like that and see firsthand the evil of their ways and not want to completely change their lifestyles? I guess this is why our Earth is going to **** in a hand-basket as they say…
Anyway, before I go on too much of a rant, let me explain what else we did. In our Rube Goldberg groups we did Update #2. For our group, we need to complete the steps. There is only one aspect missing towards the end of the project. Then, we must test this. We are stuck and need Couillard’s help!
On Thursday, Mr. Couillard handed back a lot of our graded work. Then, we spent the class working on the Rube Goldberg projects. We asked questions, reviewed specifications, and so forth. Also, we got into our groups and white-boarded our design reviews. We discussed how to measure the energy that occurred and then he gave suggestions for how to build our projects. I was shocked to see that another group had the Easy Button idea and that everyone started with a ball rolling down a ramp. The designs all looked oddly similar.
III. My Inquiry
Is there are purpose to building a Rube Goldberg project? What are the benefits to this inefficiency?!?!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
3-4 Journal Entry
Alana Prettitore
Monday, March 10, 2008
Journal 3-4
Energy/Rube Goldberg Week
I. Question
Last week, I asked for a trick behind making a successful Rube Goldberg device…I searched everywhere for “tricks” to making a good one, but came across nothing! It appears that there are no tricks. However, what I have gathered from the information online is that one only needs to be very methodical, precise, and plan out absolutely everything in order to achieve. Also, household items will often do – those who have made great devices often use ordinary objects doing simple motions that make a complex machine.
II. Summary of Class – Thoughts
This week, we focused on the energy that we use in our personal lives and in our home life. We started out by learning about automobiles, since they are major culprits of energy consumption. I was shocked to see not only how expensive they were, but the amount of inefficiency they have. I can hardly believe that even the most efficient of efficient engines can only use up to 30% of what is put in to it. Something has to be done! Unfortunately, the hybrid cars, we learned, don’t really save that much money at all. Well, we need cars that will use 100 miles to the galloon and then we will be having bigger savings. Yet, the technology we need to make breakthroughs is truly must be much more revolutionary.
Also, I was shocked to learn how much is spent on heating vs. cooling within houses. Energy bills are completely astronomical! I had no idea it was easy to spend many thousands per years! This is not what I expected and I want to now do as much as I can to reduce how much I use. Perhaps by opening a window here and there or not making it quite so hot in the winter will help a little.
Then, we focused on Rube Goldberg projects again. These are soo difficult to design but I think my group’s ideas are certainly coming along. It seems the trick is to be creative, thought-provoking, yet methodical and exact in designing. On Friday, we updated our plans and I think that ours has the potential to be really good – at least I hope so!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Journal 3-4
Energy/Rube Goldberg Week
I. Question
Last week, I asked for a trick behind making a successful Rube Goldberg device…I searched everywhere for “tricks” to making a good one, but came across nothing! It appears that there are no tricks. However, what I have gathered from the information online is that one only needs to be very methodical, precise, and plan out absolutely everything in order to achieve. Also, household items will often do – those who have made great devices often use ordinary objects doing simple motions that make a complex machine.
II. Summary of Class – Thoughts
This week, we focused on the energy that we use in our personal lives and in our home life. We started out by learning about automobiles, since they are major culprits of energy consumption. I was shocked to see not only how expensive they were, but the amount of inefficiency they have. I can hardly believe that even the most efficient of efficient engines can only use up to 30% of what is put in to it. Something has to be done! Unfortunately, the hybrid cars, we learned, don’t really save that much money at all. Well, we need cars that will use 100 miles to the galloon and then we will be having bigger savings. Yet, the technology we need to make breakthroughs is truly must be much more revolutionary.
Also, I was shocked to learn how much is spent on heating vs. cooling within houses. Energy bills are completely astronomical! I had no idea it was easy to spend many thousands per years! This is not what I expected and I want to now do as much as I can to reduce how much I use. Perhaps by opening a window here and there or not making it quite so hot in the winter will help a little.
Then, we focused on Rube Goldberg projects again. These are soo difficult to design but I think my group’s ideas are certainly coming along. It seems the trick is to be creative, thought-provoking, yet methodical and exact in designing. On Friday, we updated our plans and I think that ours has the potential to be really good – at least I hope so!
Thus far, our idea is to have our machine that we build successfully detonate the infamous “Easy Button”. We had the idea of a ball rolling down a ramp, a lever, dominoes, and a book falling on the easy button. The only gap that we have is that we are unsure about the step(s) in between the lever and the book falling on the easy button. We are totally at a loss for what we should do!! Our goals are to be solid on what we are doing, make any modifications necessary to succeed, and try to build/test it out soon. We will need an easy button, lever, book, dominoes, balls, ramp, and the rest is unclear…
III. My Inquiry
What is the most famous Rube Goldberg design??
Monday, March 3, 2008
3-3 Journal Entry
Alana Prettitore
Monday, March 03, 2008
Journal 3-3
Energy Quiz & Rube Goldberg Week
I. Question
After much research and pondering, I have learned that an object going twice as fast needs twice the energy since kinetic energy depends upon the SQUARE of the speed. Since the formula for kinetic energy = 1/2mv²…this makes perfect sense. M = mass, v = velocity.
II. Summary of Class – Thoughts
On Monday of this week we took and quiz and reviewed it during the whole period. It didn’t go well, and I am still confused about some things. I think the formulas and specifics of drawing the energy diagrams confuse me.
On Wednesday, Mr. Couillard was not here and we were given 3 energy handouts and to plan out the Rube Goldberg labs with our group. My group has a pretty interesting idea of what to hit, but we are still working on thee particulars of how to develop different, unique steps.
On Friday, we focused in on Rube Goldberg as well as reviewed the worksheet on energy that we had for homework. Then, we did the other two worksheets in class since the directions on them were crazy.
III. My Inquiry
What is a trick behind making a Rube Goldberg device?
Monday, March 03, 2008
Journal 3-3
Energy Quiz & Rube Goldberg Week
I. Question
After much research and pondering, I have learned that an object going twice as fast needs twice the energy since kinetic energy depends upon the SQUARE of the speed. Since the formula for kinetic energy = 1/2mv²…this makes perfect sense. M = mass, v = velocity.
II. Summary of Class – Thoughts
On Monday of this week we took and quiz and reviewed it during the whole period. It didn’t go well, and I am still confused about some things. I think the formulas and specifics of drawing the energy diagrams confuse me.
On Wednesday, Mr. Couillard was not here and we were given 3 energy handouts and to plan out the Rube Goldberg labs with our group. My group has a pretty interesting idea of what to hit, but we are still working on thee particulars of how to develop different, unique steps.
On Friday, we focused in on Rube Goldberg as well as reviewed the worksheet on energy that we had for homework. Then, we did the other two worksheets in class since the directions on them were crazy.
III. My Inquiry
What is a trick behind making a Rube Goldberg device?
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