Goldberg machine

American inventor and cartoonist Rube Goldberg in 1915 year published cycle of cartoons with machines, which were doing easy things with hardest method. On this story based our team building. Teams need to install mechanism which, for example, will pour water into a glass by doing a lot of difficult movements. Participants, divided to teams, create their version of construction from existing materials. Also, “machines” need to suit to original conditions, which teams get in the beginning of program.

Steps:

1. Formation of teams by 10-20 people. Every team get box with instruments and materials and scheme for building their part
2. Intro instruction. Distribution of roles in team. Participants have one hour for build their part and another 30 minutes for testing with neighborhood teams
3. Main part. Participant get common instruction of mechanism construction. They need to improvise in process and make team decisions
4. Testing of construction
5. Grandiose launching of all mechanism!

Location: open or covered space

Duration: 2-3 hours

Number of participants: from 40 to 200