4-H Engineering Design Challenge

Information and resources

• 2023 state showcase registration - learn how to sign-up to participate.
• General challenge information - learn what the challenge is all about.
• Challenge task, story, presentations and judging information - learn about the task your machine will complete.
• Complete Challenge Handbook - all the information needed to participate in the challenge found in one document for both county and family teams.
• 2023 state in-person showcase event information
• 2023 state virtual showcase event information
• Video submission guidelines - only required for teams participating in the state virtual showcase event on Monday, Aug. 14.

Q: What is a step?

A: A step in the machine is a transfer of energy from one action to another action; identical transfers of energy in succession should be counted as one step.

Example: A sequence of dominos hitting each other counts as one step. Counting 100 dominoes as 100 steps is repetitive and not in the spirit of the Engineering Design Challenge.

Q: What do we mean by “machine”? 

A: A Rube Goldberg™ machine is an overly complex contraption that does a simple task and uses everyday items in a fun or amusing way. The machine uses a series of chain-reaction steps that culminate in accomplishing a task. 

Q: What does human intervention mean?

A: Once the first step in your machine takes place (e.g., someone pushes a ball onto a ramp), the machine should function all the way to the end without a person touching it. However, sometimes the machine may fail to reach the last steps to accomplish the task. If a machine fails before it completes the task, it may be necessary for a person to start it again from the point where it failed. That is a human intervention. 

Q: Can I enter a machine that has been previously built and posted online?

A: No. All entries must be new machines created for the current challenge year and theme.

Q: Does our machine have to fill the whole 6’ x 6’ x 6’ space?

A: No, your machine can be smaller than the maximum allowed dimensions; it just can’t be larger.

Q: What sources can we use for research?

A: Information gathering is a key step in the design process. Some of the information may be what you and your teammates already knew before you started to think about your machine. In that case, your source is your other teammates or maybe the class in school where you learned the information, or maybe a parent or relative or a 4-H volunteer who taught it to you.

But you probably won’t know everything before you start. The library, your teachers, the Internet, your family and your friends are all good sources for helping you figure out how to solve a problem.

Q: Can a team be made up of youth from different school grades?

A: Yes. Adult leaders should carefully consider the benefits and challenges of widely varying age/grade groups. Youth in different grades vary greatly, not only in their attention span and ability to stay on task but also in the amount and type of planning they are capable of, the guidance and recognition they require, and the types of personal development they seek.

Q: Can youth from different counties be on the same team?

A: Yes. However, the team must be affiliated with a specific county’s 4-H program. If they exhibit their design at a county fair, it will be the fair of the county they’re affiliated with.

Q: What does it mean to take your best shot?

A: Taking your best shot means you have identified a target or goal and then taken action to reach your goal or target.

Q: Can we use a target to take our best shot?

A: Yes, you can use different types of targets; however, the target may NOT have any appearance or character resembling that of a human.

Q: What does it mean to create a celebration?

A: Celebration comes in many forms. Consider what a celebration means to you. Some people may think of a celebration being characterized by flashing lights, confetti falling, cheers and applause or receiving a diploma.

Q: If we have more questions, whom should we contact?

A: You can contact Maureen Croatt (croat042@umn.edu) or Kaitlin Barbosa (torg0096@umn.edu) for registration-related questions and Margo Bowerman (mbowerma@umn.edu) for all other questions. 

Coaches informational webinar (recorded May 23, 2023)
 

Resources for team support

• The Engineering Design Process guides teams through the problem solving process as they create their machines. Teams will share how they used this process to complete the challenge task.
• Eight Practices of Science and Engineering from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is a guide to help youth improve their skills through science and engineering practices.
• The learning guide was developed by members of the Minnesota 4-H State STEM team. This curriculum supports coaches with practical strategies to teach the engineering design process, the eight engineering practices and 21st Century skills through an experiential process.
• Team Coach/Volunteer job description lists the roles and responsibilities of any adult who serves as a volunteer team coach.
• The Engineering Simple Machines lesson plans were developed by members of the Minnesota 4-H State STEM team. These lessons help volunteers and educators teach youth about the six simple machines and how to use them to design an Engineering Design Challenge machine.

Judging

In this interview, project engineer and challenge judge Teresa Burgess explains what she looks for when interviewing a team.

Guidelines

Use these guidelines to help your team prepare for a conference judging experience.

• Level 1 Team
• Level 2 Team

Evaluation

Use this form to give teams feedback during a conference judging experience.

• Level 1
• Level 2 

Elements and ideas you can incorporate into your own machine

• 50 Rube Goldberg Machine ideas
• 75 Rube Goldberg ideas & inventions

Helpful videos

A Minnesota 4-H Engineering Design Challenge team in action

The Meeker County Koronis Eager Beavers demonstrate their contraption that puts toothpaste on a toothbrush and talk about what they learned while building it.

Rube Goldberg online camp

In this series of short videos, Dr. Duct Tape explains a number of concepts that Engineering Design Challenge teams can use to design and create a machine.

Keeping a journal

Keeping a journal or engineering notebook is strongly recommended. This provides a way to record design ideas, work accomplished, problems encountered and solutions tried, materials needed, and any other aspects of designing and building your machine. Teams wishing to enter their machine for judging at county or state fairs or the state showcase event are required to keep a journal or notebook.

Here are some photocopied journal excerpts from teams that competed in a previous Engineering Design Challenge. Some parts of these examples became difficult to read/see when we photocopied them.

The following files are for printing only:

• Full journal (Miles of Smiles team from Stearns County) (PDF)
• Full journal (Can Cak Flooses team from Washington County) (PDF)
• Journal excerpts (Mechanicals team from Ramsey County) (PDF)
• Steps list (Can Cak Flooses) (PDF)
• Steps diagram (Can Cak Flooses) (PDF)

Questions to help guide journaling

• Example journal questions

Previous challenge photos 

• View team machines from the 2022 State Showcase.

2022 State Showcase: Shine Your Light results

The 2022 Minnesota 4-H Engineering Design Challenge Showcase was held on Aug. 8 and Aug. 15. Youth from across the state showcased machines they created with their teams that engaged them in thinking about energy conservation while completing the task of turning on and off a light.

Teams were evaluated on how well their machine met the criteria as well as how they identified what they learned through this project.

The following teams received special awards:

• Excellence in Teamwork Award: Chisago County Team, White Earth 4-H, Kimball Kruisers (Meeker County) and Paws and Pals (Polk County)
• True Grit Award: Team Lightning Strike (Mahnomen County), Sparks (Hubbard County) and Carver Lights (Carver County)
• Inspiration Award: Electric Bears (Dakota County) and Willing Workers (Wright County)
• Team Innovation Awards: Itasca County 4-H, Watonwan Wizards (Watonwan County) and N. St. Louis County Virginia Team
• Excellence in Presentation Award: S.O.U.P. (Switch Off Unnecessary Power) and St. John STEM Club (Sherburne County), Watonwan Team A (Watonwan County), Valley Victors (Meeker County) and Photon Fun (Scott County)
• The Best Use of Theme Award: Watonwan Wizards (Watonwan County)
• The One for All, All for One Award: Chisago County Team
• The Fired-up Award!: Valley Victors (Meeker County)
• The Most Unique Machine Award: S.O.U.P. (Switch Off Unnecessary Power) and St. John STEM Club (Sherburne County)
• The Best Use of Recycled/Reused Items Award: Willing Workers (Wright County)
• The Spirit of Hilarious Invention Award: Sparks (Hubbard County)
• Purple Ribbons: S.O.U.P. (Switch Off Unnecessary Power), St. John STEM Club (Sherburne County) and Valley Victors (Meeker County)