The Museum of Unworkable Devices

Type of Resource: Research Resources, Teacher Tools and Information, Online Activities, Student tools and information
Free or Fee: Fee
Computer Needs: None Apparent
Link: Visit the Site!

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Recommendation:

This is a quirky and interesting site. Some of the graphics on the site are animated. It is a text heavy site and might be overwhelming for students researching on their own. Directing them to a specific part of the site or to a certain invention would cut down on reading time to enhance focus on the topic. There are ads on the site, but students utilizing this site should be old enough to be aware of these.

Description:

From the website: "This museum is a celebration of fascinating devices that don't work. It houses diverse examples of the perverse genius of inventors who refused to let their thinking be intimidated by the laws of nature, remaining optimistic in the face of repeated failures. Watch and be amazed as we bring to life eccentric and even intricate perpetual motion machines that have remained steadfastly unmoving since their inception. Marvel at the ingenuity of the human mind, as it reinvents the square wheel in all of its possible variations. Exercise your mind to puzzle out exactly why they don't work as the inventors intended."

Possible uses:

Find elementary physics information for machines that can be used in explaining why an invention works or does not work. Students can explore this site and study before embarking on an invention of their own. Classes can study specific inventions and determine the science behind why it does not work. In the Main Gallery there are inventions described, classes can discuss their thoughts about why the invention is not functional and then click on `answer´ to read the science behind the unfortunate invention.

Related Resources:

4-5, 6-8, 9-12+

Science : Physics
Science : Engineering & Machines
Science : Discovery & Invention

Research Resources, Teacher Tools and Information, Online Activities, Student tools and information