Many OHS students played the popular board game Mousetrap as a child, but several students in Mr. Kling’s Principles of Engineering class are taking it to a whole new level.

OHS principles of engineering class is making Rube Goldberg Machines.

Rube Goldberg Machines have been around since before World War II. A Rube Goldberg Machine is a contraption or device that is intentionally over-engineered to perform a simple task in a complicated fashion, usually through a chain reaction.

“It does nothing of value, but they are fun to watch.” Mr. Kling said.

The class has learned about many simple machines such as a pulley, lever, chain and sprocket, etc. They are now taking three of those simple machines and putting them into their machines.

The students will find the materials, design the machine on paper, build it, test it, and then take a video of the final product. The videos will be sent to Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri. Kling said he has friends there that are interested in the things done in the OHS engineering class.

The project is a way for the students to get used to making simple machines into greater inventions capable of benefitting people.

“In engineering, we make them [simple machines] work for people.” Kling said.