2021 Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest

What is the NASEF 2021 Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest?

The 2021 Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest was a STEAM competition where students from grades 3-12 competed with machines that they have imagined, designed in Minecraft Education Edition, and created in a fun and competitive forum.

The competitions encouraged teamwork and out-of-the-box problem solving, in a fresh learning environment and level playing field. We provided instruction for teams on how to create machines using Minecraft (see the videos below).

Best of all, this year’s Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Contest with Minecraft Education Edition was FREE for all teams!

Education Standards

Congratulations to our 2021 RGMC Big Build Challenge Winners!

This year, we joined the Rube Goldberg Foundation and InsideParticipate in hosting the 2021 NASEF Rube Goldberg Machine Contest + Minecraft Big Build Challenge Awards! Tune into our video-on demand on our YouTube channel to see some of the best and most wacky physical and digital Rube Goldberg machines in the world!

Watch our winning 2021 RGMC Big Builds on our Flipgrid page!

Junior Division

1st Place: Capital C from Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia
2nd Place: Team 3.3 from Miami, Florida, United States
3rd Place (tie): Team Spark in Coral Springs, Florida, United States
3rd Place (tie): Team Minecraft's Peoples in Weston, Florida, United States

Senior Division

1st Place: Natural Selection from Flemington, New Jersey, United States
2nd Place: The Legendary Potatoessss from Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
3rd Place (tie): GM Hornets Team 10 from Great Mills, Maryland, United States
3rd Place (tie): Tricky Life from Pöcking, Germany

@Home Division

1st Place: Redstone Revolutionary from Prairie Grove, Arkansas, United States

Awards

Preseason Challenges

For each of the six preseason challenges, five teams will win 10 HyperX headsets for their classroom/program/family and their video will be showcased on the North America Scholastic Esports Federation website and social media. Winners will be selected through a random drawing.

1st Place Junior Division | Senior Division | @Home Division

Each Team will receive:

(1) $500 Amazon Gift Card (or equivalent at relevant online retailer)
(1) 30 minute mentoring session with a Minecraft Expert
(1) Team admission for 2022 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest
Individual official 2021 Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest certificates
Showcased on the North America Scholastic Esports Federation website and social media

2nd Place Junior Division | Senior Division | @Home Division

Each Team will receive:

(1) $250 Amazon Gift Card (or equivalent at relevant online retailer)
(1) 30 minute mentoring session with a Minecraft Expert
Individual official 2021 Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest certificates
Showcased on the North America Scholastic Esports Federation website and social media

3rd Place Junior Division | Senior Division | @Home Division

Each Team will receive:

(1) $100 Amazon Gift Card (or equivalent at relevant online retailer)
(1) Mentoring session with a Minecraft Expert
Individual official 2021 Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest certificates
Showcased on the North America Scholastic Esports Federation website and social media

Top 50 Across All Divisions

Each Team will receive:

Individual official 2021 Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest certificates
Showcased on the North America Scholastic Esports Federation website and social media

Preseason

In preparation for the 2021 Digital Rube Goldberg Machine Minecraft Contest finals, NASEF hosted the RGMC Preseason mini-challenges, teaching teams how to create the six simple machines in Minecraft. These mini challenges were opportunities for students to demonstrate their ability to collaboratively build the simple machines in the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest Minecraft worlds.

Incline Plane: Launched September 16th | Due September 25th

Thank you to all who participated in Challenge 1: Incline Plane!

Submissions were accepted from 9/16-9/25 and is now closed.

Congratulations to our raffle winners:

Team: Lemon Men | Ohio | Senior Division | 4 Members | See their video

Team: The Pistons | New Jersey | Junior Division | 5 Members | See their video

Team: Sushi Bread | Arkansas | Junior Division | 4 Members | See their video

Team: Team Spark | Florida | Junior Division | 4 Members | See their video

Team: ABWCS | Florida | Senior Division | 4 Members | See their video

To view all video submissions.

Pulley - Launched September 30th | Due October 9th

Thank you to all who participated in Challenge 2: Pulley!