Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Statics and Torque: Simple Machines
By the end of this section, you will be able to describe different simple machines and to calculate the mechanical advantage.
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Molecular Workbench Showcase: Physics, Mechanics
A collection of simulations representing concepts discussed in a mechanics unit of physics.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Goldburger to Go
Apply principles of physics as you add parts to an unfinished Rube Goldberg design in this interactive game. Examine clues and make adjustments to complete a food delivery machine.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Simple Machines
Activities reinforce the concept that all simple machines transfer force.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Forces & Motion With Simple Machines
Third graders will sort simple machines according to an applied force --push or a pull.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Trb 3:3 Investigation 3 Weighty Mistakes
Understand the concept of "work" and the use of levers.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Using Force and Motion
Learn what happens when a force is applied to an object.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: There's a Machine in My Toy Box!
Simple machines are everywhere, even many of your toys are simple machines. Come visit this science fair project and explore the six types of simple machines. Find out how many are hiding under the hinged lid (yes, another simple...
PBS
Pbs: Sesame Street: Science
A collection of interactives, videos, and documents on a variety science concepts.
Other
Mechanical Systems
A collection of resources on how humans use machines and tools to meet their needs. Covers simple and complex machines, subsystems that transfer forces, mechanical advantage, speed ratio, the effect of friction, efficiency, the science...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Gears: Lift It Up!
In this activity, students learn about the trade-off between speed and torque when designing gear ratios. The activity setup includes a LEGO pulley system with two independent gear sets and motors that spin two pulleys. Each pulley has...
Utah Education Network
Uen: Third Grade Writing Lesson #2 / Science Prompt
Third graders will invent a gadget using one or more simple machines and write about it.
Other
Ontario Council for Technology Education: Designing and Testing a Crane [Pdf]
By the end of this project, students will be familiar with the 6 different simple machines and will be able to identify how these machines are used in products and tools they use on a daily basis. They will investigate how mechanical...
Hunkins Experiments
The Secret Life of Machines
An entertaining site that communicates ideas through cartoon drawings. Discover how simple machines and gadgets operate, such as fax machines and washing machines.
Soft Schools
Soft Schools: Simple Machines
Identify the six simple machines by dragging the correct term, and dropping it onto the associated simple machine.
Ohio University
Haptic Augmented Simple Machines: The Lever
An explanation of the three types of levers, with examples of each. The formula for the law of equilibrium is also demonstrated.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Cyberchase: Bianca Gets in Gear
Bianca visits a bike shop and learns how bicycle gears work in this Cyberchase video segment. [3:26]
Science Museum of Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota: From Windmills to Whirligigs
This folk artist uses the power of the wind to animate his whimsical kinetic sculptures. Check out his decorated yard and try some of the activities inspired by his creations.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: First Class Levers
Through observation and inquiry, students are given various objects to investigate how levers work and why they might be useful.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Levers:relationship of Force of Effort & Resistance Fulcrum Placement
Students investigate the relationship between the two forces and the location of the fulcrum in a first class lever. Students work in cooperative groups of approximately three to make observations that they can then generate a formula...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Calculating Kinetics of a Student Designed Machine
In this interactive building experience, young scholars will design and construct a complex machine to do a fairly simple task. Students will calculate several kinetic quantities of different parts of their machine. Young scholars will...
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Simple Machines
The purpose of this instructional activity is to learn about the different types of simple machines and their uses. PDF (requires Adobe Reader) and RTF (requires Word or Notebook).
TryEngineering
Try Engineering: Simple Kitchen Machines
Team lesson focuses on the different types of simple machines, how they work, and how they can be found in daily life.
Beacon Learning Center
Beacon Learning Center: Simple Machines Made Simple
The six types of simple machines are explained clearly through pictures, text and videos.