Teach Engineering
Just Plane Simple
It is plane to see that simple machines help reduce the force needed to perform a task. This resource introduces three of the simple machines--the inclined plane, the wedge, and the screw, and the formulas in order to be able to...
Curated OER
Where Does Food Come From?
Distinguish between food and non-food items. Recognize that food is obtained from both plant and animal sources. Identify sources for some common animal foods then construct a simple food path from the farm to the consumer.
Curated OER
ChalkBoard Challenge
This is a nicely designed jeopardy game with the categories animals, space, rocks, simple machines, and weather available for 5 values. There are some non-essential sound effects included. The links work and you can return to the main...
Teach Engineering
Rube Goldberg and the Meaning of Machines
A Rube Goldberg machine does not really look like it would make work easier. Introduce your class to Rube Goldberg with a resource that shows how his inventions make simple tasks harder to complete.
Teach Engineering
Not So Simple
Compound machines, nothing more than a combination of simple machines working together, are the focus of an activity that asks class members to use the provided information to take a look at the way innovators combine simple machines to...
Curated OER
Boat Safety and Water Sports - Lesson 7 - Fundamentals (machine)
Boat safety lesson 7 (out of 22) focuses on the fundamental body position for water skiing. This is done using a water skiing training machine. If you click on the resource link at the bottom of the page, you can view all the lesson...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Technology (KA) Pre Lab
Students explore tools. In this tool instructional activity, students see how tools and machines were invented to help people work easier. They see different types of simple machines such as wheel and axle, lever, and wedge.
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Break it Down: Reverse Engineering
Students disassemble a toy. In this science instructional activity, students compare and contrast the inner mechanisms of a toy car. Students predict and illustrate what the inner mechanism look like. Then, they disassemble the toy, and...
Curated OER
Plate, punch card, and instructions for Herman Hollerith's Electric Sorting and Tabulating Machine
Learners read an article and participate in a class discussion. In this technology and engineering lesson students conduct an online search for images and terms.
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Lift and Pull
Students examine the mechanical advantage of pulleys. In this pulleys lesson students are given a challenge to help save a whale by setting up different pulleys systems to move it.
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Simple Machines, Odd Machine
Students examine levers and design a machine that uses a lever as a central component. In this lever machine lesson students test various machine designs and evaluate their effectiveness.
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Junkyard Wars: Air Movers
Students study Rube Goldberg machines. In this investigative lesson plan students design and build a machine that uses several steps to move an aluminum can.
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Efficiency
In this efficiency worksheet, students use the efficiency equation to solve for useful work done by the machine (output). This worksheet has 10 problems to solve.
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Mechanical Advantage
For this mechanical advantage worksheet, students use the equation for mechanical advantage to solve for output force or input force. Students complete 3 problems.
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Word & Machines Vocabulary Review Word Search
In this work and machines word search, students identify words dealing with the physics of work. They locate approximately 20 words from a given list. An answer sheet is provided.
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Simple Machines Test
In this simple machines vocabulary worksheet, students match the vocabulary term found in the first column with the correct definition found in the second column. There are 23 words and definitions to match.
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Smoses Toy Expo
Students research one of the simple machines listed in the lesson and review several simple machine websites to complete their research. Students use software and a watch a video to learn more about machines. Students create a poster...
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Human Power or Machine Power
Students compare different means for accomplishing tasks. They explain benefits and liabilities for the above different means. Exploration is studied in photos of laborers, animals and machines doing work.
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Farming 1: Farm Machines
Students examine how machines help people grow food. They study specialized types of farm machines and the tasks they perform. They complete handouts matching images of the machines with text.
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Simple and Complex Machines Used In Agriculture
Pupils explore agriculture and the current technologies and research that continue to make Earth a viable planet. This four lessons unit introduce students to simple machines and the concepts of force and friction through a variety of...
Museum of Science
Gadget Anatomy: Understanding Machines
Students observe a machine closely from several angles while it operates. Identify the elements of machines combined in different gadgets. Create a clear diagram of how a machine works.
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Simple Machines
Students discover that simple machines reduce the effort required in a task. In this simple machines lesson students see demonstrations of simple machines.
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Simple Machine Test
Students complete several worksheets about machines. In this machine lesson students complete several handouts that describe the different machines and how pulleys work.
Curated OER
Rolling Spheres on Inclined Planes
Young scholars determine the distance of a sphere rolling down an incline. In this physics lesson students participate in a lab that demonstrates how inclined planes make work easier.