Curated OER
Levers and Pulleys and Gears, Oh My!
Students explore the difference between compound and simple machines in this six lessons of this unit. The purpose and importance of a variety of types of simple machines and the effects of friction are investigated.
Curated OER
Simple Machines
In this science worksheet, students focus upon the concept of bicycle gears and develop the answers to the 2 questions at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Fourth graders discover the principles and uses of gears noting that they can be used to change the direction of motion or the speed of an object. They may also change the force and/or distance through which an object turns. They then...
Curated OER
The Bicycle as a System
In this bicycle as a system worksheet, students are assigned a subsystem of a bicycle, such as the wheel, the brakes and steering, or the frame. Each group of students identifies the parts, the function, the input, and the output of the...
Purdue University
Simple Machines
What's the best way to use a simple machine to solve a real-world problem? Scholars construct their own simple and complex machines to explore the concepts of work and force. They discuss examples of simple machines they have found in...
Curated OER
Peak Performance
Students design and build a car that is capable of traveling across the floor quickly, and also up a steep ramp.
Curated OER
Mechanical Monsters
Young scholars experiment try to build a Lego car. For this physical science lesson students present and demonstrate the vehicle that they constructed.
Curated OER
A Bicycle Trip
In this bicycle worksheet, high schoolers learn how the gears of a bicycle transfer energy. This worksheet has 2 short answer questions and 5 problems to solve.
Curated OER
Adding Power to the Car
Students add a gear system to a car they built out of K'NEX parts in a previous lesson. After the gear system is added, a rubber band power system is added to the car in order to propel the car.
Curated OER
TE Activity: Racing with the Sun - Creating a Solar Car
Students use a purchased kit to build a solar powered car. They connect a solar photovoltaic panel to a motor which runs the car forward and backward. They determine how to wire the car to move in both directions.
National Energy Education Development Project
Exploring Hydropower
In 2006, about 20 percent of the world's electricity was generated from hydroelectric power. In the presentation, scholars review the water cycle and gravitational energy to begin to understand how humans harness the power of water. They...
Curated OER
Ring Around the Rosie
Young scholars examine the concept of angular momentum and its correlation to mass, velocity, and radius. They listen to a teacher-led lecture, conduct an experiment with rotational inertia, angular momentum, and rotation speed by...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Students engage in a lesson that explores the concept of simple machines. They view a powerpoint media presentation and then are introduced to adult volunteers for the lesson. Each volunteer is at a station with a simple machine and...
Curated OER
Exploring Simple Machines
Students investigate simple machines. In this simple machines lesson, students study how simple machines work. Students determine the function of various simple machines.
Curated OER
Simple Machines and Mechanical Advantage
In this simple machines science worksheet, students read about simple machines, mechanical advantages, calculating mechanical advantage, output force versus input force, and distance effort versus distance of resistance. Then students...
Curated OER
Simple Machines and Mechanical Advantage
In this machines activity, students review the six simple machines and how to calculate mechanical advantage. Students complete 8 matching, 16 fill in the blank, and 6 problems to solve.
Curated OER
Away You Go
Young scholars build Lego cars which have two different types of tire surfaces. They roll them down ramps that have both rough and smooth surfaces to determine how friction affects the car as it rolls.
Curated OER
Ring Around the Rosie
Students work together to discover the concept of angular momentum. They participate in experiments in which they test rotation and relate it to an object's mass. They participate in a literacy activity in which they compare mythology...
Curated OER
Flight Home Lesson Plan 3
Students examine photographs of twentieth-century aircraft from the National Air and Space Museum. They compare aircraft wings, fuselages, and engines to investigate different approaches to aircraft design.
Curated OER
Modeling Celestial Motion
In this modeling celestial motion worksheet, students fill in the blank about the motion of celestial bodies: planets and stars. Students complete the blanks with information about the scientists and philosophers responsible for early...