Activity
Evergreen Exhibitions

Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Motion is the focus of ten hands-on activities that challenge scholars to build machines invented by Leonardo da Vinci. Following several steps, small groups work collaboratively to recreate machines including levers, pulleys, wheels,...
Unit Plan
Chicago Children's Museum

Simple Machines: Force and Motion

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
Get things moving with this elementary science unit on simple machines. Through a series of nine lessons including teacher demonstrations, hands-on activities, and science experiments, young scientists learn about forces, motion,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science: Invent a Gadget

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders invent gadgets using simple machine principles. Once they have assembled graphic organizers containing information about their invention, they draw diagrams and explain how their gadget works. Lastly, 3rd graders write...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Machines

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders create a Power Point presentation to relate to their study of simple machines. They create a title page, a page introducing six simple machines, slides explaining real world use to each simple machine and import pictures...
Lesson Plan
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education

Machines

For Teachers 3rd
What do science and dance have in common? Simple machines, work, and force! First, children discuss machines, wheels, inclined planes, and wedges. They create inclined planes with their bodies and make up dances about wheels and wedges....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Light - Reflection - Illusion

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Learners experience the magic of mirrors. In this reflection and illusion lesson, students witness magic tricks that work because of mirrors, then rotate through five stations to complete hands-on experiments using mirrors, light,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On The Go! Forces and Motion

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students create a car using physics. In this forces and motion lesson plan, students create a car and test which changes in design change the performance of the car. Students complete a graphic organizer with the different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Flight Dreams - Flight Factors

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students investigate the physics of flight by experimenting in class.  In this history of flight activity, students define terms such as gravity, lift, and drag in order to better understand how a plane is able to stay in the air....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-The Gadget War

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students read The Gadget War by Betsy Duffey. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding inventors and inventions. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social studies, and library connections.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simply Unique

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners identify, compare and contrast simple machines and their functions. They work together in groups to complete experiments using the simple machines. They write in their journals to reflect on the lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bug Jars

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore symmetry.  Students observe a variety of bug and plant drawings, then draw a bug jar. Students observe bugs from the top of the jar for a symmetrical view, and the side of the jar for an asymmetrical view. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tessellations

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students identify and construct figures that tessellate. They investigate which regular polygons tessellate and how to modify them to make other tessellating figures. Students explore how naturally occurring tessellations have been...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Invention

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars create an invention, or simple machine, out of items taken from the recycling bin. Students draw diagrams of their proposed inventions, then create simple machines.