Curated OER
Modern Day Pyramids
Students investigate the ways in which ancient technologies - six types of simple machines and combinations - are used to construct modern buildings. As they work together to solve a design problem (designing and building a modern...
Curated OER
Playground Physics
Students research definitions and examples of simple machines. They identify simple machines that are working parts of playground equipment that reflects their personalities and incorporates at least two simple machines. Students are...
Curated OER
Energy Transformation with Simple Machines
First graders identify both potential and kinetic energy in a game they play in the classroom. They listen as the teacher explains the difference between potential and kinetic energy when observing a simple machine. Using simple...
Kenan Fellows
The Newton Challenge
Make Newton proud. Scholars apply their understanding of forces and energy to an engineering design challenge. They learn about simple machines, create a presentation on Newton's laws, and develop a balloon-powered car.
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Machines
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....
Curated OER
Levers and Wedges in the Human Body
Young biologists identify parts of the body that serve as wedges (teeth and fingernails), and as levers (jaw, arms, and legs). The hands-on activities described here should be exciting for learners to perform, and should also lead to a...
Curated OER
Build Working Models With household Items
Students follow the illustration, and cut out foam board according to the pattern. They assemble the small parts by gluing. Once the glue is dry, students tape the end of the bottom and top clipper boards, they slide toothpicks through...
Curated OER
Las Maquinas y Nosotros: Machines and Us
Second graders explain the relationship between energy and work. In this technology activity, 2nd graders describe the different uses of machines in their everyday lives. They record observations and data in their science journal.
Curated OER
Machines at Work
Pupils discuss how simple machines have made our lives easier and construct a compound machine. In this machines lesson plan, students watch a video on machines, look at websites, and follow task cards in order to make a simple machine.
Curated OER
You are Uniquely You
Students compare and contrast simple machines and their functions. In this cross-curriculum science simple machines lesson plan, students observe examples and read about simple machines, then use body movement to demonstrate how...
Curated OER
Inventor's Workshop
Students explore the six simple machines that are the basis for all mechanical devices. For this physics lesson, students choose one simple machine to research and then find a complex machine it is apart of. Students examine Leonardo...
Curated OER
Farming in the 1930's
Learners research and conduct experiments with several types of simple machines. They examine levers, pulleys, inclined planes, wheels, axles, wedges and screws and then consider the physics behind "Green Eggs and Ham".
Curated OER
Applied Science - Technology (2A) Lab
Second graders experiment with simple machines. In this machine lesson, 2nd graders go to different labs to see examples of a lever, inclined plane, wedge, pulley, gears, and wheel and axle. They discuss how a machine makes work a lot...
Curated OER
My Crazy Contraption
Fourth graders design a contraption, which contains five different examples of simple machines and works without intervention. They sketch designs and label its parts. They present their creations to the class and relate them to Rube...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Technology (1B) Pre Lab
First graders explore simple machines. In this technology lesson, 1st graders review pulleys, levers, wedges, and ramps. They experiment with lifting items with and without these simple machines.
Curated OER
The Gear Game
Students discuss that the conservatin of energy states that the energy imput must equal the energy output. They then figure out how can a machine help you to perform task otherwise considered impossible? Students discuss the six simple...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
First graders study and describe simple machines such as the hammer, screwdriver, nutcracker, bottle opener and scissors and select the appropriate tool for a particular type of work.
Curated OER
Simple and Complex Machines Used In Agriculture
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Can You Bear It? Pulleys, Gears, Forces, Structures and Mechanisms
Students review the types of simple machines. As a class, they focus on the positives and negatives of pulleys and gears and identify what pulleys and gears change of an object. They work together to design their own object to support a...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Technology (2A) Post Lab
Second graders explore simple machines. In this technology lesson, 2nd graders look at pulleys and gears and what the uses are for each. They complete a worksheet comparing the two.
Curated OER
Applied Science -Technology (6B) Pre Lab
Sixth graders discuss how simple machines overcome friction. In this simple machine instructional activity, 6th graders review the parts of a plane and how they make up for gravity and friction. They roll different objects down an...
Curated OER
How a Faucet Works
Young scholars use the basic concepts of simple machines, force and fluid flow to describe the path of water through a simple faucet. In this faucet lesson plan, students study the workings of a faucet and translate this knowledge into...
NOAA
Invent a Robot!
Wait til your class gets their hands on this! Aspiring engineers design a working robotic arm in the fifth and final installment in a series of ocean exploration lessons. Pupils learn about the use of underwater robots in ocean...
Science Matters
Energy Transfer and Transformation
When you take a simple task and create an exceptionally difficult way to complete it, it is known as a Rube Goldberg machine. These machines are filled with many types of energy transfers and energy transformations. Here, pupils...