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Activity
PBS

Helping Hand

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Reach out and grab something. Given the task of picking up objects at least two feet away, pupils design and build a grabber. The last activity in a series of five challenges requires learners to use information about fulcrums and levers.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Levers: Machines at home

For Students 2nd - 6th
In this levers worksheet, students try to find levers in their home or class. Students find 10 levers and record them in this levers list.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

How Does a Lever Work?

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this lever worksheet, students read and do the 8 detailed steps in an investigation about levers. Students answer 2 essay questions and record their data on a chart.
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PPT
Curated OER

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Machines

For Teachers 2nd
Designed for a lower elementary school classroom, this presentation on simple machines is a wonderful way to introduce this topic. The resource begins by identifying and defining the six types of simple machines, and then goes on to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Machines-Lever

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students examine the lever. For this simple machines lesson, students construct a lever by using two pencils, three pennies, and a ruler. Students explore the uses of a lever.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Secrets of Lost Empires II-Pharaoh's Obelisk

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students identify and analyze how levers work by raising a brick with a shish kebab skewer. Students present their work, explaining what did and did not work, including illustrations of the lever lift from different angles. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Movers and Shakers

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explore how the centuries-old invention of the lever led to today's applications in mobiles and crowbars. They watch a video on the lever, then utilize worksheets imbedded in this plan to guide their experiments.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Applied Science - Technology (1B) Pre Lab

For Teachers 1st
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. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Secrets of Lost Empires II -- Medieval Siege

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students design a working working model of a trebuchet and demonstrate the power of a Class 1 lever. They test their models by throwing grapes the greatest distance and raising and lowering bricks.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Fulcrums

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students engage in a lesson plan that concentrates on the use of a lever and fulcrum. They define how a lever is used to lift a load. The lesson plan has background information to justify it. Students demonstrate how to use the lever...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lifting a Load

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students experiments with levers to determine if the amount of force needed to lift a load is always the same. In this physics activity, students use Lab-Pro data collector as they experiment with the fulcrum placement to measure the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Alexander Calder: Master of Balance

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students build simple mobiles. In this equilibrium lesson, students investigate the functions of three types of levers as they analyze artwork by Alexander Calder. Students then create their own simplified mobiles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Machines - Museum of Science and Industry

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
In this museum student guide worksheet, students make a mini-book about simple machines to be used during a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry. They locate the exhibits that demonstrate the wedge, inclined plane, screw, lever,...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Simple Machines, Odd Machines

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students recognize and identify common objects that can be used as a lever. In this simple machines instructional activity, students experiment with materials to design and construct a machine that uses a lever. Students also design and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Applied Science - Technology (2A) Lab

For Teachers 2nd
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Catapult Creations

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders design and build a catapult. In this lever lesson, 3rd graders collect a variety of lever type objects. Students build a catapult and launch marshmallows or crumpled paper and see who can hit the designated target.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wheeling It In!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students use everyday materials (milk cartons, water bottles, pencils, straws, candy) to build a small-scale transportation device that incorporates the wheel and axle and the lever. They race their carts/trucks, measure distance, time...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

Farming in the 1930's

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students 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".
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Catapults

For Students 4th - 8th
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome. 
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Lesson Plan
Agriculture in the Classroom

Six Kinds Do It All

For Teachers 2nd - 6th Standards
Teach young engineers that all machines, no matter how complicated or complex, are made up of just six simple devices with this hands-on physical science lesson. Using the included templates, students first create paper models of...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Lifting Lever

For Students 7th - 9th
In this levers learning exercise, students create a lever using a yardstick, a cardboard stand as the fulcrum and a cup of pennies as the load. They measure the distance from the fulcrum to the load, they measure the load and they...
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Levers and Pulleys and Gears, Oh My!

For Teachers 2nd
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Levers: Catapults

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students construct a catapult that shoots a cotton ball at least two meters using Legos, rubber bands, and plastic spoons. They discuss how the catapult works, and identify any problems they had with their experiment.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Levers

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students compare and contrast the three different types of levers. In this physics lesson, students hypothesize how ancient Egyptians use them to build structures. They construct their own lever after teacher approves their design.

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