Cherokee County Schools
Simple Machines Project
The choice is simple: create a PowerPoint presentation, write a book, or invent a compound machine. Whichever project your young scientists choose, they will be engaged in creatively demonstrating their knowledge of simple machines and...
Rube Goldberg
Rube Goldberg's Simple Normal Humdrum School Day
If you're going to build a machine, you might as well make it interesting and amusing. A set of eight lessons and activities introduces simple machines using Rube Goldberg machines. A culminating project challenges techies to create and...
Curated OER
What Are Simple Machines?
In this simple machines worksheet, students categorizes examples of simple machines as either changing strength, changing direction, or both. This worksheet is a graphic organizer.
Curated OER
Forces That Move Objects
In this forces worksheet, students complete a graphic organizer by writing in examples of simple machines that can apply forces to move objects.
Purdue University
Simple Machines – Dog Gone It!
How can people use simple machines to solve real-world STEM problems? Learn about simple machines using a hands-on, project-based learning activity. First, pupils investigate and evaluate simple machines. Then, they receive a task that...
Curated OER
Simple Machines and Modern Day Engineering Analogies
Students apply the mechanical advantages and problem-solving capabilities of six types of simple machines (wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, pulley) as they discuss modern structures in the spirit of the engineers and...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
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...
Curated OER
Who's the Frog Jumping Champion?
Students use a simple machine (a lever) to launch a plastic frog. students determine who is able to make their frog "jump" the farthest and graph the results.
Curated OER
The Physics of Tools
Students investigate the nature and work of simple tools and mechanics.
They explain how each simple machine can be used in real world applications. They explore levers, balance beams, windlasses, wedges, gears, ocarinas, harmonicas,...
Curated OER
Household Tools
Students explore parts of a system. In this simple machines lesson plan, students discover that simple machines are composed of two or more systems. Students examine household tools and assess the parts of the system.
Broward County Public Schools
Force and Motion
Get the ball rolling with this upper-elementary science unit on forces and motion. Offering over three weeks of physical science lessons, this resource is a great way to engage the class in learning about simple machines, friction, the...
Science Companion
Simple Machines Design Project
Make your work as a teacher a little easier with a physical science project on simple machines. After introducing young scientists to these devices and identifying their different uses around the school, this project engages children in...
Teach Engineering
A Simple Solution for the Circus
Class members are challenged to design a device that will move a circus elephant into a train car. Groups brainstorm ideas that use simple machines to load the elephant. They then choose one of their ideas, sketch a plan, and present it...
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...
Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
Simple Machines
Simple doesn't mean useless. Individuals learn how simple machines benefit the user by changing the amount of effort. A seven-lesson unit begins with an overview of simple machines and then incorporates activities that allow the user to...
Curated OER
How Do Simple Machines Work?
In this simple machines worksheet, students brainstorm problems that can be solved by the work of simple machines. This worksheet is a graphic organizer.
Curated OER
An Introduction to Simple Machines
Students investigate simple machines and their uses in everyday life. In this scientific method lesson, students examine physical tools such as wedges, screws, and levers using a "how does it work" approach. Students complete...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Students investigate and explain simple machines and their uses. Key concepts include: lever, screw, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane, and wedge.
Curated OER
Simple Machines
In this simple machines worksheet, learners cut out pictures and glue under the labels of "lever," "inclined plane," or "wedge." An answer key is given.
Curated OER
Simple Machines
In this simple machines worksheet, students will write in 6 examples of simple machines and then write in what those simple machines can do.
Curated OER
Changes in Force, Motion, and Energy
Eighth graders construct various machines and compare the work done by them.
Curated OER
Work and the Farm
Learners listen to a lecture by the teacher about farm work and ways to use physics to make farm work easier. The machines that are highlighted include pulleys, ramps, lever, and gears. Each machine is explained in context of its use in...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
In this simple machine learning exercise, students read twelve clues to complete a crossword puzzle. The clues are a review of all simple machines.
Teach Engineering
The Magician's Catapult
Class members work in pairs to build a catapult to launch a grape a given distance. The catapult project, a compound machine, reinforces pupils' understanding of simple machines.