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Unit Plan
Colorado Unit Writing Project

Simple Machines

For Teachers 2nd - 5th Standards
Planning an elementary science unit has never been simpler! These twelve lessons guide young scientists through an exploration of simple machines and their many uses in the real world before asking them to apply their learning in the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Household Tools

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Machines in the Home

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students explore simple machines used in the home. In this simple machines lesson, students discover that many household items are constructed from simple machines. Students interact with nutcrackers, peelers, egg slicers, and egg beaters.
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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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Handout
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Curated OER

Simple Machines Worksheet

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Simplify students' lives with this physical science note-taking guide. From inclined planes to moveable pulleys, this resource supports young scientists with defining each type of simple machine while identifying their mechanical...
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Activity
Cherokee County Schools

Simple Machines Project

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
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...
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Unit Plan
Rube Goldberg

Rube Goldberg's Simple Normal Humdrum School Day

For Teachers K - 8th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tops: Angular Motion

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students observe different ways that objects spin. In this physics instructional activity, students observe several objects spinning and use the new vocabulary words "rotate" and "revolve" to describe how the objects spin. The...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Supersonic Spies

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students analyze a simple machine and use "reverse engineering" to create an exact replica. They interpret incomplete information to build a simple wheel-and-axle machine. Students discuss how building a machine activity correlates to...
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Lesson Plan
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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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Activity
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Teach Engineering

The Magician's Catapult

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
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.
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Unit Plan
Norwich Institute for Language Education

Simple Machines

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Planning a unit on simple machines? Save some time and energy with this collection of lessons and activities that explores how these devices are used in the real world to make life a little easier. 
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Lesson Plan
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Purdue University

Simple Machines – Dog Gone It!

For Teachers 3rd
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...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Understanding Simple Machines

For Students 5th - 7th
In this simple machines worksheet, students read about various types of simple machines. They then use what they learned to answer 17 questions. The answers are on the last page.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simple Machines

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students discover that simple machines reduce the effort required in a task.  For this simple machines lesson students see demonstrations of simple machines. 
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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, and...
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Activity
Science Companion

Simple Machines Design Project

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
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...
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Activity
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Teach Engineering

A Simple Solution for the Circus

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Not So Simple

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Compound machines, nothing more than a combination of simple machines working together, are the focus of an activity that asks class members to use the provided information to take a look at the way innovators combine simple machines to...
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PPT
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Mr. E. Science

Work and Machines

For Students 7th - 8th Standards
What would you be if you were attached to another object by an inclined plane wrapped helically around an axis? In this fourth presentation that covers work and simple machines, young physicists look at Newtons and Joules as well as...
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PPT
Curated OER

ChalkBoard Challenge

For Teachers 5th - 7th
This is a nicely designed jeopardy game with the categories animals, space, rocks, simple machines, and weather available for 5 values. There are some non-essential sound effects included.  The links work and you can return to the main...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Simple Machines Challenge

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this simple machines facts worksheet, students respond to 6 multiple choice questions that require them to exhibit what they know about simple machines.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Science Review for Grade 3 (3.5)

For Students 3rd
In this science review for grade 3 (3.5) worksheet, 3rd graders answer 25 multiple choice questions in standardized test format about fossils, simple machines and heat transfer.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Third Grade Science Multiple Choice Practice

For Students 3rd
In this 3rd grade science worksheet, 3rd graders complete a total of 25 multiple choice questions related to grade 3 concepts. An answer key is given.