Colorado Unit Writing Project
Simple Machines
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...
Gfletchy
Geared Up
Get the class's gears turning! Pupils first watch a video that introduces the situation: Given three gears, how many turns will it take for the dots shown on the gears to line up? They count the number of spurs on each gear, then use the...
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...
Evergreen Exhibitions
Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion
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,...
Magic of Physics
Moving Toy Mechanisms
Who says playing around in class is a bad idea? Precocious physicists engage in building mechanisms that include cams, gears, pulleys, and levers using an interactive lesson. After completing toy tutorials about each topic, users build a...
Discover Da Vinci
Da Vinci: Machines Exhibition
Transportation devices, military devices, mechanical devices, entertainment devices. The inventions of Leonardo da Vinci are legendary. After viewing images of da Vinci's inventions, class members are encouraged to draft their own...
CPO Science
Potential and Kinetic Energy
Here's a resource ideal for independent learners who need extra reinforcement or would like to work ahead. These textbook chapters and practice problems cover many basic physics concepts, starting with potential and kinetic energy and...
Curated OER
Junior Solar Sprint Series: Gears and Drive Belts
Activate middle schoolers' minds with this physical science activity. Learners vary the diameter of gears and the number of teeth on them to find how energy output is affected. This writeup features well-developed background information...
Curated OER
The Gear Game
High schoolers 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...
Curated OER
Goldberg's Gears
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the design principles employed by the engineer Reuben Goldberg. They read a biographical sketch of the artist and then create the context for studying how machines work. They create...
Curated OER
Mountain Biking - Riding Uphill
Mountain biking sounds like a lot of fun, but it also sounds like a lot of hard work! You have to get uphill to enjoy the ride downhill. Learn about shifting gears to go uphill and to keep your weight balanced properly. This is one...
Curated OER
Wind Turbine Kit
In this physics worksheet, students set up a wind turbine kit to identify what happens when it is assembled. They describe how energy is transferred within the circuit created and how many blades give the highest voltage.
Curated OER
The Mag Mile and ... Torque!
Students use paper plates and detailed directions to build a model of the Michigan Avenue Bridge's gear system. By carefully measuring and cutting "teeth" for the gears of the "Gear Train," they create small gear that will intersect the...
Curated OER
Simple Machines V - Wheels and Axles and Gears
Fourth graders investigate the principles and uses of gears, and examine how gears can be used to alter the direction of motion or the speed of an object. They observe two cars with different sized wheels roll down an inclined plane,...
Curated OER
Pulleys and Gears
Students analyze an engineering problem. They contrast paper and pencil mastery of concepts with hands-on mastery. They present their design and rationale behind it, whether it works or not.
Curated OER
Gears 1
In this gears worksheet, students put together and label gears and see how many turns it takes to go in a given directions. Students then fill in a chart with their results.
Curated OER
Gears 2
In this gears worksheet, students use a ruler and gears to conduct an experiment. Students follow 11 sets of directions,write a conclusion, and graph their results.
Curated OER
Gears 3
In this gears worksheet, students read about putting together different gears and answer short answer questions about it. Students also put together gears and read a story.
Curated OER
Gearing Up--Learning About Gears
In this learning about gears learning exercise, 5th graders read and discuss a 1 page article on gears, fill in 7 blanks to complete 5 facts about gears and make a set of gears from a template provided in the learning exercise.
Curated OER
Wheels, Gears, and Compound Machines
Fifth graders read selected pages from their science text and explain forces affected by wheels and axles. They read and discover that gears transfer forces and that gear combinations relate to compound machines.
Curated OER
The Physics of Tools
Middle schoolers 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,...
Curated OER
LEGO Construction Basics-Axles and Wheels
Students examine axles and wheels using LEGO materials. They investigate the uses of axles, gears, and wheels.
Curated OER
Exploring Gear Trains
Young scholars work together to build a simple gear train. They record their observations as it gains speed and how the gears rotate. They develop rules about gears based on these observations.
Curated OER
Music Box
Students work together to build a music box. They create figures that move when a song plays. They answer discussion questions to complete the lesson.