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Forces and Motion -- The Downhill Racer
Students examine the movement of a car on an inclined plane and on a flat surface. Using the amount of drops the car releases, they determine if it was traveling at a constant speed or not. They graph the velocity and acceleration rates...
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Simple Machines I - Inclined Planes, Wedges, and Screws
Fourth graders examine the physics behind and uses for inclined planes, screws, and wedges. They determine examples of how these simple machines are used in daily life. Working in three small groups, they move from station to station...
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Machines: Not So Simple
Young scholars examine the names and images of simple machines in a matching activity. They build a simple machine using K'NEX before taking and printing out a digital picture of their example. They complete five station activities based...
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Ramps 2: Ramp Builder
Students design, build, and test their own ramps. They are introduced to a variety of materials and explore putting them together. Students engage in an inquiry-based learning experience to reinforce math, science, and technology...
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Simple Machines/Technology/ Force
Third graders study and define force. They determine that the cause of movement is pushing or pulling which are the types of force used when operating simple machines. They experiment to determine which object requires the most amount of...
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Steep, Steeper, and Steepest
Fifth graders discuss ways to move large rocks. They relate this to building a rock garden, and the ways people might load boulders into a truck. Students discuss the use of a ramp vs. lifting the boulder straight up onto the bed of the...
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Balls and Ramp
Students role several balls of different weights down a ramp and into a paper cup and record how far each ball made the paper cup move. They then answer questions that help them analyze their results and reinforce the idea that energy...
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Simple and Complex Machines Used In Agriculture
Pupils 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 variety of...
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Break It Down!
Students explore the everyday implications of system failure. They are challenged to identify the causes of system failure.
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Ramps 1: Let It Roll!
Students explore and measure the rate of spherical objects rolling down a ramp. They discuss why different ramps work better than others, and practice procedures for testing designs and recording results.
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Ramps 2: Ramp Builder
Students plan, build, and test a ramp that allows objects to roll far. After each group has tested out their ramps, allow them to test their design against the record previously established by the prototype ramp.
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Plane Pretenders
Young scholars examine simple machines evaluating a screw as an inclined plane. In this simple machines instructional activity, students use nuts and bolts and a microscopic vantage point to discover how to find an inclined plane. Young...
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Simple Machines
In this simple machines worksheet, students review the different types of simple machines and examples of each machine. This worksheet, has 1 graphic organizer and 6 short answer questions.
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Motion
In this motion learning exercise, students determine the motion of a ball on different inclined planes, including the velocity and acceleration. This learning exercise has 8 problems to solve.
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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.
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Directions for Making an Inclined Plane
In this simple machines worksheet, students follow the 5 directions and create a model of an inclined plane. Materials needed are a pencil, paper and tape.
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Inclined Plane
Students using clay and a toothpick, shape the clay into a "mountain" upon which they make a road that is the shortest in distance. They measure the length of their road and then make a road that is the longest in distance without...
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Inclined Planes
Pupils break into small groups with each group using 3 books, a board with pulleys attached at both ends, a toy cart, a small paper cup with a long piece of string attached the end and some pennies. They test their guesses to see if it...
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Simple Machines - Fruit Wedge
Fourth graders examine the principles and uses of inclined planes, screws, and wedges while they determine examples of simple machines that are use in everyday life. They separate different kinds of fruit into pieces to determine the...
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Friction
Learners explore how friction change motion and why friction is important. Students set up an incline plane. They slide wooden blocks down the incline plane and measure the distance from the end of the track that the block moved....
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Rap-Tap-Tap
Fifth graders investigate incline planes and wedges. They identify a variety of incline planes and wedges that are found all around them. Students record their findings using a worksheet.
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Getting Help, but for More Work?
Fifth graders discuss prior knowledge of slope and force. They relate steepness of slope to the force needed to get an object up the slope. Students read from their text the information about inclined planes. They answer the questions...
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Egyptians as Engineers
Student design and build Lego vehicles that drag given amount of weight up an incline. They show how this demonstrates Egyptian methods of pyramid construction.
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Slide Right On By Using an Inclined Plane
Fourth graders examine the simple machine known as a plane. They build their own pyramid and identify the role of screws. They participate in a hands-on activity in which they determine the angle in which to make it easier to pull.