Young biologists identify parts of the body that serve as wedges (teeth and fingernails), and as levers (jaw, arms, and legs). The hands-on activities described here should be exciting for learners to perform, and should also lead to a...

Students identify the various parts of the body that serve as wedges and levers, identifying the fulcrum for each body lever. They bite into carrots and apples to analyze how their jaws and teeth work, then complete three worksheets that...

Seventeen pages of material leave you well-prepared to carry out this lesson on levers and pulleys. Photos and diagrams make the instructions clear; resource links provide additional information. The missing aspects of this teacher's...

Students investigate lever systems in the human body and compare arm anatomy to model.  In this human levers lesson students graph and analyze their results.

Learners investigate the lever and the mathematics associated with levers. They determine the conditions necessary to balance a system of forces around a fulcrum.

Students investigate simple machines. In this simple machines activity, students explore how tools increase productivity and make life easier. Students experiment with simple tools and discover the parts of each tool.

Students explore tools. In this tool activity, students see how tools and machines were invented to help people work easier. They see different types of simple machines such as wheel and axle, lever, and wedge. 

Students examine how muscles can work together with joints.  In this movement lesson students use a marionette to observe how muscles work. 

Students, in teams, follow the process of design, including the stages of investigation, creation, and reflection, as they devise a way to help "save" a (simulated) pet who is trapped in a pipe.

Students explore the drawings of Rube Goldberg to design and construct a simple machine. They discuss simple machines, and using various materials and toy parts, design and construct a "Rube Goldberg" style machine to ring a bell.

Young scholars design device that will place a cup into a cupboard for a physically challenged person. They study the engineering design and how structure relates to function.

Students investigate what simple machines are and how they work. For this simple machine lesson, the students create simple and compound machines and test each machine's ability to perform a task. Students compare simple machines to...

Students use common materials to build a car. In this car building mechanical engineering instructional activity, students build a car using a milk cartoon and plastic wheels. They discuss what mechanical engineers do and what makes a...

Student is introduced to the concept of energy as a common factor among all things. They list three fossil fuels and describe how fossil fuels were formed. They then tell how much plant debris it took to form one foot of coal.

Students examine how simple machine work can make work easier.  In this machines instructional activity students complete an activity that shows them what makes up a machine, and how to measure displacement and velocity.