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
Modern Day Pyramids
Students investigate the ways in which ancient technologies - six types of simple machines and combinations - are used to construct modern buildings. As they work together to solve a design problem (designing and building a modern...
Curated OER
A Leprechaun Trap
Create leprechaun traps using various materials and modeling traps using simple machines. Middle schoolers will build their trap and demonstrate it in front of their classmates. Additionally. they can create a commercial advertising...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Students engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of a simple machine and uses the law of motion to justify why they operate. Students explore the laws by constructing some simple machines to illustrate the concepts.
Curated OER
Internet Field Trip: Simple Machines
Learners observe and identify the types of simple machines. They conduct research and gather data to increase the comprehension of simple machines. Students identify and comprehend data to complete a graphic organizer and focus...
Curated OER
Design Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine
Students design and construct a Rube Goldberg machine that accomplishes a simple task in at least ten steps. They view and discuss various Rube Goldberg designs, identify types of simple machines, and in small groups produce a schematic...
Curated OER
Simple/Complex Machines
Students make a simple machine. In this physics lesson, students learn about six types of simple machines and the purpose of each and brainstorm examples of simple and complex machines in the classroom. Students create a simple or...
Curated OER
Machines All Around Us
Students identify simple machines. In this physics lesson, students explore different rooms in the school building, looking for simple machines. Students use a digital camera to take pictures of the simple machines.
Curated OER
Simple Machines In Complex Machines
Students brainstorm the concept of a machine. They make lists of the characteristics that all machines share. The teacher uses questioning in order to get students to think more deeply about the subject. They create a lab to demonstrate...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Students research simple machines. In this simple machines instructional activity, students explore the many types of simple machines such as the lever, pulley, and screw. Students discover simple machines in the classroom.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Simple Machines Internet Research
Learners identify six types of simple machines, then use the Internet for research.
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Third graders examine and identify the six types of simple machines. Using a model of each simple machine, they demonstrate the state the function of them to the class. They discover examples of simple machines at school and home and...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Young scholars explore the functions of simple machines. In this simple machines lesson plan, students evaluate the uses of simple machines as they dissect a machine and then design their own.
Curated OER
Simple Machines In Action
Young scholars name and recognize six types of simple machines. They use their research to design an amusement park ride that features different types of simple machines. Students create a brochure about their ride and how it works. ...
Curated OER
Challenger's Lost Lessons - The Lost Simple Machines Lesson
Students investigate the characteristics of simple machines. For this simple machine lesson, students investigate work as a product of applying constant force. They answer questions about what happens on Earth and what may have happened...
Curated OER
Simple Machines-Pulleys
Third graders understand what a pulley is and how it works. In this simple machines, pulley lesson students experiment with broom sticks creating a pulley. Students observe how the pulley moves in its different trials.
Curated OER
Simple machine Webqest
Third graders explore simple machines. Using specified Internet sites, 3rd graders gather information on types of machines. They define vocabulary words and locate examples of different types of simple machines. Students invent a new...
Curated OER
Tree House Escape!
Students participate in a role play in which they use simple machines to do the work of retrieving their sibling from a tree which lost its ladder. They investigate how work is accomplished when an object moves in the direction of the...
Curated OER
Flowing From Here to There
Sixth graders discover how humans modify their environment. They work together to design their own simple machine to transport materials. They record observations and suggest modifications.
Teach Engineering
Design and Build a Rube Goldberg
Let's see how complicated we can make this simple task. The last activity associated with a 10-part series has groups design and build a Rube Goldberg machine. Teams determine a simple task to accomplish and use the engineering design...
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...
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.
Curated OER
Magnet Circus
Students explore the properties of magnets by designing a device that can move as far as possible using only magnets to move it, and design a machine that will stay in motion for the greatest period of time.
NOAA
Biological Oceanographic Investigations – Call to Arms
How many simple machines does it take to make a robotic arm? An inquiry-based activity explores that topic and challenges pupils to build a robotic arm that can stretch, turn, and more. A few questions help guide them in the right...