The Museum of Science provides this site that shows the activity in which students sketch all the elements of a compound machine describing each component's function. Also includes an extension activity for homework.

Student activity that requires the design, construction, and testing of a compound machine to solve a problem in their environment.

An interesting approach to science projects where students are challenged to create complex machines that do very simple jobs, e.g., opening a door. Offers four ideas for projects.

Kids learn about the science behind simple machines such as levers, wheels, pulleys, inclined planes, and screws. How they work together to make complex machinery.

Contains a description, pictures, and a video of a Rube Goldberg machine in action. Also describes an activity to build a 20 step Rube Goldberg Machine.

Good descriptions and diagrams to help explain the mechanical advantage of machines. Includes sample calculations of this quantity.

This site offers a wealth of online textbook-related materials that encourage the discovery of science in the world around us. Enter the site to access material on specific topics. Each section contains reading material (complete with...

Students use data acquisition equipment to learn about force and displacement in regard to simple and complex machines. In the engineering world, materials and systems are tested by applying forces and measuring the resulting...

Students use a LEGO ball shooter to demonstrate and analyze the motion of a projectile through use of a line graph. This activity involves using a method of data organization and trend observation with respect to dynamic experimentation...

Computational thinking can be used to take a complex problem, understand what the problem is and develop possible solutions to solve or explain it. In these six Quest, students will learn about the four stages of computational thinking:...

A complete course on theoretical Computer Science presented at the college undergraduate level. The course attempts to describe Computer Science beyond the computer, focusing on mathematical tools, complex systems and classic problems,...

This is a great free rubrics site. The Rubric Studio is a comprehensive rubric design and assessment tool. Teachers can build simple rubrics or complex rubrics with multiple sections and flexible number of rows and columns. In addition,...

Students will look at examples of illustrations and diagrams in informational texts and discuss how each one helps enhance the text. Students gain the knowledge that sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words because a complex idea...

"Dyula" is a Manding word typically referring to "traders" as a socio-professional category, particularly to Muslim long-distance traders who speak one or another dialect of Manding. The name is used as an ethnic label by...

This article from Massachusetts Institute of Technology describes Rube Goldberg's work as a cartoonist.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Explains what an internal combustion engine is, how it works, and how kinetic energy from the engine turns the wheels of a car.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Explains what a combustion engine is, its purpose, and how it works.

Students generally do not know the complexity that goes into building and programming a robotic arm. In actuality, creating such an arm comes from a design that involves mechanical, electrical, and computer science engineers. This...

From CERN, the world's largest particle accelerator, this site contains a description of the Proton Synchotron, a device used to accelerate protons for use in other machines in the accelerator complex.

From CERN, the world's largest particle accelerator, this site contains a description of the Proton Synchotron, a device used to accelerate protons for use in other machines in the accelerator complex.

From CERN, the world's largest particle accelerator, this site contains a description of the Proton Synchotron, a device used to accelerate protons for use in other machines in the accelerator complex.