Unit Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Simple Machines

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Through a five-lesson series with five hands-on activities, students are introduced to six simple machines - inclined plane, wedge, screw, lever, pulley, wheel-and-axle - as well as compound machines, which are combinations of two or...
Lesson Plan
SEDL

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory: Simple Machines [Pdf]

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This large PDF file contains seven lessons on simple machines. Includes illustrations. Requires Adobe Reader.
Unit Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Simple Machines From Pyramids to Skyscrapers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Simple machines are devices with few or no moving parts that make work easier, and which people have used to provide mechanical advantage for thousands of years. Students learn about the wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane,...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating the Inclined Plane Through Inquiry

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this activity, young scholars will use different materials to find the most effective way to use an inclined plane (in other words, moving an object with as little force as possible). This is a guided inquiry. Although the students...
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physical Science: Simple Machines

For Students 7th - 9th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] What a machine is, the three ways that machines make work easier and simple and compound machines.
Lesson Plan
TryEngineering

Try Engineering: Simple Machines

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
The purpose of this instructional activity is to learn about the different types of simple machines and their uses. PDF (requires Adobe Reader) and RTF (requires Word or Notebook).
Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Force and Motion: Simple Machines

For Students 3rd - 5th
A slideshow and a short quiz on simple machines and how they reduce the amount of work or effort needed to complete a task.
Handout
Scholastic

Scholastic: Dirtmeister: The Inclined Plane

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This site from Dirtmeister gives information on how the Ancient Egyptians used the inclined plane. Dirtmeister explains the inclined plane and its uses.
Handout
Scholastic

Scholastic: Dirtmeister's Science Reporters: Simple Machines: The Wedge

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Scholastic provides an in-depth explanation to a simple-machine concept here as The Wedge. Also provides a picture and several examples for understanding.
Handout
American Association of Physics Teachers

Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Sliding Down an Incline Plane

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Here is a simulation demonstrating an object placed on an inclined plane. The user will vary the slope of the plane to see the relationship the slope has on the gravity of the object and the static friction.
Unit Plan
University of Houston

University of Houston: Science Lessons: Simple Machines Learning Site

For Students 3rd - 5th
Provides definitions of all 6 simple machines with examples and student drawing of them. Interactive "simple machines quiz" at the end.
Interactive
Soft Schools

Soft Schools: Simple Machines

For Students 3rd - 5th
Identify the six simple machines by dragging the correct term, and dropping it onto the associated simple machine.
Unknown Type
Soft Schools

Soft Schools: Physics Quizzes: Simple Machines

For Students 9th - 10th
Assess your understanding of the six simple machines with this interactive multiple choice quiz. Immediate feedback is available.
Interactive
Beacon Learning Center

Beacon Learning Center: Simple Machines Made Simple

For Students 1st - 5th
The six types of simple machines are explained clearly through pictures, text and videos.
Handout
Other

University of Arkansas: Simple Machines

For Students 9th - 10th
A thorough discussion of all the simple machines, beginning with some thoughts on mechanical advantage and conservation of energy. Very complete. Move down to the section that interests you.
Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Simple Machines: Wedge/inclined Plane: Lesson 2

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson will explain how to calculate the mechanical advantage of a wedge and inclined plane. It is 2 of 2 in the series titled "Simple Machines: Wedge/Inclined Plane."
Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Simple Machines: Wedge/inclined Plane: Lesson 1

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson will explain how to calculate the mechanical advantage of a wedge and inclined plane. It is 1 of 2 in the series titled "Simple Machines: Wedge/Inclined Plane."
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Splash, Pop, Fizz: Rube Goldberg Machines

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Refreshed with an understanding of the six simple machines; screw, wedge, pully, incline plane, wheel and axle, and lever, student groups receive materials and an allotted amount of time to act as mechanical engineers to design and...
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Machines Can Move

For Teachers 2nd
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about simple machines people use every day. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Simple Machines: Lesson 2

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson will introduce the six types of simple machines and show how machines can increase efficiency by reducing work input needed. It is 2 of 2 in the series titled "Simple Machines."
PPT
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Simple Machines: Lesson 1

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson will introduce the six types of simple machines and show how machines can increase efficiency by reducing work input needed. It is 1 of 2 in the series titled "Simple Machines."
Article
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Simple Machines and How to Use This Tutorial

For Students 6th - 8th
There are six simple machines. They are as follows: lever, wheel, pulley, incline plane, wedge, and screw. This tutorial will cover the first three.
Interactive
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Dish It Out, Simple Machine Game

For Students 1st - 5th
Explore the physics of motion and simple machines with this interactive game. Try a pre-made challenge or set up ramps in your own challenge to get the mysterious Dim Sum ball into the take-out container.
Lesson Plan
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)

Smile: Simple Machines (Grades 1 To12)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this lesson plan learners start by trying to open a paint can with their bare hands. Eventually, they will use a lever to open it. Various activities are used to enforce different simple machines.