Simple Machines Scavenger Hunt
Caterpillar Visitors Center
LEARNING OBJECTIVESLEARNING STANDARDSVOCABULARY ACTIVITYLEARNING OBJECTIVES
Identify simple machines in a variety of settings
Define a simple design problem and how it was or could be solved
Understand how simple machines and science affect our day to day lives
Discuss and understand how engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones
Read with accuracy and understanding at grade level

LEARNING STANDARDSEngineering Design
3-5-ETS1 Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria forsuccess and constraints on materials, time or cost.
Influence of Science, Engineering and Technology on Society and the Natural World
4-PS3-4 Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones.
Science affects everyday life
English and Language Arts
CC.3-5.R.I.1 Key Ideas and Details: Refer to detail and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CC3-5.R.I.10 Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: Read and comprehend information texts
including history/social studies, science and technical texts.
CC.3-5.RF.4.4 Fluency: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
CC.3-5.RF.4.4a Fluency: Read on level with purpose and understanding.

VOCABULARY ACTIVITY
Instructions: Draw a line from the vocabulary word to the correct definition.

productivity

Any mechanical device that applies
force and makes work easier.

profitability

Something that has been or can beadded to an existing object orarrangement

profitadd-onhaving few parts or features; notcomplicated or elaborate
the effectiveness of productive
effort, especially in industry, asmeasured in terms of the rate ofoutput per unit of input

simplethe special use or purpose towhich something is put

machineA machine that consists of morethan one simple machine

work

application

simple machinecompound machine

the money that a business has left
after paying all of its expenses
related to conducting businessactivities such as producing a
product to sell

anything that uses energy
to do workforce exerted over a distancethe ability of a business toearn a profit

Simple Machines Scavenger Hunt
Caterpillar Visitors Center
Instructions: Work as a team, explore the galleries and record the simple machines you discover.

What does simple mean? Having few parts or features; not complicated or elaborate.
What is a machine? A machine is anything that uses energy to do work.
What is work? Science defines work as a force exerted over a distance.
What is a simple machine? A simple machine is any mechanical device that applies force andmakes work easier.
What is a compound machine? A compound machine is a machine that consists of more than one
simple machine.

BEGIN IN THE LOBBY

Look for the Ground
Engaging Tool (GET) Wall.
Discuss how and why thesetools are used. Do they solve aproblem? If so, what problem?
Can you find two simple machines in the lobby?
How about on one of the walls? Name them.

Track on wall - wheel & axle
Ground Engaging Tool (GET) Wall - wedges
Bucket under ticket desk - bucket is a wedge
tips (GET) are wedges

Ground engaging tools are heavy duty
add-ons that customers put on theirmachines to increase productivity,profitability and to reduce wear. The tools
protect the wear edge of buckets, blades
rippers among other products. Choosing
the right tool for each application helps thecustomer be more efficient. This saves
the customer time and money.

MOVE TO THE 797F
MINING TRUCKWhich part of the Cat® 797F
Mining Truck is a verylarge inclined plane?
Hint: What lifts up to dump?

The bed of the truck_____________________________________________

When you return to your classroom, draw
a picture of the 797F Mining Truckin dump position.

MOVE TO THE
HERITAGE GALLERY

Find the Model Twenty Tractor. Name asimple machine found on the front ofthe tractor.

The crank - wheel & axle

Find the D8 Simulator in theHeritage Gallery. Name asimple machine found onthe D8?

Hand controls - levers
Foot pedals - levers
Pivot joints - wheel & axle____________________________________________MOVE TO THE PRODUCTDEVELOPMENT GALLERY

Find the joysticks in the Ergonomics area.
Discuss whether a joystick is a simple
machine or a compound machine made up
of two or more simple machines.
What did your group decide?

Take into consideration the pivot
point and the buttons and switches.

Compare the joysticks to thelevers on the D8 Simulator you
saw in the Heritage Gallery.
Name two differences.
Name two similarities.
___________________________

D8 levers are heavy, stiff and hard topush and pull.
The joysticks are light weight, muchsmaller and easy to push and pull.

___________________________MOVE TO DESIGN YOUROWN MACHINE

Which machine did you
choose to design? Why?
______________________________________________Name the simple machines you find as
you’re designing a machine.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________MOVE TO THE
SUPPLIER GALLERY

What other simple machines
can you find on the nut andbolt tractor? Hint: Consider
the bucket or the tracks.
Look for the track loader made of nuts andbolts. Are nuts and bolts simple machines?
If so, name them.
__________________________________________________________
Bucket - wedge
Tracks - wedge
Track drive - wheel & axle__________________________________________________________
Nuts & bolts - wheel & axle________________________________________________MOVE TO THE POWER
SYSTEMS GALLERY

Find the Perkins® engine.
Can your team find two simple
machines and name them?

Find the engine wall mural.
Have each team member point out asimple machine. Record the simple
machine each team member finds.
________________________________
Pistons - wheel & axle
Pulleys, levers, gears

Fan - wheel & axle
Fan is turned with a pulley____________________________________________________________________________________________________MOVE TO THE
JOBSITE THEATER

BONUS QUESTIONSWhat types of jobs did you see
Cat equipment doing in themovie? Which job would you
like to do when you grow up?
Watch Cat Construction Rocks (video #2).
As a team, identify a lever, pulley, screw,
inclined plane, wheel & axle and wedge.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________MOVE TO THE
PRODUCT FLOOR

What is the largest and smallest simple
machine you can find on the productfloor? Name them.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

BONUS QUESTIONSWhat is the largest and smallest
compound machine you can find on the
product floor? Which is your favorite?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________