Through the manipulation of simple machines, students determine their characteristics and uses. They explore the usefulness of simple machines in the past and present. Activities Introduce the topic of simple machines. Have students bring household utensils to class.
Students investigate how the angle of incline affects the effort force.
Using a piece of plywood, students work in groups to measure the force of pulling a mass up inclines at shallow and steep angles. Students lift masses using fixed and moveable pulleys. They predict and determine which combination of pulleys requires the most and the least amount of effort force to lift an object. Students find examples of simple machines in everyday life and compare and contrast these with examples of simple machines used in the past. Students design an invention that uses more than one simple machine.