Students study simple machines and their benefits through the use of an Internet search, by conducting virtual and real-life lab experiments and by surveying senior adults as well as communicating with students from impoverished areas via distance learning equipment.
Day 1
Students become engaged by viewing pictures of Stonehenge and discussing how this structure might have been built. They brainstorm a list of simple machines. They experiment using a rope and a broom. They identify simple machines used in unfamiliar kitchen items.
Day 2
Students, divided into their groups of four, become experts on one or two simple machines by doing an Internet Search.
Days 3 and 4
Students use pulleys, spring scales, weights, meter sticks, stacks of books and wooden planks to perform experiments. Students also use digital cameras to take a picture of an example of their simple machine that is found on the school campus.
Day 5
Students use the Internet to perform virtual labs over pulleys,
levers and inclined planes. Students watch videoclips
over simple machines.
Day 6
Students create a PowerPoint Picture Book over simple machines. Students then construct a virtual Rube Goldberg device.
Day 7
Students create either an invention or a Rube Goldberg device that uses at least three simple machines. Students create a rubric for evaluating their projects.
Day 8 (to occur approximately one week later)
Students present their PowerPoint presentations and inventions to the class. Students evaluate themselves as well as their peers.
Sample Rubric on download.
Day 9
Students share what they have learned as well as teach fifth graders by way of the Tandberg Video Conferencing System.
Day 10
Students take on-line quiz and conduct a virtual tour through Ed Head's house to locate and identify simple machines that are a part of compound machines.
Extensions
Many other activities involving simple machines are possible. Any of these could be assigned to students as extra credit work or for advanced students or for students who show an interest.
