Let's make it simple (pre-visit)

This lesson focuses on the student's ability to recognize objects in nature that could become tools to make work easier (simple machines). It is the first in a series of three lessons, the others being Lesson 2: Make it simple: Now find it (museum visit) and Lesson 3: Simple: Now compound (post-visit).

A lesson plan for grade 5 Science

By Becky Robinson

Learn more

• Ackland Art Museum hours for visiting as well as photos of many of the works of art

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Related topics

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• Select objects from nature that may be used as tools to make a task simpler.
• Describe how the object’s design helps make it a simple machine, remembering that simple machines change the size or direction of a force.
• Learn that machines help make it easier to do certain tasks.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

5 days

Materials/resources

• nature trail
• pencil/paper
• paper grocery bags for collection
• spreadsheet with Ackland’s exhibits highlighted

Technology resources

• computers with internet access
• word processing program
• spreadsheet program

Pre-activities

Students should have been engaged in printed text lessons devoted to simple machines prior to this lesson.

Activities

1. Prior to this activity, students should complete the first step of the student discovery trek. Students then travel with the teacher to a nature trail or other natural area to select at least three objects that they believe could become a tool to make a job easier. Students select objects individually and place the objects in their bags.
2. Students bring their selections back to the classroom and begin to formulate/brainstorm ideas of what simple machines (tools) could be made from the discovered objects.
3. The next day, students complete the second step of the student discovery trek. They then remove objects from their bags and play with them until they can design/create a use for the objects that could make performing a task easier. Students will sketch the design and give the tool a name.
4. Over the next two days, students will describe in a word processing document the invented tool and the work that it performs. They should give details that are pertinent to the task the tool performs.
5. Simultaneously, students will access the Ackland Art Museum website. There they will look for art works containing tools or designs that could be used to make tasks simpler. Students will later go to the Ackland and observe the actual works of art to locate these tools and their precursors. Students complete the student discovery trek.
6. On a teacher-prepared spreadsheet, students will indicate those pieces of art in which they located a simple machine/tool. This spreadsheet will be used for a graphing lesson in a later math lesson.

Assessment

• To evaluate the student’s success in this lesson, I review the student discovery trek for completeness and quality of response. Children who have not fully completed the goal will be given feedback and advice.
• Students will evaluate the project on the student evaluation form. This informs me of any flaws or needed changes in the lesson as well as some idea of the student’s appreciation of the lesson’s goals.
• As a final evaluation of the student’s progress, I complete the assessment checklist, which I share with the students. They receive a plus or minus in all areas except the description area (word processing) which receives a rubric-based score. For this I use a simple version of the NC Narrative Writing Rubric provided by the Department of Public Instruction to score the student’s descriptive writing. Clear descriptions are required in strong narrations. The overall effort score will be an actual letter grade.

Supplemental information

Attachments:

• Student discovery trek
• Student evaluation form
• Assessment checklist

Comments

This is the first in a series of three lessons, the other two being “Make It Simple: Find It (Museum Visit)” and “Simple: Now Compound (Post Visit).” The plans were designed to enhance the concept of simple machines. My students would have had descriptive writing, spreadsheet, and word processing lessons prior to this lesson.

This lesson was really fun and I believe my students enhanced their understanding of the concept of simple machines when it was completed. I found that paper bags were torn easily due to the moisture on the found objects so I used a box for collection and it worked much better. It was also a good way for students to share what they had found by searching through the box. Additionally, the website search was fun and they really enjoyed looking closely at the art works for simple machines. I was surprised how inventive the students were in conceiving ideas of how objects may have been used.