Simple: Now compound (post-visit)

This lesson focuses on the process of combining two or more simple machines to form a compound machine. It is the third in a sequence of lessons on machines. The others are Lesson 1: Let's make it simple (pre-visit) and Lesson 2: Make it simple: Now find it(museum visit).

A lesson plan for grade 5 Science

By Becky Robinson

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• 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).

Related topics

• Learn more about compound machines, photographs, physics, science, simple machines, and technology.

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Learning outcomes

The students will learn that by evaluating the attributes of an object, manipulating the object, and combining with other objects, they can change a simple machine to a compound machine. The alterations will produce a new function. The compound machine is the combination of two or more simple machines.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 weeks

Materials/resources

• simple machines: wheels, levers, pulleys/axles, inclined planes
• pencil/paper/paste
• disposable camera (digital camera substitute)

Technology resources

• computer
• digital camera
• word processing software

Pre-activities

Engage students in text-based lessons focused on compound machines prior to this lesson. The lesson plans, “Let’s make it simple (pre-visit)” and “Make it simple: Now find it (museum visit),” should have been completed prior to this lesson.

Activities

1. Students should answer specified student discovery trek form questions before beginning this lesson.
2. Divide students into pairs.
3. Students travel outside with the teacher to photograph various simple machines that they find around school using digital cameras. (Ideas: car tires, sliding boards, swing seats, flag pole ropes.) If a digital camera is not available, a disposable camera will work. Each student in a pair should photograph one simple machine.
4. The next day, if possible, copies of their photographs should be given to the student. Working as a two-member team, students should design a compound machine using cut-outs of their photographs. They may add any necessary lines or objects they need to make the newly-designed machine function. Remind students that a compound machine is composed of two or more simple machines.
5. Individual students should sketch their new design on their student discovery trek. Students should give the new machine a name and function.
6. The next day, the students, working in pairs, should review the previous day’s sketch. Then draw the new machine on specified paper, cutting and pasting portions of the photographs to use as elements of the new designs. The design will contain photograph sections, pencil lines, and/or other objects they feel necessary to complete the design. They are to include the name and function of their machine.
7. The next day, students work in pairs to brainstorm and use graphic organizers to formulate narrative stories about the new machine, utilizing the following prompt: “One morning on your way to school, you stumble across a strange object on the edge of the playground. You give it a kick. Tell a story about what happens when the object falls down in the middle of the playground.”
8. The story should be composed in a word-processing program, edited, and published using both authors’ names.
9. Stories should be posted under the compound machine designs. Photograph completed project to share.

Assessment

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website has a Writing Rubric for Narratives which will assist you in scoring the narrative story.

• 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 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 third in a series of three lesson plans based on simple/compound machines, the other two being “Let’s make it simple (pre-visit)” and “Make it simple: Find it (Museum Visit).” This plan was designed to teach the concept of compound machines while the first two lessons in the series focused on simple machines. Students in my class will already be composing narrative stories at the point this lesson is taught and will be comfortable using graphic organizers.

Additional notes: A digital camera was not available for our use so we made the pictures with a regular camera. Simple machine objects were cut from the photos and scanned for duplicates. Some students wanted to combine several of the objects in their new compound machines. Students used the actual photographs and some scanned objects to create incredible machines. We had automatic tooth brushing machines, nut crackers, trash zappers, fishing rods and reels, and smashing machines to name a few. They used the glued on photos and drawings to depict their new machines. Narrative stories were written using a graphic organizer and then composed at the computer. Stories were very creative and entertaining. These stories and designs made a great classroom display. I paired the students so the groups really worked well together.