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Studying simple machines with Rube Goldberg

Using a copy of a Rube Goldberg cartoon, show how the famous cartoonist drew weird and wacky machines to complete a simple task. Students will develop their own Rube Goldberg-type cartoon, using five types of simple machines, to accomplish their selected feat.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Science)

By Cynthia Corley.

Forces, Motion, and Simple Machines

Investigate forces and motion in technological designs, including friction, forces, inertia, simple machines, and gravity.

Format: bibliography/help

Building a catapult

In CareerStart lessons: Grade seven, page 3.7

In this lesson for grade seven, students review simple machines and explore how they're used in various careers. Students work in groups to design, construct, and test catapults.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Science)

By Emma Couch.Adapted by Mitzi Talbert.

Introducing simple machines: A machine walk

This is an integrated lesson exploring simple machines. The poetry response part of this lesson serves to spark the students' interest as well as allow the teacher to identify students' prior knowledge of machine concepts and vocabulary. The machine walk gives a baseline assessment of students' understanding. The majority of students originally focus on complex machines; this will be evident by the types of machines they identify on their list.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts)

By Terri Fannin.

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).

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Science)

By Becky Robinson.

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).

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Science)

By Becky Robinson.

Gears

This photograph shows three gears that work together as a simple machine to open a garage door. A chain is looped over the bottom gear and goes down to another gear that is not visible in the picture.

Format: image/photograph

Solving problems using simple machines

This lesson uses the familiar story of the three pigs and the big bad wolf to explore how the wolf could have used simple machines to catch the three pigs. By reading, analyzing, and evaluating the wolf's use of simple machines in The 3 Pigs and the Scientific Wolf by Mary Fetzer, the students will design and justify their own machine to help the wolf catch those pigs!

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts, English Language Development, and Science)

By Allison Buckner and Maria Tanner.

Wedge

Photograph of a metal wedge, a tool used for splitting or separating objects.

Format: image/photograph

CareerStart lessons: Grade seven

This collection of lessons aligns the seventh grade curriculum in math, science, English language arts, and social studies with potential career opportunities.

Format: (multiple pages)

Steelyard balance

Drawing of a steelyard balance, a balance with unequal arms used to weigh things. The item to be weighed is hung from the shorter arm, and a counterweight slides along the longer arm until the scale is balanced. The position of the counterweight on the longer...

Format: image/illustration

Picture this!

In this lesson, students will use their imagination and creativity to create an original, five-minute scene from a given picture.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Theater Arts Education)

By Cindy Lohr.

Work in a textile mill

In North Carolina in the New South, page 3.1

Article describes the various kinds of work in a textile mill, the experiences of millhands in and out of the mills, and what various workers earned.

Format: article

By James Leloudis and Kathryn Walbert.

Letter of March 16, 1939

In Tobacco bag stringing: Life and labor in the Depression, page 1.1

Law Offices Tucker, Bronson, Satterfield & Mays State Planters Bank Building Richmond, Virginia March 16, 1939 Hon. Graham A. Barden, House of Representatives Washington, D.C. In Re: Fair Labor Standards Act. Dear Mr. Barden: I am deeply grateful to you for...

Threads through South America: Weaving in Ecuador

This lesson for grade six takes a look at the weaving and textiles created in the Andes of Ecuador in and near the town of Otavalo. In addition to learning about Ecuadorian weaving, students may also create their own woven artifact.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, and Social Studies)

By Eric Eaton.

Post-EOG activities: Student products

In this project, students will become entrepreneurs. They will have a business that makes items with 3-dimensional shapes. They will receive various tasks that will require that they make decisions as any other business owner would have to do.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Mathematics)

By Geneva Williams.

A magic carpet ride: Exploring carpet weaving in India

In this lesson, a photo analysis activity helps students learn about carpet weaving in India. Students discuss how this tradition compares to the weaving traditions of other cultures.

Format: lesson plan (grade 7 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)

By Eric Eaton.

All about life

A primary curriculum based around life and environmental science draws on children's natural curiosity to teach reading, math, and more.

By Myra Erexson.

Resources on the web

Move it! With simple machines

The purpose of this lesson is to know the six simple machines and to understand what they do and how they have changed the lives of humans. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Science)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Edheads: Activate Your Mind!

Animated, interactive activities for students to learn about simple machines,compound machines, knee surgery, weather, hip replacement, hip resurfacing and the weather. (Learn more)

Format: website/activity

Provided by: Edheads