Simple Machines

Science Trek: Simple Machines (Y,M,T)
"Learn more about the six types of simple machines; lever, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane, wedge and screw, and how they make work easier." Includes support materials for teachers and for use with students

Activity: Create Simple Machines (Y,M,T)
From Science Buddies: "Use these free STEM lessons, projects, and activities to teach about simple machines with hands-on science experiments to investigate how levers, pulleys, ramps, screws, and wheel and axle systems offer mechanical advantages that make it easier to perform tasks." The resource also includes links to science fair projects using simple machines.

There's a Machine In My Toybox (Y,M,T)
"Come visit this [virtual] science fair project and explore the six types of simple machines. Find out how many are hiding under the hinged lid (yes, another simple machine) of your toy box!"

Simple Machines Unit (Y,T)
From Core Knowledge, in this unit for grade 1 "students will identify simple machines: the ramp (inclined plane), wheel and axle, pulley, lever, wedge, screw, and gears. Students will explore where these devices are found and experience how they can make a given task easier. Students will also learn that simple machines are combined to make compound machines, which themselves can be familiar and be operated simply."

McGraw Hill Instructional Materials - Grade 2 (Y,T)
This online textbook has an accompanying Activity Lab Book and Reading and Writing in Science workbook. Chapter 7 of each covers forces at work in simple machines.

Study Kinetic Energy with a Rube Goldberg Machine (M,O,T)
"Rube Goldberg machines—machines that complete a simple task in a convoluted way—are intriguing, artistic, and fun! In this lesson, students will design and build such a machine themselves and use the concept of kinetic energy in the process."

Splash, Plop, Fizz: Rube Goldberg Machines (O,T)
"Refreshed with an understanding of the six simple machines; screw, wedge, pully, incline plane, wheel and axle, and lever, student groups receive materials and an allotted amount of time to act as mechanical engineers to design and create machines that can complete specified tasks."

Simple Machines in the Kitchen (Y,M)
From FunScienceDemos: "Ever wonder why some household objects have the shapes that they do? Today, Jared explains what simple machines are by using examples you can find in your kitchen."

Dr. Skateboard's Action Science Videos (Y,M,O)
"Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science is a video curriculum that maps to the standards in physical science in which middle grade students need to be engaged. The curriculum materials are organized around four main focus areas in physical science: forces, motion, simple machines and Newton’s Laws of Motion."

Building Coral Castle (O)
"Discover how an amazing structure in Florida, called Coral Castle, was built by a single person using only simple machines."

Pyramid Building: How to Use a Wedge (M,T)
"Students learn how simple machines, including wedges, were used in building both ancient pyramids and present-day skyscrapers. In a hands-on activity, students test a variety of wedges on different materials (wax, soap, clay, foam)."

Video: Simple Machines: The Wedge (Y,M,O)
"A brief history of the wedge and how energy is applied and work done."

Wedges (M,O,T)
Lesson from CK-12 for middle school ages

Give Yourself a Lift: Lightening the Load with Pulleys (O,T)
"Before the Industrial Age, people relied on muscle power for moving and lifting heavy objects. Here's a project that shows you how you can use your head to make heavy lifting easier on your muscles–and your back!"

Levers that Lift (O,T)
"Students are introduced to three of the six simple machines used by many engineers: lever, pulley, and wheel-and-axle. In general, engineers use the lever to magnify the force applied to an object, the pulley to lift heavy loads over a vertical path, and the wheel-and-axle to magnify the torque applied to an object."

Levers (M,O,T)
Lesson from CK-12 for middle school ages

Wheels and Axles (M,O,T)
Lesson from CK-12 for middle school ages

Moving Water with the Archimedes Screw Pump (M,O,T)
"Amaze your friends and family by moving water with just a few turns of your wrist! Nope, it's not a magic trick. It's simply an Archimedes screw. In this science project, you will build a very simple pump, called an Archimedes screw, to transfer water from a low-lying location to a higher location."

Screws (M,O,T)
Lesson from CK-12 for middle school ages

Inclined Planes (M,O,T)
Lesson from CK-12 for middle school ages

Pulleys (M,O,T)
Lesson from CK-12 for middle school ages