Exploring Simple Machines

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Author: Pamelia Ann Neal

School District:

Diocese of Ogdensburg, St. Marguerite d’Youville Academy
315 Gates Street
Ogdensburg, New York 13669
Phone: 1-315-393- 0165

Intended Audience:
Content Area: Science
Course Title: Simple Machines
Grade Level: Second Grade

Technology Integration:
Technology Hardware: Computer, Smart Board
Technology Software: Inspiration
Internet Resources:
Brain Pop Jr.
Edheads
Beacon Learning Center

Other Content Areas for STEM Integration:

STEM PEER REVIEW PROCESS

New York State Learning Standards and Performance Indicators Addressed by this Learning Experience:

Major Understanding 5.1f
Mechanical energy may cause change in motion through the application of force and through the use of
simple machines such as pulleys, levers and inclined planes.

Problem Statement:

The children will be learning about the six simple machines and their characteristics. They will also be looking at compound machines. The students will bring in an object from home and identify the simple machine within it.

Essential Question:

How do simple machines work?

Learning Objectives:

1. Define Machines as something that helps people do work.
2. Define Simple Machines: machines with few or no moving parts.
3. Define and identify force, load and fulcrum.
4. Define Compound Machine: machines made up of 2 or more simple machines.
5. Build simple machines using legos.
6. Identify simple machines within compound machines.

Necessary Resources:

Textbook(s), Workbook(s): Scott Foresman New York: Science Grade 2

Reference Book(s): Keys to Discovery: Physical Sciences (copyright 1998)
Frank Schaffer Publications, 23740 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance. CA 90505

Handout(s):
1. Work book pages 116-121
2. Jr. Legos handouts that come with the kits
3. Object Obervation Form

Other: 1. Jr. Lego Kits: Levers, Pulleys, Gears, and Wheel and Axles.

Steps for Implementing Learning Experience:

Show the BrainPopJr video about Simple Machines.
Introduce unit vocabulary.
Explore and build simple machines using the legos.
Read textbook lessons one through four.
Use smart board to view and interact with edhead.com and beaconlearningcenter.com. websites.
Compare and contrast wheel and axle simple machines to gears simple machines.
Assign homework project.
Children will present object and identify simple machine.
Take unit test from Science Textbook.

Instructional Modifications:

The resource room teacher and teacher assistant will read and assist the child with the activities.

Time used for Planning:

2 weeks
I spent one week at the Jr. Legos Workshop from 8:00-3:00.
I spent two hours a day for another week planning the lessons.

Time for Implementation & Assessment:

This is a three week unit. Every lesson is thirty minutes.

Week One:
Day 1:
Watch video from Brain Pop Jr. on simple machines.
List simple machines and examples on the chart.

Day 2: Textbook:
Read Lesson 1 How do objects move? Read pages 302-307 and complete workbook page 116.

Day 3: Textbook:
Read Lesson 2 What is work? - pages 308-309 and complete workbook page 117.

Day 4:
Read Lesson 3 Simple Machines - pages 314-317 and complete workbook page 119.
Children will name simple machines from beaconlearning center.com.

Day 5:
Introduce Jr. Legos Kits.
Introduce the first simple machine: Levers.
Discuss Levers. Make a list of levers used at home. Open kit and discuss the parts.
Present new vocabulary - load, fulcrum and force.
Give children time to explore and build the lever. Allow for lesson wrap - up.

Week Two:
Day 6:
Continue building a lever.
Show model and discuss what we learned about levers. Build lever model.
Label parts of a lever on activity sheet. Allow for lesson wrap - up.

Days 7 and 8:
Discuss next simple machine: Wheels and Axles.
Open kit and explore contents- discuss the new parts.
Present new vocabulary - wheel, axle,
Present Model A- give time for children to build model each day. Allow for lesson wrap - up.

Days 9 and 10:
Discuss the next simple machine: Gears.
Open kit and explore contents and discuss.
Present new vocabulary - gears, follower and driver.
Build and explore gears each day. Allow for lesson wrap - up.
Compare and contrast Wheel and axle with Gears. Use graphic organizer.

Week Three:
Day 11:
Discuss the next simple machine: Pulleys.
Open kits and explore contents and discuss.
Present new vocabulary -
Build and explore the pulley.

Day 12:
Discuss the next simple machine: Inclined Plane.
Read Lesson 4 in Text book on pages 310-313 and complete workbook page 118, and 121.
Assign project -Simple Machines Show and Tell.

Day 13:
Review unit vocabulary and simple machines in Textbook on page 326-327.
Work in pairs to complete workbook page 214.
Use Smart Board and view Edhead.

Day 14:
Children present simple machines to classmates.

Day 15:
Children will take unit test from Science Textbook.

Assessment Tools:

1. Label diagrams of simple machines.
2. Construction of simple machines.
2. Vocabulary quizzes.
3. Presentation to class of object - identify simple machine. (Checklist)
4. Unit test at the end of the unit from the Science Textbook.

Reflection:

The second graders thoroughly enjoyed building simple machines with the Lego Kits.
They worked together in pairs.
They followed the directions and the diagrams quite well.
I had a handful of children who required help from me or each other.
Some of the children got very creative and added their unique touches to the machines. I was amazed at their
creativity.
I could have used another week- the one or two days I had planned for exploration of the kits was not enough time for second graders.
I will definitely do this unit next year.

Provide Supporting Information to Validate the Quadrant in Which This Learning Experience is Located.

Adaptation D
The children followed directions.
The children use acquired knowledge to solve problems and complete work.