Simple Machines and Mrs. Salter’s Arcade

 Arcade Blog Posts

  1. Mrs. Salter’s Arcade: Outline of the arcade and resourced for running it

  2. Mrs. Salter’s Arcade Universal Design: Thinking about how to make the arcade accessible to everyone at the school.

  3. Cardboard Connections (Great Mini-lesson!): A lesson about how to build with and connect cardboard with no tape and less glue. Great for any building projects.


Simple Machines Blog Posts:

  1. Graphing Simple Machines

  2. Gravity Experiment


Simple Machines Unit

Based on the Grade 5 BC Curriculum


Unit Big Idea

·       Machines are devices that transfer force and energy

 

Curriculum Competencies

  • Demonstrate a sustained curiosity about a scientific topic or problem of personal interest

  • Make observations in familiar and unfamiliar contexts

  • Choose appropriate data to collect to answer questions

  • Observe, measure and recored data using appropriate tools, including digital technology

  • Use equipment and materials safely, identifying potential risks

  • Identify patterns and connections in data

  • Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of evidence

  • Co-operatively design projects

  • Transfer and apply learning to new situations

  • Communicate ideas, explanations, and processes in a variety of ways


Unit Content

·       Properties of simple machines and their force effects

·       Machines: constructed and found in nature

·       Power: The rate at which energy is transferred

 

Unit Questions

·       What are common forces that influence simple machines?

·       What are simple machines (Wheel & Axle, Inclined Plane, Wedge, Lever, Pulley, Screw)?

·       How can experiments help us understand simple machines and forces?

·       How can building an arcade game like the examples in Caine’s Arcade help us understand complex machines, forces, and the design process? 

 

Unit Overview

Part 1: Exploring Forces AND Using the Processes of Science

Part 2: Simple Machine Dictionary & Simple Machines Experiments 

Part 3: Arcade Game & Analysis 

Possible Forces Activity Examples

  1. Introduction Lesson Worksheets

  2. Possible Muscular Force Activities… the challenges!

  3. Egg Drop Challenge: Build a contraption with recycled materials that will keep an egg safe being dropped from the second story of a building. About 3 days to build and then the massive test.

Possible Simple Machine Activities

  1. Simple Machines Dictionary

  2. Lever Experiment

  3. Nail Art

  4. Pulley Experiment: I gave kids string, a plastic cup, a finite amount of tape, and a toilet paper roll. They had to make a functional pulley that would lift marbles. We then timed how many marbles could be lifted by each pulley in 30 seconds.

  5. Search and Find: I made different search and finds for the simple machines so the kids could see how prevalent they are in real life…I cannot find any digital copies right now.

Final Thoughts

This is not an exhaustive list of all of the activities I did, but hopefully it gives you a few ideas on where to start. I did link this unit to art, ADST, literacy, and math, but I have kept this page to the science. Science experiments don’t have to have a lot of materials to be effective and they are the best way for kids to really internalize aspects of science. I hope this helps the you with your planning!