Developmental Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Amanda Johns and Erica Lis Date:

Group Size: 17 student Allotted Time: 25 minutes Grade Level: 3rd

Subject or Topic: More Simple Machines - Matter and Motion Unit

Common Core/PA Standard(s):

3.2.3.B1 - Explain how movement can be described in many ways.

3.4.3.D2 - Observe, analyze and document how simple systems work.

S4.C.3.1 - Identify and describe different types of force and motion resulting from these
forces, or the effect of the interaction between force and motion

S4.C.3.1.1 - Describe changes in motion caused by forces (e.g. pushes or pulls, gravity,
friction)

3.4.3.E3 - Recognize that tools, machines, products, and systems use energy in order to do
work.

Learning Targets/Objectives:
Students will be able to identify different examples of inclined planes and wedges.
They will also be able to identify what type of slope requires less force to move objects.

Assessment Approaches: Evidence:

1. Observational 1. The teacher will observe the students
during the lesson.

2. Formative assessment 2. The students will answer three

questions about inclined planes and
wedges.
Assessment Scale:
Formative Assessment Grade
3 points - student answered 3 of the 3 question correctly
2 points - student answered 2 of the 3 questions correctly
1 point - student answered 1 of the 3 questions correctly
0 points - student answered none of the questions correctly
Subject Matter/Content: Science - Matter and Motion
Prerequisites: Newton’s Laws of Motion, Push and Pull, Balanced and Unbalanced Forces,
Gravity, Friction, Mass, Magnets, Pendulums, Centrifugal Force
Key Vocabulary:
Simple Machines - few or no moving parts that are used to modify motion and the magnitude
of a force in order to perform work
Slope - the steepness of a line or hill
Inclined Planes - Ramps with gentle to moderate slopes that make it easier to transport
heavy objects
Wedge - two moving inclined planes back to back that help to distribute force evenly.
Content/Facts:
● Simple machines make work easier. They have few or no moving parts and can be
used to make moving loads easier.
● An inclined plane can help people move loads up stairs. It is much harder to pick up
the load than to push it up an inclined plane.
● A wedge is two inclined planes and can distribute force in two directions.

Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies:
“I am going to ask you all a few questions. If you have ever done the things I name, I
want you to raise your hand. If you haven’t done it before, you can leave your hand
down.
Have you ever:
Played on a seesaw at the playground?
Walked up a ramp to get into a building?
Used a door stop to keep a door open?
Used a pair of scissors?
Saw a wishing well with a bucket in it?
Rode a bike or rode in a car?
Pushed or pulled something in a wagon?
Used the stairs?
If you raised your hand for any of these then you have used something called a simple
machine. Simple machines are something that have few or no moving parts that
change the way you use your force to make the job easier for you to complete.”

Development/Teaching Approaches:
Inclined Planes
“Today we are going to learn about the first two simple machines, the inclined plane
and the wedge. These two simple machines go together because you need 2 inclined
planes to make a wedge. Does anyone have a guess as to what an inclined plane
might be?” Allow student responses.

“An Inclined plane is basically a ramp or hill. These ramps or hills must have a
somewhat gentle incline or slope to help you transport objects up the ramp. The slope
is the steepness of the ramp.” The teacher will gesture with her hand to show a steep hill
and a gentle hill. The teacher will then play https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iYuF5dUalE
. In this video, Bill Nye introduces the concept of an inclined plane.

“You use an inclined plane every single day when you use a staircase. I don’t know
about you, but I am sure glad I don’t have to use a ladder to go upstairs at night to go
to bed. Stairs are built into an inclined plane so that you don’t have to work very hard
to go up or down a level in a building or house. But that isn’t the only place inclined
planes can be. Does anyone have any ideas as to where inclined planes can be used? ”
The teacher will allow students to respond and will write down their brainstorms on the
board.
“Which type of ramp or inclined plane would be easier to push a heavy box up? A short ramp
with a steep slope? A long ramp with a gentle slope?” Allow the students to respond. Then
play the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3COvm0TtxWg . Then after the video, ask
the students to answer the question again.

Wedges
“Wedges are two inclined planes back to back that come together to make a sharp
edge. Think of an inclined plane. The narrow end is the tip of the wedge and the wide
end is where you apply the force. They distribute the force evenly to both sides of the
wedge.” the teacher will display a diagram to help show how the force moves. “A wedge
can break things apart. It can stop things from moving. It can also help to keep things
in place.”
The teacher will ask the students to brainstorm places or ways we use wedges in our lives.

The teacher will then play the video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAJT2usN-g8

The students will then complete the formative assessment.

Closure/Summarizing Strategies:
“Today we learned about the first two simple machines. Tomorrow we will learn about
a different simple machine that uses a type of inclined plane to do different jobs. See
you tomorrow engineers!”

Accommodations/Differentiation:
Subtitles can be turned on for students with hearing disabilities.
Students with IEPs will have their aides in the classroom.

Materials/Resources:

Edere, T. (2019, March 02). What Are the Similarities of Inclined Planes & Wedges?
Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https://sciencing.com/similarities-inclined-planes-
 wedges-8523582.html

Ramps video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3COvm0TtxWg

Wedge video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAJT2usN-g8
Inclined Planes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iYuF5dUalE
Google Form - https://forms.gle/UX3CRpSwcTeMzvsm8

Reflective Response:
Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels

Remediation Plan (if applicable)

Personal Reflection Questions

Additional reflection/thoughts