Lesson Plan-Simple Machines Michele Wilhelm

University of Richmond April 18, 2011

Lesson Plan—Simple Machines

Introduction
Lesson topic: Simple Machines
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
VA Standards of Learning 3.2: The student will investigate and understand simple machines and their
uses. Key concepts include
 types of simple machines (lever, screw, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane, and wedge)
 how simple machines function

Cognitive Objectives
Students will:
 recognize the six types of simple machines;
 define the utility of each;
 differentiate and classify examples of each in common school and household items

Materials/Technology and Advanced Preparation

Set up the board game, Mouse Trap
in a central location—cover it with a
Pre-lesson: Handouts:  Simple Machines
sheet until needed—and have the
Edheads site ready to launch.

 Simple Machines movie

Books:  none Visual aids:
 Edheads site

 Projector
 Clamp, pulley, wood triangle,
Technology  Computer
Other: hammer, doorknob, ruler
:  Internet Access
Mouse Trap board game
 4-5 student laptops

Teaching and Learning Sequence

Introduction/Anticipatory Set –
 Stand behind the covered table while a student volunteer passes out the Simple Machines handout
and tell the class that beneath the cover, there are several simple machines waiting to be
demonstrated. Their job is to try and determine which ones will be used.

Lesson Development –
 Project the handout on the board.

 Introduce the basics of the simple machines by demonstrating their use with the clamp (screw),
pulley, wood triangle (wedge), hammer (lever), doorknob (wheel and axle), and ruler propped up on
books (inclined plane).

 Return to the covered table and tell students to pay close attention to the simple machines about to
be used.

 Uncover Mouse Trap and activate the game. (More than once may be necessary.)

 Have a discussion to see if all of the simple machines can be identified (slide and steps: inclined
planes, crank: wheel and axle, diving board: lever).

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Lesson Plan-Simple Machines Michele Wilhelm
University of Richmond April 18, 2011

 Divide students into 4-5 small groups and assign each

group a laptop ready to launch (see right)
http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/.
Groups should move choose 2 rooms in the house and
identify the simple machines within and their uses.

Closure―
Play the Simple Machines movie to wrap things up. Tell
students to shout out what type of simple machine is being
used before the answer appears.

Homework
Post Edheads game on the class website and assign it as
homework. Students must identify the simple machines and
their uses in the remaining 2 rooms of the house, print their
score, and bring it in to class by the end of the week.

Assessment
Formative―Are students participating in determining the simple machines used in Mouse Trap? Walk
around and listen to the observations made during the Edheads exercise. Do the comments accurately
represent the information obtained during the presentation?

Summative―The summative assessment will be held at the end of the week (see attached document).

References
Edheads.org. (2011). http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/. Accessed on April 16,
2011.
Robson, D., Jellie, D., Kimpfler, C., Norfleet, S. (2003). A WebQuest for Elementary Science.
http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webquests/machines/. Accessed on April 16, 2011

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