Lesson: Science – Levers
Time Allotted: 45 minutes
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Grade: 3
Date: 4/11/11
Actual Time: (Unfinished) Estimated: 60 min
Purpose, Student Understanding, Instructional Objectives:
A. Concepts/Skills Students Will Understand: Introduction/Anticipatory Set:
i. There are three parts to every lever: fulcrum, load, force.
ii. There are three classes of levers.
Previous Knowledge Needed:
A. Energy: the ability to do work
B. Force: A push or pull
C. Motion: A change in position
D. Work: the force that changes the motion of an object
E. Lever: A straight bar that moves on a fixed point—lets you change the direction
of a force/change the amount of force needed to move something.
National Standards:
A. Content Standard B: As a result of the activities in grades K-4, all students should
develop an understanding of Position and motion of objects.
Materials/Resources Needed:
A. Students’ Science Books
B. Reading in Science Resources pgs 255-257
C. Levers worksheet
D. Rulers (24)
E. Pencils (24)
F. Pennies (100+)
Instructional Method/Teaching Procedure:
A. Introductory/Anticipatory Set:
i. Review machines, simple machines, pulleys, levers
ii. Complete Levers and Pulleys worksheet
B. Development of Concepts:
i. Introduce simple machines magnets
ii. Introduce 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class levers
iii. Call upon students to read aloud from page E46
iv. Walk students through Levers worksheet
1. Experiment with ruler, pencil (fulcrum), pennies (load)
C. Closure:
i. Discuss and classify atlatl (1st, 2nd, or 3rd class lever?)
ii. Classify scissors, pliers, baseball bat, wheelbarrow, stapler, etc.
Adaptations for Individual Student Needs:
Inclusion of Indian Education for All: Mention of the Native American tool—the
atlatl
Assessment: Students’ classification of different levers, graded worksheets
References:
A. Daniel, L.H. et al. Macmillan McGraw-Hill Science. 2005. New York, NY:
Macmillan/McGraw-Hill. Pg E46.
B. LEVERS worksheet. Borrowed from M. Hettick.
X.
Teacher Reflection:
This lesson was a total disaster. First of all, I didn’t even finish the entire thing. I ran out
of time and had to dismiss students to recess. I don’t think it was a pacing problem. I didn’t plan
enough time for inquiry and exploration of the rulers-as-levers activity. It also took far longer
than I expected to discuss the different classes of levers. The students had more trouble than I
anticipated figuring out what class different types of levers fit into.
The strengths of this lesson were few. Students easily strayed off task and were
constantly turning their materials into toys. I would hate to deprive students of the chance to
explore and discover for themselves, but if I were to teach this lesson again with a class like
mine, I would turn it into a demonstration. My students just have such a hard time handling
manipulatives. They get distracted far too easily.
I ended up having to come back to this lesson later to finish it. This gave me a chance to
go further into depth with the atlatl. I borrowed an atlatl from a neighboring teacher and
demonstrated how it qualified as a lever. I also showed the students two videos about atlatls. One
was a how-to-use and the other was a how-to-construct video. I would not have been able to do
this if I had managed to finish the lesson in the first place, so the disaster was a bit of a blessing
in disguise—especially because my students don’t get to do open-inquiry very often.
If I were to do this lesson again, I would not have the students do the first levers and
pulleys worksheet. They did not benefit from doing busywork. I would allow most of the given
time for discovery and exploration with the rulers-as-levers activity. I would also give explicit
instructions before I set the students loose to experiment. Doing this would minimize the
instances in which I had to interrupt their exploration to give them reminders or directions.