Mystery Machines
ENERGY, WORK & SIMPLE MACHINES
Activity:
Students will compare everyday (and not so everyday) objects and will realize many are one or more
simple machines.
Materials:
Bring in some unfamiliar kitchen utensils/gadgets or tools that are going to get the creative juices
flowing. Some examples to bring in could be:
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Lemon zester
Melon baller
Seafood/Crab “crackers”
Nutcrackers
Garlic press
Plastic juice press
Drywall spatula
Awl
Jar openers
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Allen wrench
Cable tie
Picture hook
Apple/Corer/Peeler/Slicer
Scissors
Can opener
Corkscrew
Choose your own
Demo:
1. Allow students time to look at items and discuss with a partner on what they think it is.
2. Have them choose three items to draw on the sheet provided and describe how they believe
the machine makes work easier.
3. Start introducing students to the simple machines: lever, pulley, wedge, inclined plane, wheel
and axle and screw.
What’s Happening?
Students are comparing different tools that make doing work easier. They will recognize some of the
items and know how to use them, but will now have to communicate how that tool makes work easier.
Machines make doing work easier by changing the applied force, changing the distance over which the
force is applied, or changing the direction of the force. A simple machine is a machine that can do work
with a single movement. Many machines are called compound machines since they are a combination of
two or more simple machines.
©2016 Nitty Gritty Science
Mystery Machines cont.
ENERGY, WORK & SIMPLE MACHINES
Discussion:
Question: Now that you are starting to become familiar with simple machines, can you provide another
example?
Answer: Answers will vary. Possible answers might include bicycles, rakes, bats, shovels, hockey sticks,
car jack, hammer, ax, human arms, legs.
Question: How does a ramp make lifting an object easier?
Answer: Less force is needed to lift an object when using a ramp.
©2016 Nitty Gritty Science
Name
Date
Mystery Machines
ENERGY, WORK & SIMPLE MACHINES
Sketch of Mystery
Machine
Makes work easier by…
Simple Machines Used
1.
2.
3.
The machine is a…
1.
2.
3.
The machine is a…
1.
2.
3.
The machine is a…
©2016 Nitty Gritty Science