5th-6th Grade
Simple Machines: Lesson 4
INTENDED CURRICULUM
BIG IDEA: (display in class during the lesson)
A simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of
A system is a set of related objects that can be studied in isolation. In a controlled
a force. A simple machine uses a single applied force to do work against a single
investigation, only one variable can be changed, and the results can be compared to a
load
force. They are the elementary "building blocks" of which all complicated
standard.
machines are composed.
Investigation 8: Simple Machines
Idaho Standard(s) addressed:
LESSON CONTENT GOALS
1. A pulley consists of a wheel that
rotates freely around a stationary axle.
The outer rim of the pulley is grooved
to accommodate a rope or a chain.
The pulley redirects force in order to
lift an object.
GUIDING QUESTIONS
1. What is a pulley?
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
1
IMPLEMENTED CURRICULUM
Teacher’s Notes:
This lesson takes at least 3 teaching days.
Advance Preparation:
CM 6 – Class Record Sheet – Pulleys
1 roll fishing line
1 roll string
scissors
For every four students:
1 book
1 meterstick
1 pulley
1 spring scale
Brief Review of the lesson:
DAY 1: Read engaging scenario and review clues.
Write a Focus Question
Writes a Prediction
DAY 2: Create a plan and data collection device
Collects Data
DAY 3: Making Meaning Conference
Writes Claims and Evidence
Writes Conclusions
Reflection
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
2
DAY ONE
ENGAGING SCENARIO: Teacher says:
“Lewiston Engineering is really satisfied with the reports they have
received regarding the activities for the simple machines of the lever
and wheel and axle. The next simple machine they plan to have in
their student activity center is the pulley. They would like to have an
activity where students would use a pulley and a rope to lift various
objects a certain distance. They are not sure if the pulley will
require less force to lift an object compared to just lifting the object
without the pulley and rope. They need your help to solve this
problem. Lewiston Engineering has sent us materials that may help
us with the tests. They need this information in about a week. ”
What is the problem we need to solve?
What do we need to investigate?
Word Wall pulley - a simple machine
consisting of a wheel that rotates around a
stationary axle. The outer rim of the pulley
is grooved to accommodate a rope or chain.
Then display the materials to be used in the investigation or conduct a kit inventory if the materials
were not introduced in LE1. Have the students continue their kit inventory record chart in their
science notebooks and add these materials to the word wall if not previously placed there.
FOCUS QUESTION (discuss in groups, display, record in noteboo ks)
Teacher’s Notes: Return to the engaging scenario –
Teacher says,
“What do the engineers from Lewiston Engineering want us to do?”
To test compare the amount of force needed to lift an object with and without a pulley.
“What did they give us to help?”
Some materials
What else do they want us to do?
Send them a report in about two weeks.
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
3
“Think of our school flag pole and how the pulley works there. Discuss with your group what you
know about pulleys and how we might solve the problem posed by Lewiston Engineering. Record it
as the FOCUS QUESTION. This is the problem we are going to investigate and solve. Keep in mind
the clues we mentioned and be prepared to share your ideas. Model a sentence starter by writing the
following on the board:
How can we find out if … ?
Walk around the room listening to their ideas. Solicit appropriate examples to share with the class. If
possible display their ideas on the board or a transparency. Have the class notice which ones do not
address the problem in the scenario. If there are groups still struggling with writing a focus question,
have them select one of the displayed focus questions. They are to record it a CLASS FOCUS
QUESTION below their own.
A suggested class focus question:
How can we find out if using a pulley to lift an object requires less force than just lifting the
object by itself?
PREDICTION (record in notebook)
Teacher’s Notes:
Lead the students to generate predictions for their focus question. Teacher says, “Now that you have a
Focus Question, discuss with your group what you might think is the answer to your question. Write a
prediction. Remember your prediction has to include a “because” statement. Use the sentence starter
to help you write them.”
Prediction sentence starters:
I think that using the pulley will require (more force/less force/the same amount of
force) to lift an object compared to just lifting the object by itself because_________.
Allow students time to discuss. Walk around the groups to listen to their ideas and assist them in how
to record it in their notebooks. As students finish recording their predictions have them share their
ideas with the class.
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
4
Help students see the relationship between the focus question and the prediction.
Guide and assist those groups that are still having difficulty writing a prediction.
Close by stating that tomorrow the students will begin to use some the materials sent by the engineers
from Lewiston Engineering to begin to find a way to solve the problem.
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
5
DAY TWO
“Today we are going to do some experiments lifting an object with and without the pulley to help solve
our problem. Remember that Lewiston Engineering wants us to send them a report in about a week so
we will need to carefully observe and record our observations, sketches and what we have learned in
our in our science notebooks”
“Here is the equipment that was sent to us by Lewiston Engineering.”
Display the following materials: a pulley, a 30-cm piece of string, a spring scale, a meter stick, a book
with string tied around it, and 1.5 –m piece of fishing line.
“Today you will use these materials to conduct two tests. One test will be to determine how much
force you will need to lift the book from the floor to the top of your desk. Then you will construct and
use a pulley to lift the same book to the top of your desk, also measuring the force required. You will
need to use the meter stick to measure the height of your desk from the floor in meters”
Review the formula - W = F x d.
“Before we start the investigation we need to find a way to keep track of our data and observations, so
each group will need to construct a data collection device to do this. Be sure to give your data
collection device a name.”
Circulate and assist groups that are having difficulty. Have groups share out their data collection
devices. For groups having difficulty you may share the following sample data collection device.
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
6
Measuring the Force Needed to Lift an Object
Force
(newtons)
distance
(meters)
Work
(joules)
Lifting the Book
by Itself
Lifting the Book
Using a Pulley
Have the students gather their materials and conduct the investigation. Remind them to record their
data on their data charts. Also suggest that they sketch and label a lever system in their science
notebooks.
Write or project CM 6 on the board. Have a group of students complete a line on the chart with their
data. Continue the process until all data have been listed. Then conduct a class discussion regarding
the data. Have each group explain their results and how the results were calculated. Check for
agreement or disagreement with the rest of the class.
Then ask the following questions:
• “In which direction was force applied when lifting the book without the use of a pulley?
(upward)
• “In which direction was the force applied when lifting the book with the help of a pulley?”
(downward)
• “In which direction did the book move when lifted without the help of a pulley?”
(upward)
• “In which direction did the book move when lifted with the help of a pulley?”
(upward)
• “How would you compare the amount of force you used to lift the book with and without the
pulley?”
(It was about the same. Note: the friction of the fishing line on the pulley may cause slight
differences)
• “How did the pulley help you do work?”
(A pulley transfers force applied in a downward direction to gain an upward lift.)
• “What else might a pulley help you do?”
(Answers will vary – a pulley enables us to raise an object high above us by simply pulling
downward – just like the flag on a flagpole.
Close the lesson by having students do a Quick Write about what they have learned about pulleys.
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
7
DAY THREE
MAKING MEANING CONFERENCE (Teacher directed)
1) Reviewing
data.
Remember, this is the conferencing stage. It is preferable that students not take notes during
this activity, but contribute with their results. However, don’t discourage students who wish to
add down information during the discussion. Ask students to use the information that was
recorded from their science notebook entries.
2) Observing
and looking for patterns.
Teacher guides students to share - making claims supported by evidence. To initiate analyzing
the information observed the teacher can say:
•
In which direction was force applied when using the pulley?
•
In which direction was did the book move with the use of a pulley?
•
What is the advantage of using a pulley?
Guide students in writing CLAIMS based on the data charts. As they share information, assist
students in making associations with claims based on their evidence. Teacher should make the
claim orally and students should provide the evidence orally.
EXAMPLES
Claims
I claim that…………..
I know that ………….
Evidence
I claim this because………..
I know this because ………..
1. The force to move the book up using
the pulley was downward
1. I needed to pull the string down on the pulley
to move the book up to the desktop
2. The amount of force was the same using
the pulley and not using the pulley to
move the book from the floor to the
desktop.
2. it was took ____newtons to lift the book from
the floor to the desktop without a pulley and
_____ newtons to lift the book the same distance
using a pulley.
Teacher decides to list as many claims and evidence needed for students to understand the
process.
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
8
CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE: (record in notebooks) Teacher says:
“You need to write down at least 3 claims and evidence
statements. Remember, these claims must be based on your data.”
Teacher will see students individually as they write claims based
on their observed evidence.
Example sentence structures:
I claim that ____________ I claim this because ____________.
I know that_____________. I know this because _________.
Share and discuss claims and evidence.
CONCLUSION: (record in notebook)
Students are then asked to revisit their original prediction and write a sentence that
states whether the evidence from their observations supported it or not. They are to
explain why and provide clear explanations regarding how their evidence supported, or
did not support, their predictions regarding pulleys. They are also to write a conclusion
using the following sentence stem: “Today I learned……” or “In conclusion …”
REFLECTION: (record in notebook)
Students will revisit the “Big Idea” and their results. Ask them to respond to
one of the following stems:
“What really surprised me about pulleys was ….”
“A new question that I have about the pulleys is ……..”
“I would really like to know more about ……”
Share these in class.
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
9
FEEDBACK GUIDE
PROFICIENCY
Simple Machines – LE 4
S
T
Notebook Components
Focus Question
• Relates to scenario.
• Cannot be answered yes or no
• Investigable
Prediction
• One sentence that answers problem
• Uses “because”
Data
• Data chart with correct calculations for pulleys
• Labeled sketch for pulley investigation
Claims and Evidence
• Three claims and evidence statements related to guiding
questions
Conclusions
• Prediction revisited and affirmed/revised
• “Today I learned” or “In conclusion” statement
Reflection
• Responds to one of the stems
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
10
ENGAGING SCENARIO
“Lewiston Engineering is really satisfied
with the reports they have received
regarding the activities for the simple
machines of the lever and wheel and axle.
The next simple machine they plan to have
in their student activity center is the
pulley. They would like to have an activity
where students would use a pulley and a
rope to lift various objects a certain
distance. They are not sure if the pulley
will require less force to lift an object
compared to just lifting the object without
the pulley and rope. They need your help
to solve this problem. Lewiston
Engineering has sent us materials that may
help us with the tests. They need this
information in about a week. ”
What is the problem we need to solve?
What do we need to investigate?
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
11
CM 6 – Class Record Sheet for Pulleys
Measuring the Force Needed to Lift an Object
Force
(newtons)
distance
(meters)
Work
(joules)
Lifting the
Book
by Itself
Lifting the
Book Using a
Pulley
TESLA, Scaffolded Inquiry, Grade 5-6 Simple Machines- Lesson 4, 01/31/10
12