Simple Machines - 4th Grade
Name: Kodi Phillips
Date: July 14, 2009
Lesson Plan Overview
Title
Simple Machines
Lesson Plan URL
N/A
(when applicable)
Grade and Subject(s)
4th grade
Science
English/Language Arts
Lesson Plan Summary
This lesson would be part of a unit on simple machines. This lesson could be
completed the day after simple machines are introduced and defined to students.
Students will complete stations where they identify different simple machines from
ordinary items and also complete one station on the computer where they must
identify simple machines. For the last part of the lesson, students will be asked to
create a digital movie in pairs to show what they’ve learned about the six simple
machines.
Learning Objectives
The student will be able to
- name the six simple machines
- describe the six simple machines
- classify household items as one of the simple machines
- recognize 10 simple machines on an interactive website activity
- create a digital movie about all of the six simple machines
- evaluate other students’ digital movies for strengths and weaknesses
Assessment Instrument
Concept Map and Checklist - Simple Machines Concept Map.ppt
Digital Movie Checklist – Digital Movie Checklist
Georgia Performance Standards
Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) and Elements
S4P3. Students will demonstrate the relationship between the application of a force and the
resulting change in position and motion on an object.
a. Identify simple machines and explain their uses (lever, pulley, wedge, inclined plane,
screw, wheel and axle).
Simple Machines - 4th Grade
ELA4W1 The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational
structure, sets a context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout,
and signals a satisfying closure. The student
b. Writes texts of a length appropriate to address the topic or tell the story.
ELA4W3 The student uses research and technology to support writing. The
student
a. Acknowledges information from sources.
d. Demonstrates basic keyboarding skills and familiarity with computer terminology
(e.g., software, memory, disk drive, hard drive).
National Educational Technology Standards (for teachers & students)
National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS for Teachers)
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to
facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both faceto-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a. promote support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment
incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and
to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS. Teachers:
a. design or adapt relative learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and
resources to promote student learning and creativity.
c. customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning
styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.
National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS for Students)
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative
products and processes using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness
to specific tasks.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve
problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
Students:
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
Simple Machines - 4th Grade
Prerequisite Skills
Content-wise:
- basic knowledge of the term simple machines and what the 6 simple machines are
- know how to read/write at or near a 4th grade level
Technology-wise:
- ability to navigate the internet
- ability to use Windows Movie Maker
- ability to type/use speech recognition software
- understanding of website evaluation, copyright, plagiarism, and internet safety
Procedures
Hook/Anticipatory Set: I will introduce the lesson by holding a cardboard box with a screw in it. The lesson in on
simple machines and should be taught at least the day after students are introduced to simple machines. I will
pass the box around and let students shake the box. They will try to guess what is inside the box by only asking
questions that have yes or no answers. (For example: Is it made out of metal? Is it silver? Is it hard?) I will put
the characteristics on the board under either yes or no so they can organize their thinking and figure out what is
inside the box. When they figure out it is a screw, I will ask them what they think the lesson is going to be
about. Then, they will guess simple machines. Then they will create a concept map naming all 6 simple
machines on PowerPoint. The template I have provided shows this. Furthermore, they can branch out further
with short descriptions of each simple machine. They will include clip art of each simple machine.
-
-
-
-
Go over Simple Machines Concept Map and talk about the 6 simple machines.
Ask students to describe each of the six simple machines on their concept map.
Tell students they are going to identify simple machines. There are approximately 10 stations. Students will be
in pairs. (Depending on class size you can add 1 or 2 more stations if needed or put students in groups of 3.)
I will list the stations below. Each station except the computer station has a brown paper bag with an object
inside. All students need a piece of paper and a pencil. They will number the paper 1-10. Each paper bag will
have a number on it. They need to write down the simple machine that is in the bag next to the number that is
on the bag. The computer is station #10. Station 1: doorknob
Station 2: picture of a bicycle
Station 3: corkscrew without arms
Station 4: mini blinds
Station 5: handheld can-opener
Station 6: corkscrew with arms
Station 7: scissors
Station 8: tweezers
Station 9: clamp
Station 10: Computer – Interactive Simple Machines Activity *Tell students to move the mouse over The
House and click on 1 of the following: Garage, Kitchen, Bedroom, or Bathroom. Find at least 5 simple
machines and answer the questions that go along with each. For #10 on your paper, write the 5 simple
machines you found and in what room. There will be two computers in this classroom, so each student in the
pair must do his/her own work using headphones.
Students will have 2 minutes at each station. They will rotate through stations until they have been to all 10
stations. When students are done with their stations, we will discuss each station and what simple machine
each bag represented. Also, we will discuss how students did at the computer station.
The last part of this lesson is for students to create a digital movie about simple machines. The assessment
instrument that is attached explains the criteria in more detail.
Basically, students will have previously made a digital movie in class before this lesson. They will be asked to
create a digital movie that has simple machines, the definitions of simple machines, and pictures or clip art of
simple machines. This part of the lesson will take place in the computer lab. Students will still work in partners
using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox to find clip art/pictures/definitions and create the movie using
Windows Movie Maker.
Simple Machines - 4th Grade
Closure: Students will finish up their digital movies and show them to the class. This may take place during the
following school day, depending on how much time students need to complete their digital movie. Students will
write anonymous evaluations that include at least 1 strength and 1 weakness per movie. Students will read
their strengths and weaknesses after all movies have been shown and evaluated and discuss as a class what
they will do differently next time to improve their movie.
Accommodation Options
ELL / Special Needs Students
I chose to adapt for Beth – For Beth, I would allow her work with her partner
when writing down what each item is during the station time. She could
discuss the answer with her partner and then her partner could offer her help
with writing. If she became too frustrated, she could share a paper with her
partner and they would have one answer sheet to turn instead of two. Her
partner would do the writing, but they would both come up with the answer.
During the creation of the digital movie, I would allow her to work on picking
out pictures/clip art and music while the other partner did the typing.
Highly-Capable Students
These students may choose to use a microphone headset while creating their
digital movie to add voiceover to the text slides. They may also use more than
one picture for each simple machine. They may use different effects for each
slide and more than 3 transitions.
Physical Contexts
Arrangement
Rationale
One-computer classroom
Multiple computers
Having at least two computers in the classroom is
beneficial for the part of the lesson where students go
from station to station. 1 station is the computer
station and it is beneficial to have at least 2 computers
because students are going to each station in pairs or
groups of three. Therefore, there needs to be 2-3
computers in the classroom for this part of the lesson.
Computer lab
For making the digital movie, use of the computer lab
is essential. Students are working in pairs, but if the
class has at least 20 students there needs to be at
least 10 computers. Students can create their movies
in the computer lab, publish them, and return to the
regular class to view them on the smart board through
the projection system.
Flotilla
Other
Simple Machines - 4th Grade
Materials and Resources Required for Lesson
Technology – Hardware
Computer(s)
Television
DVD Player
VCR
Projection System
Printer
Video Camera
Camera
Digital Camera
Scanner
Video Conferencing
digital recorder
Laserdisc
Headphones/speakers
Microphone Headset
Microphone
Other
Other
Other
GoogleDocs
NVU
TuxPaint
Excel
Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
PowerPoint
SchoolKiT
Clicker 4
Publisher
Encarta
Image Blender/Photo Editor
Nettrekker
Audacity
Garage Band
Windows MovieMaker
iMovie
Image Blender/Photo Editor
2-way Video software
(e.g., Skype)
KidPix
Inspiration
wiki software
blog software
Microsoft Word
Other
Other
Other
Interactive Whiteboard
(Smart, Promethean, etc.)
storage media (e.g., keydrives, CDs, DVDs,
networked drives)
Technology – Software
Websites
Station #10 activity can be found at this website (used by students during the lesson):
http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/frame_loader.htm
Lesson plan idea can be found at this website (used by the teacher to plan part of the lesson):
http://edheads.org/activities/lesson_plans/pdf/sm_02.pdf
Other
N/A
Integrating the Learning Goals from Egbert’s SLwT
Learning Goal
How this Lesson Addresses this Goal
Critical Thinking
(Ch 4)
In this lesson, students are involved in critical thinking when brainstorming
questions during the hook of the lesson when they are trying to figure out
what is inside the cardboard box. Students also think critically when
analyzing the objects found at each station and determining what type of
simple machine each object is. Students use critical thinking skills to create a
digital movie about simple machines by gathering descriptions and pictures
from the Internet. They also use critical thinking when they evaluate each
others’ movies.
Simple Machines - 4th Grade
Problem-solving
(Ch 6)
In this lesson, students are involved in problem-solving by determining what
is inside the cardboard box during the hook. They are problem-solvers when
they visit the interactive website and identify common household objects that
are simple machines and answer corresponding questions. They are also
using problem-solving skills to create a digital movie and overcome setbacks
in the making of the movie and when looking for examples of simple
machines.