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Student Instructions
Simple Machines - Making Work Easier👷🏽👷♀️🟨
Focus : How can we use tools to make pushing, pulling, and lifting easier?
The Power of Levers
Focus Question : How can we lift heavy things with less effort?
Materials: Ruler, a pencil or marker (as a fulcrum), small objects to lift (e.g., eraser, glue stick, small book).
Beginner (5 mins): Heavy Lifting
Activity: "Think about a see-saw at a playground. Draw a picture and explain how one person can lift another person into the air."
Main Activity (35 mins) : Mini See-saws 📏✏️
"We are going to make a simple machine called a lever."
Place your ruler on top of the pencil (this is the fulcrum). The pencil should be in the middle.
Place a heavy object (the load) on one end of the ruler.
Push down on the other end with your finger (the effort).
"Now, experiment! Move the fulcrum (the pencil) closer to the load. Is it easier or harder to lift? What happens when you move it further away?"
Exit Slip (10 mins) : Lever Expert
Activity: "Take some 
's of your see-saw. Then, post a 
of your lever in action. As you record, explain where the fulcrum, the load, and the effort are. Tell us where you placed the fulcrum to make lifting the easiest."
Teacher Notes (not visible to students)
This plan is designed to be delivered through Seesaw, using hands-on activities with minimal resources. Each lesson is structured with a "Lesson Beginner" to engage students and an "Exit Slip" to check for understanding. Unit Overview: Think Like an Engineer! Focus: Students will explore basic engineering principles by designing, building, and testing solutions to simple problems. They will learn about strong structures, simple machines, and how different parts can work together in a system.
