Lesson Plans

THE CHALLENGE: Simple Machines

Content: Simple Machines
Theme: Games and Sports

Engineers design and build machines that help make people's lives easier. For example, they make cars for us to get around in, appliances to help with household tasks, and farm equipment to grow our food. Most machines use one or more simple machines, such as levers and pulleys.

In this hands-on challenge, students explore simple machines by inventing a game based on a lever. In the process, they put the law of the lever and the design process into practice and develop an experiential basis for these concepts.

Get more resources about Simple Machines

IN CLASS

During this classroom set-up, introduce students to the simple machine called a lever by watching a short video and building a lever using simple materials.

  • "Pop Fly" Project Video

    First, watch this video where our DESIGN SQUAD hosts build the Pop Fly activity themselves. (2:07)

    Watch

  • Brainstorm

    Introduce the "Pop Fly" project below. Show students the materials that they'll use to build their own. Will they build a Pop Fly that will hit the ceiling, pass a ping-pong ball to a friend, or simply toss the ball in the air so that they can catch it themselves? (5 min)

    Give students time to brainstorm, experiment, and create their designs. (20-30min)

  • Pop Fly

    Invent a way to send a Ping-Pong ball flying high enough to catch it.

    Read more | Watch a demo
    Download PDFs: Student Handout (English | Spanish), Sign

AT HOME

During this "At Home" challenge, students will use what they learned about levers to identify more of them in the real world.

  • Find Simple Machines

    First, students will find an example of a lever. Then, they will sketch or take a picture of the levers they found. Finally, they will bring their photo and sketches to class the next day.

CLASSROOM WRAP-UP

Provide students with an opportunity to share their "lever" discoveries. Then introduce students to engineers who use levers in their jobs.

  • Share

    Share and discuss what students found during the "At Home" challenge. As a group, review the Pop Fly projects students created. Test them to see which Pop Fly can throw a ping pong ball farthest, or hit a target accurately. (10-15 min)

    Optionally, take photos of their designs and upload them to Pop Fly Project Gallery on the DESIGN SQUAD website.

  • Baseball Bats - Curtis Cruz and Becky O'Hara

    Curtis Cruz and Becky O'Hara, 25-year-old engineers for Rawlings Sporting Goods, have a dream job that combines their passion for baseball with their love of math and science. (0:59)

    Watch | Download

  • Robo Arm

    In this video, students design and build controllable mechanical arms and use their "robo" arms to lift objects and to play a series of games. The video shows students using the engineering design process, applying a variety of science concepts (e.g., levers and tension and compression), and learning how NASA uses robotic arms in many of its missions. (2:16)

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  • How does a Pulley Work?

    Continue the exploration of simple machines by introducing a "pulley" with this short video. Watch DESIGN SQUAD host Nate show now pulleys help make work easier by redirecting motion or loads. (1:38)

    Watch