How Do You Teach Students About Simple Machines?
Simple tools that we use to make work easier are called simple machines. A machine becomes a compound machine when it uses two or more simple machines together. However, every machine is built upon the idea of a simple machine. When you consider how to teach students about simple machines, start with the basics about each of the six simple machines. Teach your students about an inclined plane. If a flat surface is a plane, then an inclined plane is a slanted surface. Students can use an included plane, such as a ramp, to move objects across distances. For example, sliding a heavy box of books up a ramp is easier than lifting that box of books up onto the shelf. Experiment using a lever. A lever uses an arm that turns against the fulcrum, or point, to pry something loose. Think about the claw end of a hammer that students can use to remove nails from a board. It’s a lever. Another example of how you can experiment with levers involves pulling weeds. Doing this chore is much more difficu
