simple machines teacher notes

7/30/2019 Simple Machines Teacher Notes

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Australian Curriculum Alignment and Teacher Notes

Simple Machines Years 5 - 8

CSIRO Education ACT

CSIRO Education ACT - : [email protected] or Tel: 02 6246 5296

Background

Simple Machines examines forces and machines humans use to make their work easier. This

program involves students building and using simple machines to help them reduce the

effects of forces such as friction and gravity. Information at stations link the machine with its

historical use and ways the technology is used today. Some may be surprised by how simple

some machines really are. The program will allow students to quantify energy expended

using LEGO NXTs.

Forces affect the way everything in the world moves. There are four fundamental forces in

nature, strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force, electromagnetic force and gravity. For the

purpose of this workshop we define friction as a separate force (although technically, it is an

electromagnetic force). Friction can be very useful, without it we wouldnt be able to walk

or pick things up, but sometimes it can make our lives very difficult. Many simple machines

were created to overcome friction, the wheel is one example. Gravity, one of the

fundamental forces is another force that allows us to do the things we do. On the macro

scale, gravity makes the Earth orbit the sun, and on a much smaller scale it is what keeps

our feet firmly on the ground. However, gravity can make moving things around very

difficult. Some animals even use simple machines to overcome gravity. A lever is an example

of a simple machine used to overcome gravity.

Simple machines are divided into four basic groups: levers; inclined planes; wheels, axles

and gears; and pulleys. Screws are sometimes included as a simple machine group on their

own; however they are simply an inclined plane wrapped around a cylinder.

Simple machines are still used today. Often several simple machines are used in conjunction

with other simple machines to from a complex machine. An example of a complex machine

is a bicycle which uses gears, levers and wheels.

Australian Curriculum alignment

CSIROs Simple Machines program addresses the areas of Physical Sciences, Science as a

Human Endeavour, Science Inquiry skills, Sustainability, Literacy, Numeracy, Critical and

Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability and Ethical Behaviour within the Australian

Curriculum.


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Alignment to Australian Curriculum

Year 5

Science as a Human Endeavour Science Inquiry Skills

Nature and development of science(ACSHE081)

(ACSHE082)

Use and influence of science

(ACSHE083)

(ACSHE217)

Questioning and predicting(ACSIS231)

Planning and conducting

(ACSIS088)

Processing and analysing data and information

(ACSIS218)

Evaluating

(ACSIS091)

Year 6

Science Understanding Science as a Human Endeavour Science Inquiry Skills

Physical sciences(ACSSU219)

Nature and development ofscience

(ACSHE098)

(ACSHE099)


(ACSHE100)

(ACSHE220)

Questioning and predicting(ACSIS232)

Planning and conducting

(ACSIS105)

Processing and analysing data

and information

(ACSIS221)

Evaluating

(ACSIS108)

Communicating

(ACSIS010)

Year 7

Science Understanding Science as a Human Endeavour Science Inquiry Skills

Physical sciences

(ACSSU117)

(ACSSU118)


(ACSHE120)

(ACSHE121)

(ACSHE224)

Questioning and predicting

(ACSIS124)

Evaluating

(ACSIS132)

Communicating

(ACSIS133)

Year 8

Science Understanding Science as a Human Endeavour Science Inquiry SkillsPhysical sciences

(ACSSU155)


(ACSHE135)

(ACSHE136)

(ACSHE227)

Questioning and predicting

(ACSIS139)

Evaluating

(ACSIS234)

Communicating

(ACSIS148)
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE081http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE082http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE083http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE217http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS231http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS088http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS218http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS091http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSSU219http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE098http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE099http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE100http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE220http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS232http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS105http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS221http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS108http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS010http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSSU117http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSSU118http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE120http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE121http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE224http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS124http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS132http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS133http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSSU155http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE135http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE136http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE227http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS139http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS234http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS148http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS148http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS234http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS139http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE227http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE136http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE135http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSSU155http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS133http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS132http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS124http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE224http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE121http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE120http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSSU118http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSSU117http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS010http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS108http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS221http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS105http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS232http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE220http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE100http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE099http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE098http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSSU219http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS091http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS218http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS088http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSIS231http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE217http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE083http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE082http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Curriculum/ContentDescription/ACSHE081


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Resources

CSIRO websites:

CSIRO websitewww.csiro.au

CSIROs Science by Emailhttp://www.csiro.au/services/Science-By-Email-Main

Ocean Trackshttp://www.oceantracks.csiro.au/

Science Imagehttp://www.scienceimage.csiro.au/

Other resources:

PBS simple machineshttp://www.pbs.org/teachers/classroom/6-8/science-

tech/resources/?resource_topic=98&resource_type=&resource_site=

MI Kids Simple machineshttp://www.mikids.com/Smachines.htm
http://www.csiro.au/http://www.csiro.au/http://www.csiro.au/http://www.csiro.au/services/Science-By-Email-Mainhttp://www.csiro.au/services/Science-By-Email-Mainhttp://www.csiro.au/services/Science-By-Email-Mainhttp://www.oceantracks.csiro.au/http://www.oceantracks.csiro.au/http://www.oceantracks.csiro.au/http://www.scienceimage.csiro.au/http://www.scienceimage.csiro.au/http://www.scienceimage.csiro.au/http://www.pbs.org/teachers/classroom/6-8/science-tech/resources/?resource_topic=98&resource_type=&resource_sitehttp://www.pbs.org/teachers/classroom/6-8/science-tech/resources/?resource_topic=98&resource_type=&resource_sitehttp://www.pbs.org/teachers/classroom/6-8/science-tech/resources/?resource_topic=98&resource_type=&resource_sitehttp://www.pbs.org/teachers/classroom/6-8/science-tech/resources/?resource_topic=98&resource_type=&resource_sitehttp://www.mikids.com/Smachines.htmhttp://www.mikids.com/Smachines.htmhttp://www.mikids.com/Smachines.htmhttp://www.mikids.com/Smachines.htmhttp://www.pbs.org/teachers/classroom/6-8/science-tech/resources/?resource_topic=98&resource_type=&resource_sitehttp://www.pbs.org/teachers/classroom/6-8/science-tech/resources/?resource_topic=98&resource_type=&resource_sitehttp://www.scienceimage.csiro.au/http://www.oceantracks.csiro.au/http://www.csiro.au/services/Science-By-Email-Mainhttp://www.csiro.au/

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