Project Exchange

ACTIVITY: Simple Machines Project

Project: Metaphor Machines

SUMMARY

Goals


...Students will connect physics theory and practical application
...Students will understand several options for concepts/functions that they can use in their Metaphor Machines

 

Details

Duration: 60 minutes

Assessments: Research, Other (enter below)

Materials: see list of simple machines

 

Description

Students are assigned simple machine components. They analyze their functions and connect them to physics concepts, and then teach the class about their machine parts.

ACTIVITY RESOURCES

(e.g. rubrics, examplars, websites, etc.)


Simple Machines Project
Students must understand the physics of several simple machine components, and teach them to the class....
Download (283K)

Simple Machines Vocab
Vocabulary to complete Simple Machines Project...
Download (269K)

REFLECTIONS & COMMENTS

Author Reflections

In physics, there must be an example for everything, or it's just more abstract thinking (like metaphor). We did not have an actual physical model of each of these things, and that was the missing link. The peer teach model worked well, as they could all focus on one thing and become the expert, and then take notes on the others. A component to think about is one where each group demontrates several cause & effect situations with their simple machine.