Simple Machines Made Simple

Aiming to bring the fun back into teaching and learning science with things that slide, pivot, turn, rub and work, this book offers help to teachers in presenting scientific principles and simple mechanics through hands-on, co-operative learning activities. Using inexpensive materials (for example, tape and paper clips), students at grades 3-8 should be able to learn to build simple machines, such as levers, pulleys, spring scale, gears, wheels and axles, windmills and wedges. Experimentation with these gadgets demonstrates how things work. The book is formatted so that teachers will be able to hold it in one hand and teach with the other. The activities are set up with easy-to-locate materials lists, time expected for an activity, and step-by-step directions on how to present the activities. In addition, nearly every step is illustrated. Chapters on bulletin boards, learning centres, and computer-assisted instruction offer numerous practical ideas for the classroom.