Science: Introducing Levers
3rd Grade
45 minutes
Objectives/Goals
This is a one day lesson that is part of a week long simple machines unit.
We would like the students to not concentrate on the vocabulary of load and effort as much as to understand how the simple machine works-primarily how the movement of the fulcrum changes the amount of effort needed.
We expect the mainstream students to understand the vocabulary of the lever, its parts and how it works. We expect the mainstream students to be able to give a written explanation to how a lever works.
We expect the intellectually disabled student to be able to operate the accommodated lever with the help of the TA. We also expect for the ID student to be able to talk about what they did with the in-class lever. We expect the ID student to verbally explain how the lever works.
Materials
• Log and two-by-four (with weight attached to one end)
• 3 Paint Stirring Sticks
• 3 Fulcrums (pvc pipe)
• 15 Nickels total (5 for each small lever)
• 3 bags of pennies
• Dixie Cups
• Glue to attach nickels and Dixie Cups
• Flash cards (for accomodation)
• Drawing of lever (for accommodation)
Handouts for students to make calculations
The Lesson in Action
(Accomodations for pre-teaching)-
The TA will take the Intellectually Disabled child aside and explain one of the smaller levers. This will happen during a previous class, which will be indicated on their schedule board. The teacher will also hand the ID child the flashcards to use during the lesson and to bring home. The computer program Boardmaker can be used both for the schedule board and the flashcards. Flashcards will be made for the entire simple machine lesson, so they can refer to them. Following the lesson, the mainsteam students will fill out the worksheet and the Intellectually Disabled student will verbally explain the machine with the teacher and/or the TA.
The mainstream students will fill out a pre-assessment in pairs that will be pre-established. The accommodated student will work with their one-on-one and a partner.
Levers Assessment
1. What is a simple Machine?
2. What is a lever?
3. What is a lever used for?
4. Can you think of any examples of levers?
Following the pre-assessment, the students will watch a film introducing levers to them by Bill Nye the Science Guy. This video is available free on Youtube in case your school does not have a copy. Just type in Bill Nye + simple machines. Following the film, the students will use their theme journal for all the simple machines that will be studied in this unit (levers, inclined planes, pulleys, wheel and axel, wedge, and screw) .
The teacher will review the film with the class as a reminder. Following the review, the teacher will show a Power Point presentation (whether we show this in the NLU class or not depends on time) giving examples of levers in the world, with the goal being to introduce them to the wide range of everyday objects which are considered levers.
Following the Power Point Presentation, the teacher will explain the goals for the in-class Activity.
• The goal today is to explain to the class how to use simple machines themselves, as they saw in the film. The students will begin with levers.
• There are four stations. (Station 1, Station 2, Station 3, and Station 4 (AKA “Hands on” station).
• Station one, two, and 3 contain levers. The levers are paint sticks on fulcrums (PVC pipe) with a small cup on the effort side of the lever. The load side of each lever has 5 nickels glued to it, making the load equal for all three levers. The fulcrums, however, are placed at different distances from the load.
• Before they begin, there will be a discussion on what the students think will happen. They are to make predictions for all the stations. Which station will require the most effort? The one with the fulcrum closest to the scale? Or the one with the fulcrum further away from the scale? Will they all be the same? Why?
• Students will each get a data sheet and move in groups from station to station, collecting data. Someone will record the number of pennies that it takes for the lever to be balanced at each station.
• The 4th station, the hands-on station, works differently. The accommodated student will spend the most time here and is considered “in-charge” of this station. This station exhibits a two-by-four with a log as a fulcrum. A weight is attached to the load side of the lever. The student(s) must move the fulcrum and see how much force is being used. They will not actually measure the effort needed, but they will be able to “feel” a difference with their hands.
For all of the stations-
Label the load side of the lever.
2. Label the other side indicating it is the effort side.
3. Put the fulcrum in various places and label it.
4. Put a load (pennies) in the cup
5. Apply a force by putting pennies at the effort end of the lever. Add enough weights to lift the load. If the load starts to lift, but then drops back, try adding 1 or 2 pennies to the force. The pennies help to make up for the fact that we can’t put the weights and fulcrum in exactly the right places.
6. Record the number of pennies you need to lift the load.
7. Repeat this for all of the stations
8. Plot your data on the worksheet.
After each simple machine lesson, they will draw the simple machine on the top half of the page and write beneath the picture what it is used for and give an example. The students will start with levers. The intellectually challenged student will be given flash cards to use for every simple machine and a drawing to copy their picture from. The one-on-one and teacher will help draw this and help explain.
The ID Child’s Lever
While the other students are drawing, the ID child’s job is to tell us where the fulcrum, the load and the resistance(effort) side are.
Find
Fulcrum
Resistance
Effort
When Bob has found each, he makes a check mark by the one he has found. His one-on-one and teacher will assist him with this.
Bob’s Homework
Have Bob and his parents or caretakers help him find these object at home.
A can opener (that’s a lever)
A hammer
Illinois State Board of Education; Educational Standards
11.A.2a Formulate questions on a specific science topic and choose the steps needed to answer the questions.
11.A.2b Collect data for investigations using scientific process skills including observing, estimating and measuring.
11.A.2c Construct charts and visualizations to display data.
11.A.2d Use data to produce reasonable explanations.
11.A.2e Report and display the results of individual and group investigations.
11.B.2a Identify a design problem and propose possible solutions.
11.B.2b Develop a plan, design and procedure to address the problem identifying constraints (e.g., time, materials, technology).
11.B.2d Test the prototype using suitable instruments, techniques and quantitative measurements to record data.
12.D.2b Demonstrate and explain ways that forces cause actions and reactions (e.g., magnets attracting and repelling; objects falling, rolling and bouncing).
13.A.2a Demonstrate ways to avoid injury when conducting science activities (e.g., wearing goggles, fire extinguisher use).
13.B.2a Explain how technology is used in science for a variety of purposes (e.g., sample collection, storage and treatment; measurement; data collection, storage and retrieval; communication of information).
13.B.2c Identify and explain ways that science and technology influence the lives and careers of people.
IEP Standards – Additional Standards For Student with Downs Syndrome
1A.2b. Describe and demonstrate ways to express emotions in a socially acceptable manner.
2A.2a. Identify verbal, physical, and situational cues that indicate how others may feel.
2B.2b. Demonstrate how to work effectively with those who are different from oneself.
2C.1b. Demonstrate appropriate social and classroom behavior.
3B.1b. Make positive choices when interacting with classmates.
3C.1a. Identify and perform roles that contribute to one’s classroom.
11.B.2c Build a prototype of the design using available tools and materials.