Grade 5, 90 minutes
September - June

Students engage in discovery activities to understand how the wheel and axle, inclined plane, pulley, and lever are used to make work easier. Students also use wood-working tools to discover the simple machines that are "hidden" in everyday objects.

The Simple Machines program includes a tour of the Museum exhibits to identify how simple machines have been applied to different mechanisms. Students will also be divided into small groups to visit discovery stations and complete tasks featuring the four simple machines. Students will have an opportunity to participate in all components of the program.

Through the Simple Machines program, students will:

• Identify machines that have been used in the past and that have developed over time.
• Use simple machines to identify the effort and load required to move objects.
• Explore the use of the wheel and axle, lever, pulley and inclined plane in moving objects and making work easier.
• Discover how simple machines are incorporated into common hand tools, and how they work.

This program supports curriculum outcomes for Grade 5 Science, Physical Science: Forces and Simple Machines.

Program timeline – Simple Machines

• Arrival, bathrooms, hang up coats
• 5 minutes: Welcome, and introduction
• 10 minutes: Survey of the Simple machines
• 35 minutes: Tour of Museum exhibits
• 35 minutes: Discovery stations
• 5 minutes: Conclusion, and dismiss
  

Contact the Museum’s Programming Department for more information
Phone: (902) 755-5425 gov.ns.ca