Teach background knowledge on levers, pulleys, inclined planes, screws, wedges, wheels, and axles with these ready-to-use activities. Everything you need to teach the basics of simple machines is ready with just a few moments of prep.

This resource is part of our Simple Machines Unit.

This engaging resource includes:

• lessons about simple machines (screw, lever, pulley, wheel & axle, wedge, and inclined plane), classes of levers, types of pulleys, wheels versus rollers, basic drive systems, types of gears, and forces (contact and non-contact).
• six complete lesson plans with suggestions for differentiation.
• opportunities to explore, create, and collaborate.
• student pages and templates in various versions to make differentiation easier.
• notebook templates are included for each lesson so your students can build a resource guide. These have variations so you can easily differentiate for your students including a version that does not require cutting and pasting.
• background information for teachers.
• assessment options.
• answer keys and suggested answers.
• photographs of completed student examples.
• opportunities to extend learning.
• Canadian spellings and metric measurements.
• ideas for how to use this resource in the classroom, online, or a mix.
• a digital version of all the student pages that use Google Slides. You must download the PDF file and use the access link in the file to get your digital copy.

None of these lessons require extra building materials. They are designed to provide students with background information. They will create everything with paper or digitally.

This resource supports science concepts from these provinces and territories:

• Saskatchewan: FM5.1 Analyze the effects of...mechanical forces... Grade 4
• British Columbia and Yukon Territory: Simple Machines and their Forces Grade 5
• Northwest Territories: Pulleys and Gears Grade 4
• Manitoba: Forces and Simple Machines Grade 5
• any upper elementary or middle school science unit about simple machines

Do you teach science in Alberta? We have science plans for you!

• Learn how we're adjusting resources to align with the new science curriculum in Alberta.
• Grade 3 Full Year of Lessons and Activities
• Grade 4 Full Year of Lessons and Activities
• Grade 5 Full Year of Lessons and Activities
• Grade 6 Full Year of Lessons and Activities

Do you teach science in Canada? These units might be helpful:

• Waste in Our World Unit
• Light Science Unit
• Plant Growth Unit
• Simple Machines Unit
• Weather Unit
• Wetland Ecosystems Unit
• Electricity and Magnetism Unit
• Chemistry Unit
• Astronomy Unit
• Human Body Systems Unit

FOLLOW US TO GET THE LATEST!

Please let us know how this resource works for you by rating it or providing comments. You'll get TpT credits to use toward future purchases.

Find us on social media: Instagram, Facebook or our website.

What our ninjas have said about this resource:

***Enjoyable hands on note taking for students. (Thank you Alicia H!)

***I really liked the foldable notes for levers and pulleys, it was great for my fourth graders to have the information in their notebook in a more engaging way. (Thank you Kristen N!)

***Great! Thank you. I really like the notebook style science products in your store. (Thank you Megan's Creative Classroom!)

Thank you for your consideration! Happy learning about simple machines from the Brain Ninjas!