Simple Machine Scavenger Hunt

For the last week we have been studying simple machines.  

As a class, we discussed what simple meant and then what a machine was.  We wrote them up on the board then watched the brainpop jr. on simple machines.  After we watched it we discussed their new findings and they began to notice simple machines in our class and outside school connections.

I had students put together these mini-books--- which who knew cutting and folding could be so difficult.  Here these kids can make book trailers practically in their sleep and yet the act of cutting a horizontal line almost cost me my salvation.  

Mini Book Freebie-- Click here!  

I once again hit up the librarian and we did a gallery walk around the room for them to first read and investigate what simple machines are.  They had to write what/how that specific simple machine did for us and draw pictures of examples.  We did the first as a class, then I put on the timer, music, and let them go!  Each of the 5 stations had different books or print outs about that specific simple machine.

We came back to the carpet and they shared with 2 partners what they learned. As a class we shared out our definitions for each simple machine.

  I then told them to get their jackets, clipboards, mini-book, and a pencil because we were going on a scavenger hunt.  We walked around the school and took pictures on the iPads of simple machines that we found.  In their mini booklets they wrote examples in the boxes of what they found.  If they ran out of space (which many did) they wrote them on the back.  They were simple astounded how many machines they use every day!

Lever, Wheel & Axle, Wedge, Pulley

Wheel & Axle, Lever

Wedge

Incline Plane(s)

Screw

Pulley

The next day, we used the educreations app, which is like an interactive whiteboard to circle the simple machine(s), name it, and state why.  The kids loved taking turns to record, draw, and write on the iPad.  I love them explaining why they know what they know! 

You could use the app and a scavenger hunt for- shapes, solids, letters, angles.