37

Lesson 37 of 84 ยท Forces

Experimentโญ 30 XPโšก Spark Lab

Simple Machines: The Lever (Part 2)

๐ŸงชLab Brief #37

Simple Machines: The Lever (Part 2).

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).

โšก The twist

Energy never disappears โ€” it just hides somewhere else.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

โšก Static electricity is the same physics as lightning, just smaller.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: which will move faster, and why?

What You'll Learn

Simple machines make work easier by changing the direction or amount of force needed. The six simple machines are lever, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, screw, and wheel and axle.

Key Words

  • speed
  • direction
  • force

Materials Needed

  • marbles
  • paper clips
  • rubber bands
  • blocks

Safety First

  • Be careful with scissors โ€” ask an adult for help if needed.
  • Do not look directly at the sun or bright lights.
  • Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Read about Forces and write down three key facts.

Step 2 โ€” Do

Build a simple motor using a battery, magnet, wire, and paper clip supports. Observe how electromagnetic forces create rotation.

Step 3 โ€” Observe

Compare the before and after states.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Write your conclusion: did the results match your hypothesis? What would you change next time?

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

Which is NOT a simple machine?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

You use this every time you flip a light switch, ride a bike, or kick a ball.

๐Ÿ†

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Time how long a small ball rolls down something, then change the slope and try again.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œShow me something at home that uses this kind of energy.โ€

๐ŸŽฏ

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

๐Ÿ’งShare card

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Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

๐Ÿ–จ๏ธ

Checkout complete lesson on Forces for 4th Grade

Get the full Forces track as a printable PDF โ€” all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

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