SIMPLE MACHINES

LEVER SCREW INCLINED PLANE

WHEEL & AXLE WEDGE PULLEY

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Simple Machines 3
Inclined Plane 5
Lever 8
Pulley 10
Wedge 12
Wheel & Axle 14
Gear 15
Compound Machines 17
Handwriting/Spelling Practice 18
Print 18
Manuscript/D'Nealian-style 20
Cursive 22
Report/Stationery 24
Projects 25
Worksheets & Quizzes 28
Coloring Pages 32
Mazes 48
Links 52
Answer Keys 56

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 SIMPLE MACHINES

Vocabulary to learn:
machine: something that helps people do work
simple machine: a machine with few or no moving parts
force: an action that changes the motion of something
work: when a force is used to move something

Simple machines are tools that help us do work. Simple machines have
few or no moving parts.

lever wheel & axle inclined plane

pulley wedge screw

People use many tools to help them with their work. You could not drive
a nail into a piece of wood using only your hand, so you would use a
hammer. A hammer is a tool. All the tools below are kinds of machines.
There are many different kinds of machines.

hammer saw screwdriver pliers

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Some machines have many moving parts. Other machines have few or
no moving parts; we call them simple machines. Which picture shows a
simple machine?

There are three characteristics of a simple machine. A simple machine

can do three things:

1. change the amount of work

moving a load in a wheelbarrow is much easier than

carrying the load. (lever, wheel & axle)

2. change the speed

shoveling sand, dirt or snow is much faster than digging

with your hands (wedge)

3. change the direction of the force

when you pull the rope of a flagpole down, the flag goes up
(pulley)

Using the example of raising a flag on a flagpole, the use of a pulley

changes the amount of work because climbing the flagpole to bring it
down would take more work. Using a pulley changes the speed by
making it faster to bring the flag down. Pulling on the rope of the pulley
also changes the direction of the force.

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Lever Lever Lever Lever

Screw Screw Screw Screw

Wedge Wedge Wedge

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Pulley Pulley Pulley Pulley

Inclined Plane Inclined Plane

Wheel & Axle Wheel & Axle

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 MATCHING

1. _____ Machines having few or no A. gear

moving parts
2. _____ An action that changes the B. pulley
motion of something
3. _____ When a force is used to move C. wheel & axle
something
4. _____ A ramp which is higher at one D. compound machine
end than at the other
5. _____ A wheel with teeth E. wedge

6. _____ Two inclined planes together F. lever

7. _____ A wheel with a rope around it G. simple machines

8. _____ An inclined plane wrapped H. inclined plane

around a center post
9. _____ A wheel that turns on a center I. screw
post
10._____ Always moves on a fulcrum J. work

11._____ A machine with two or more K. force

simple machines

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Find a rock to use as a fulcrum for the lever.

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