Science Project: Machine Chart...Levers

Here is the continuation of the Machine Chart that we started for Science last week. The first column is being used for Lever's. We discussed different levers that you see in daily life.....see-saws, etc. We discussed the 3 different parts to a lever: load, fulcrum & force. We also did a mini-experiment with a hammer & nail.

Have your child hammer a nail half-way into a piece of wood. Then let your child try to pull it out with their bare hands...they should not be able to do it. Then using the claw on the hammer to pull it out you can teach them about leverage. The nail is the load (the object being moved), the hammer is the force (being made by pushing down on it), & the fulcrum is where the hammer rests on the piece of wood as you pull out the nail. The hammer should always have contact with the wood as you put force on it...which makes it easier to do. Just a quick example of a lever for your kids.

If you are following along with your own chart write Lever at the top of the first column. Have your child draw a picture of a simple lever (we did the see-saw). Then list anything you see around your home that falls into the Lever category. We listed the hammer & nail, and an arm. An arm uses Lever movements...when you pick up something your elbow acts as the Fulcrum as you pick up your Load.

Then cut out any photos that show Levers & attach to your chart in the Lever column. (Seesaws, hammer & nail, rowboat with oars, arm picking up something).

As you continue your study & discover other Levers, add them to your list & add more photos until your column is full.

Join us next week as we continue our study of simple machines & add new ones to our chart.