Unit: Pulleys and Gears

Lesson
Topic

Expectations

Grade: 4

Lesson Outline: Learning activities Assessme

and Instructional strategies
nt

What 1.1 Assess the Minds on/hook: the teacher will

Exit Slip:
are impact of pulley set up a complex Rube Golberg
what is
Simple systems and
machine that involves pulleys and force?
Machin gear systems on gears.
What do
es? daily life.
Main point: force- it is a push or a simple
pull and simple machines can
machines
change the strength of that force to do to
make a task easier.
force?
Action- Students will work on
What are
creating/setting up various
some
machines that are preplanned by
examples
the teacher and will be responsible of force
for identifying the changes in force. changing
Consolidation- introduce the
in
culminating task and then complete everyday
exit slip.
life? (The
last
question
serves as
a
diagnostic
assessme
nt.)

How it
relates to
the
culminating
activity
The students
are given an
introduction
on what
force is and
how it can be
adjusted
using simple
machines.
This
understandin
g will be
necessary for
tackling the
design
challenge.
(Culminating
task)

Pulleys 2.2 use scientific Minds on/hook: Bill Nye video on Exit Slip:
inquiry/experim pulleys and how they affect work
How
entation skills to load.
could we
investigate
https://www.youtube.com/watchchange
changes in
?v=9T7tGosXM58
this pulley
force, distance, Main point: more pulleys would
system to
speed, and
require more rope, but this makes make the
direction in
lifting an object easier. Explain basic job even
pulley and gear vocabulary regarding the parts of a easier?
systems
pulley.
Action- Follow the given directions
to construct a simple pulley system
2.4 Use
and perform a basic experiment in
appropriate
groups: lift a heavy object with and
science and
without a pulley system, document
technology
the findings.
vocabulary,
including pulley, Questions to go over during the
gear, force, and action: What made lifting the object
easier/harder?
speed, in oral
What are the types of pulley
and written
communication. systems? What are the parts of
pulleys?
Consolidation- Student will create
an exit slip responding to the
question, What do you think we
could do to make this job even
easier?

Students are
beginning to
learn the
appropriate
terminology
and the
various
aspects of
pulley
systems. This
is also an
introduction
into basic
problem
solving
involving
force.

Gears 1.1 Assess the Minds on/hook- The teacher will Exit Slip: Students
further
impact of pulley bring in an old clock and show this Identify
systems and
video:
the kind of develop their
understandin
gear systems on https://www.youtube.com/watch?
gear
daily life.
v=I1L15xehfEA (the incredibly
system is g of force.
This is also
complicated gear mechanisms in a found on a deepens their
bicycle.
2.2 use scientific watch.) Segway into the types of
understandin
inquiry/experim gear systems and their parts. How What is
g of gear
the driver systems
entation skills to they affect force/make our lives
easier.
and what which will be
investigate
needed for
Main points: gears are used to
is the
changes in
the
transfer
force
from
one
moving
part
load.
force, distance,
culminating
to another.
speed, and
task.
Action- Students will interact with
direction in
pulley and gear various types of gear systems (rack
and pinion, bevel gears etc.) that
systems
have various gear ratios in groups.
They will be responsible for
3.3 describe
how one type of documenting how the gears interact
motion can be with one another ie. Does the
transformed into driver move more or less than the
another type of load? Does the size of the gear
matter? Etc.
motion using
pulleys or gears Consolidation- Lead a discussion
(e.g., rotary to on where gears are found in our
linear in a rack everyday life. Exit slip and/or
closing video:
and pinion
system, rotary video on 11 million to 1 Gear Ratio!:
to oscillating in https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=kYmUJVE6Vo0
a clock
pendulum)

Gears 2.3 Use

and technological
Pulleys problem-solving
skills to design,
build, and test a
pulley or gear
system that
performs a
specific task.

Minds on- The teacher will

Checklist
recreate the Rube Goldberg
: does the
machine from the beginning of the machine
unit, only now the students have a have a
stronger understanding of gears
gear?
and pulleys. The teacher will ask
Pulley?
the class to identify the various
Does it
aspects of the machine (the force, complete
changes in force, gear mechanism a
etc.)
mundane
Action- Students will experiment task?
2.4 Use
with making their own Rube
appropriate
Goldberg machines. The only
science and
requirement is that the machines
technology
must involve some form of pulley
vocabulary,
including pulley, and gear system. Students will work
gear, force, and in groups and will be supplied with
various materials; however they will
speed, in oral
be encouraged to use found
and written
communication. objects.
Consolidation- One representative
3.1 describe the from each group stays with their
purposes of pulley machine and be responsible for
systems and gear readying the machine. The rest of
systems (e.g., to the students will perform a gallery
facilitate changes walk and collect at least 3 possible
in direction,
ideas for their culminating task.
speed, or force)

Students will
see how
gears and
pulleys
(various
simple
machines)
can work in
unison to
create an
even greater
effect on
workload
They are also
building upon
their own
ideas for
creating their
own gear and
pulley
systems.

Exit slip: Students are

Buildin 2.2 use scientific Minds on- the teacher shares
g and inquiry/experim his/her exemplar of the culminating Pick one set gaining an
of
understandin
Followi entation skills to task and identifies its important
instructions
g of following
ng investigate
aspects.
you really procedures
Proced changes in
Action- students will participate in
enjoyed
and
ures force, distance, learning centers that show
and explain gathering
speed, and
instructions (in various forms) for
why.
ideas on how
direction in
simple gear and pulley machines.
instructions
pulley and gear They will be responsible for
can be
systems
following the proper procedures and
presented
which will be
identify the changes in direction
an important
3.2 describe how and force.
aspect of
rotary motion in Consolidation- review culminating
their design
one system or
task and use the ideas collected
challenge.
its components
from the previous lesson to
(e.g., a system of brainstorm ideas for your gear and
pulleys of
pulley system with your group. Exit
different
slip.
sizes) is
transferred to
another system or
component (e.g.,
a system of
various gears) in
the same
structure