STEM throughout the year- Unit 8 Simple Machines

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. (This acronym can also be spelled “STEAM” in which the “A” stands for art.)

This packet is full of fun, hands-on, innovative STEM activities that your preschool, kindergarten, and first grade students are sure to love.

Why STEM?
As educators we are tasked with preparing the next generation for jobs that may not even be created yet. Students need to be able to work collaboratively with their peers and be able to problem solve. STEM offers students the opportunity to work on these skills.

STEM provides students with open-ended activities where they can go through the process of defining a problem, brainstorming a possible solution, planning, creating, and improving on their plan. This process helps prepare our students for their futures in fun and innovative ways.

How Does This Packet Work?
This packet is part eight of a ten part series. Each unit is meant to span over the course of an entire month. Therefore, students can revisit the activities and improve upon their thoughts/plan. (These activities can also stand alone.)

This packet is geared to help students think as environmental, civil, and electrical engineers. Through a series of challenges, students will learn about simple machines. They will use problem solving skills to create catapults, wells, and a water wheel.

Students will explore the designs and uses of simple machines.

Activities:
1. Last month students worked on understanding force and motion. In this challenge they will use what they learned to explore how angles and force affect their catapults.

2. Students explore the benefits of a pulley system. After listening to the story of Rapunzel, students will attempt to create a pulley to help get her out of her tower.

3. Students will explore wheels and axels. Students will use their knowledge of how wheels and axels work to create a working well out of recycled materials.

4. In small groups students will use what they have learned about simple machines to create a water wheel.

Task: In the Finger Lakes region of New York there are many beautiful waterfalls. The town of Watkins Glen has decided that they would love to build a water wheel to create a source of reusable energy. They need your help to design a working water wheel to help the town “go green.” Good luck!

In this packet you will find fully written out lesson plans, posters, activities, recording pages, and extensions to use during an entire month. These activities are perfect for fun Friday experiments, STEM labs, and science and art extensions.

Please look at the preview to get a better understanding of how this pack is set up and what is included. Your students will LOVE these lessons and activities.