... using Simple Machines

In the city of Miami and maybe around your house, you may see or use simple machines.  They make doing work much, much easier.  Some of the simple machines that are being used for our construction project are the pulley and the wheel and axle.  Using simple machines changes the amount of force you use.  It can also change the direction of the force.

Can you think of other simple machines that are used around your house or school?

Hey kids, how about making your own pulley?  Click here to see a fun activity you can do at home.  Remember to ask your parents to help you.

To learn more about simple machines please visit these websites:

•  http://sln.fi.edu/qa97/spotlight3/spotlight3.html  - more information about simple machines

• http://www.mikids.com/Smachines.htm - real life examples

• http://42explore.com/smplmac.htm - experiment, explore

• http://www.kidskonnect.com/SimpleMachines/SimpleMachinesHome.html  - simple machines

• http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/LeosMysteriousMachinery.html - inventor's imagination

• http://home.earthlink.net/~kandyhig/sm/ - projects, puzzles, cool stuff!

Here is a list of books about simple machines:

• The Macmillian Book of How Things Work by Michael Folsom & Marcia Folsom

• Sailboats, Flagpoles, Cranes -

• Janice VanCleave's Machines Spectacular Science Projects

• Machines and How They Work - by Thomas Y. Crowell

• Up Goes the Skyscrapper - by Gail Gibbons

• Community Helpers Construction Workers - by Tani Deedrick

• How Things Work: Cranes, Dump Trucks, Bulldozers & Other Building Machines - by Terry Jennings