LESSON PLAN 16 _ SIMPLE MACHINE _ SCIENCE _ B.ED (HONS) PART 2 SEMESTER 3

 

Lesson Plan — Grade 5 Science — Simple Machines

Grade: 5
Subject: Science
Student-Teacher Name: Bharat Kumar
Co-operative Teacher: Sir Jeetendar Maheshwari
Time: 30–40 minutes
School: Govt. Boys Primary School, Dharmani Colony, Mithi
Topic: Simple Machines

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Define what a simple machine is: a device that helps make work easier by changing the direction or magnitude of a force. 

2. Identify the six common types of simple machines: lever, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, screw, and wheel & axle. 

3. Explain, in simple terms, how each type helps reduce effort or make a task easier. (E.g., lever: lifts things; pulley: changes direction; ramp: reduces force) 

4. Give real-life examples of simple machines in everyday life.

5. Appreciate the advantage of using simple machines: less force, work easier, or change direction of effort.

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Materials / Resources

• Pictures / flashcards of the six simple machines (lever, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, screw, wheel & axle)

• Real or model objects, if possible (e.g., a small toy lever, pulley, ramp)

• Whiteboard or chart paper + markers

• Worksheet (see below)

•  Video on simple machines — for example, from Oak National Academy. 

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Lesson Procedure

1. Introduction / Warm-Up (5 min)

   • Greet students. Ask: “Have you ever used a tool that made work easier ‒ like a seesaw, ramp, or a pulley?”

   • Explain: “These are simple machines ‒ they help us do work more easily.”

   • Show a couple of pictures / flashcards of simple machines to hook their interest.

2. Teaching / Presentation (10 min)

   • Define simple machine: a device with few or no moving parts that helps us do work. 

   • Introduce the six types:

     1. Lever — a rigid bar that pivots around a point (fulcrum). 

     2. Pulley — a wheel with a rope that can change direction of force. 

     3. Wheel & Axle — a large wheel attached to a rod (axle). 

     4. Inclined Plane — a sloped surface or ramp. 

     5. Wedge — two inclined planes joined, used to split or cut.

     6. Screw — an inclined plane wrapped around a rod. 

   • Explain how these machines make work easier: reduce force needed, change direction, or spread work over distance.

   • Give simple real-life examples for each:

     • Lever: seesaw, bottle opener 

     • Pulley: flagpole 

     • Ramp: wheelchair ramp / sloping road 

     • Wedge: axe, knife 

     • Screw: jar lid / screw in wood 

     • Wheel & axle: doorknob, steering wheel 

3. Demonstration / Hands-On (8 min)

   • Use available objects or models (or draw) to demonstrate:

     • Show a lever in action with a ruler or stick on a pencil (fulcrum).

     • Use a small rope & pulley (if available) or simulate pulling something up.

     • Use a book + board as a ramp (inclined plane) to slide something.

   • Ask students to observe and comment: “How does the machine help make the work easier?”

4. Group Activity / Practice (8 min)

   • Divide students into small groups (3-4).

   • Give each group a set of pictures / cards of everyday tools / machines. Ask them to sort which simple machine each is and explain why.

   • Examples: scissors (lever), wheelbarrow (wheel & axle), ramp (inclined plane), wrench (lever), screw (screw), knife (wedge).

5. Worksheet / Written Practice (5 min)

   • Distribute the worksheet (see below). Let students fill it out individually or in pairs.

6. Reflection / Consolidation (3 min)

   • Ask: “Which simple machine do you think is most useful in daily life? Why?”

   • Recap: Simple machines help us do work more easily by reducing force, changing direction, or making tasks faster.

7. Homework / Follow-Up

• Ask students to look around their home or school and find 3 objects that are simple machines. They should draw them (or write their names) and say which type of simple machine each is, and how it helps.

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Worksheet: Simple Machines (Grade 5)

A. Fill in the Blanks

1. A lever has a point called a _______.

2. A pulley uses a _______ wrapped around a wheel.

3. An inclined plane is a ______________ surface.

4. A wedge is like ___________ joined together.

5. A screw is a ___________ plane wrapped around a rod.

6. In a wheel and axle, the small rod in the middle is called the _______.

B. Match the Simple Machine to Its Example
Draw a line to match:

Simple Machine	Example
Lever	Scissors / See-saw
Pulley	Flagpole / Crane rope
Inclined Plane	Ramp / Slide
Wedge	Knife / Axe
Screw	Jar lid / Screw bolt
Wheel & Axle	Doorknob / Bicycle wheel

C. True or False
Write T for True and F for False:

1. Simple machines always make work harder. ( )

2. A ramp helps by reducing the effort needed to lift things. ( )

3. A pulley can change the direction of the force you apply. ( )

4. A screw is NOT a kind of simple machine. ( )

D. Short Answer

1. Why do people use simple machines?

2. Give one example of a simple machine at school and say which type it is.

3. How does using a lever help you lift heavy things?

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Five Activity Ideas for Teaching Simple Machines

1. Build-Your-Own Simple Machine

   • Provide students with craft materials (cardboard, string, wheels, sticks) and ask them to build a simple machine (lever, pulley, ramp). Then, they show how it works and explain which type it is.

2. Simple Machine Scavenger Hunt

   • Ask students (in class or as homework) to find examples of simple machines around them (home, school) and list / draw them, naming the type and explaining how it helps.

3. Mechanical Advantage Challenge

   • Demonstrate with a lever: use a board and a fulcrum (pencil). Let students test lifting different weights by changing the position of the fulcrum. Discuss: “Why is it easier when the fulcrum is closer to the load?”

4. Role Play

   • Students act as a “machine”: one student is the lever, another is the fulcrum, one is the load, another the effort. They physically mimic how a lever works.

5. Simple Machine Quiz Game

   • Use flashcards with names / pictures of simple machines and their uses. Call out a use or name, students pick the correct card. Or do a “Which machine is this?” quiz on the board.

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