LessonPlans
Teacher:HighSchoolPhysicalScience Grade:
9th
CurricularAreas/s:Simplemachinesandmechanicaladvantages
Standard/s:Understandandapplyknowledgeofmotionsandforces
Objectschangetheirmotiononlywhenanetforceisapplied.Lawsofmotion
areusedtocalculatepreciselytheeffectsofforcesonthemotionofobjects.
LessonObjective/s:
 Studentswillbeabletocorrectlyidentifydifferentsimplemachines
 Studentswillunderstandhowmachineschangetheforcesandmakework
easier
Materials:WindmillDiagram,SimpleMachineChart,Follow‐upWorksheet
Instruction/Modeling/CheckingforUnderstanding:
Pretrip:Makesurethisfieldtripfollowsalessononsimplemachinesand
mechanicaladvantage.
Studentsshouldgointhevideoviewingroomandhearapresentationon
howthewindmillworkswiththediagramontheinnerpartsintheroom.Besure
thespeakerbringsupthefactthatforeveryoneturnofthewindmill,thegrinding
stoneturnsninetimes.Makesureanyquestionsthestudentshaveareansweredat
thispoint.
GuidedPractice:Reviewofsimplemachines.
Bringthestudentsintothebottomfloorofthewindmillandstopatthewall
oftools.Reviewthesixtypesofsimplemachinesaskingthestudentstopointoutan
exampleofeach.Examples:Pulley‐tapemeasure,Lever‐hammer,screw‐drill,
wedge‐saw,wheel&axle‐dolly,&Inclineplane‐stairs(Thisoneisahardoneand
therearenotverymany.)
Closure/Evaluation/Assessment:SimpleMachineChart
Explaintothestudentsthattheyaregoingtobewalkingthroughthewindmill
andlearnhowitoperates.Theyneedtoidentifyasmanydifferentsimplemachines
thattheyseeduringthistourandwritethemdownonthesimplemachinechart.
Theycanusethediagramofthewindmillasareferenceforspecificnamesofparts.
Walkthestudentsthroughthewindmillstartingatthetopshowingthemhowit
works,havingthemfilloutthechartastheygo.Stopateachfloorandreviewthe
differentsimplemachinestocheckforunderstanding.
SimpleMachinesinthewindmill
Topfloor:
Wheel&Axle
 Showthemhowthecaprotatessotheshuttersfacethewind
 Thebrakewheel,windshaftwallower,andcountershaft
 Thewheelonthefrictionpulley
Lever
 Thefrictionpulleyropesystem
 Thebrakewheel&brake
Pulley
 Thefrictionpulleysystem
 Thepulleyinthecapthatrunstheshuttercontrolassembly
Wedge
 Nailsinthefloors
Screw
 Nuts&boltsholdingeverythingtogether
Inclineplane
 Thestairs
3rdfloor:
Wheel&Axle
 Spurwheel,gearandguantshaft
Lever
 Hingesonthetrapdoor
 Pressontheworkbench
Pulley
 None
Wedge
 Nailsinthefloors
Screw
 Nuts&boltsholdingeverythingtogether
 Pressontheworkbench
Inclineplane
 Thestairs
nd
2 floor:
Wheel&Axle
 Guantshaft&Runnerstone
 Thebedstonegrabber
Lever
 Thebedstonegrabber
 Stonetensionlever
Pulley
 Theropethatcontrolstheamountofgrainthatpoursout
Wedge
 Thebedstonegroovesthatcutthegrain
 Thegrainscoop
 Nailsinthefloors
Screw
 Thebedstonegrabber
 Nuts&boltsholdingeverythingtogether
Inclineplane
 Thegrainhopper
 Thestairs
Outside:
Wheel&Axle
 Thefailtailassembly
Lever
 Theshuttercontrolrodonthestocks
 Theshutteropeningandclosing
Pulley
 Theweightcontroltoopenshutters
Wedge
 Theshutters
Screw
 Nuts&boltsholdingeverythingtogether
Inclineplane
 Theshutters
 Thestairs
1stfloor:
Wheel&Axle
 Lever
 thestonetensionleversystem
 Grainbagholder
Pulley
 none
Wedge
 Theflourchutestopper
 Nailsinthefloors
Screw
 Nuts&boltsholdingeverythingtogether
Inclineplane
 Flourchute
 Thestairs
IndependentPractice:Follow‐upWorksheet
Havestudentsfilloutthefollow‐upworksheetthenextdayinclassandgo
overtheanswerstogether.
Activities/ExtensionofLesson:
Havethestudentsfigureoutthemechanicaladvantageofthewindmillusing
thestatisticthatforoneturnofthewindmill,thegrindingstoneturnsninetimes.
Answers:tothefollow‐upworksheet
1) Manysimplemachinesareneededandworktogethertomakethewindmill
abletogrindgrain.
2) Thebedstonegrabberhelpsliftthebedstone.
Thecaprotatingsystemandfantailturntheshuttersintothewind.
Thestockandgearsconnectedtoitturnwhenthewindhitthem.
Theleversystemadjuststhecoarsenessofthegrain.
Thefrictionpulleygrainhoistsystem‐liftsthegrainuptothegrindstone
3) Thedifferenceinsizeofthegearsincreasesthemechanicaladvantageor
workthatcanbedone.Inoneturnofalargegear,thesmallgearconnected
willturnmoretimesbecauseithasamuchsmallercircumference.
4) Thedifferenceinthesizeofgearsincreasesthemechanicaladvantage9
times.
5) Studentopenresponse.
Name:____________________________________
WindmillFollowupQuestions
1. Howmanydifferentsimplemachineswerenecessarytoturnwindenergyinto
powertorunthegrainmill?Explainyouranswer
2. Listthedifferentcompoundmachinesthatmakeupthewindmillandtheir
purposesintheoperationofthegrainmill.
3. Whyweresomeofthegearsreallybigwhileothersweresmall.(Hint:Thinkin
termsofmechanicaladvantage)
4. Foreveryturnofthewindmill,thegrindingstoneturnsninetimesexplainwhy.
5. Whatdidyoulearnfromthisfieldtripanddoyouthinkitincreasedyour
understandingofsimplemachinesandenergy?
WindmillSimpleMachineChart
Name:________________________________________________
Writedownanysimplemachinesyousee,aswellastheirlocationorfloor,duringyourtourofthewindmillinthecorrectcolumn.
InclinePlane
Example:
Stairsonallfloors
Wheel&Axle
Wedge
Lever
Screw
Pulley
WindmillSimpleMachineChart
Name:________________________________________________