The grade 4’s are continuing their study of machines and mechanisms. Today they began an inquiry around levers.
We started out with a question:
Then it was time to investigate. Students followed directions to complete the following experiment:
Students:
- If you had to move a heavy boulder in order to dig a new garden, how would you design your lever? Think about the materials you would use and where you would position the fulcrum.
- If you had to move a pile of stones to put around the edge of your garden, what kind of lever would you use? Would it be the same or different from the lever to move the boulder? Explain.
I would use a shovel. I would use a wood one. I would put the fulcrum at the bottom, close to the boulder. I would use a big bucket for the fulcrum.
I would use a wheelbarrow. It is a different lever than the shovel. The shovel doesn’t have a wheel. The load is more in the middle and the fulcrum is at the end of the lever.
I would use a long lever made out of steel because steel is a much harder material. I would put the fulcrum close to the rock.
I would use a shovel. It would be different.
you can use a clas 3 to move a boulder.
you can use a clas 2 weelbarow you can put the rox in the welbarow.
They are not the same.
1.If I was in a class room I would design my lever with a ruler and as the fulcrum I would use 3 markers to look like a pyramid and use 2 cups at the end of the ruler.
2.it would be the same but a little different.
If I had to move a boulder with a lever I would make it out of wood.The fulcrum would be closer to the load.if I were to move Tiny rocks I would move them with a wheelbarrow because if I could fit all the small rocks in the wheelbarrow.
question 1. I would use a long stable board with a rock as the fulcrum and I would put the fulcrum closer to the load.
question 2. i would use a shovel to move all of the tiny rocks because they are not as heavy as the bolder.
1:I would move the boulder with a lever because the might move the boulder for my new garden,I’ll use a class 1 or 3 lever because the it’s shovel,I think.2:I’ll make it a little bit different.
Answer for question # 1 : I would use a log ( kinda small ) and a triangle shaped rock and I would put the log on the triangle shaped rock and roll the boulder on to the log then push on the other end as hard as I can. Answer for question # 2 : I would use a bucket and a shovel because I would scoop up the rocks and put it in the bucket then pour the rocks in to a lake .
1 I would use a class 1 or 3 wever because it’s like a shovel.
2 it will be almost the same but a little bit different.
I would use a wooden plank.The fulcrum would be a rock. I would put it under the middle part of the plank.
To move the stones I would use a shovel. It is the same because the fulcrum is still in the middle of the shovel. My hand is the fulcrum.
1.i would use a shovel for the front to dig and for the center i would use a rock any type of rock for the fulcrum. I would put the rock in the centre.
2. i would use a wheel barrow to move the stones. It is different because the load is on the end of the lever and the load is in the middle.
1. If I had to move a bolder I would put a shovel under the bolder and I would be the effort.
2. I would also use a shovel for the tiny rocks or I could just move them because they are small and not as heavy as the bolder.
I would use a shovel mad out of meta and my fulcrum
would be placed under the load so I can lift the rock
and then I can get a different lever which is a wheelbarrow so I can put the rock in it .I would use a stick instead of a shovel because stick has a stronger load