Wheels and Levers

Subject: Science
Grade(s): 4
Unit Focus: Wheels and Levers
Unit Dates: Jan 6- Feb 28, 2020
Teacher: Shalyn Boras
Overview:
Wheels and Levers is a unit designed to introduce students to different types of machinery. A big
emphasis is on simple machinery like wheels, levers, rollers, pulleys, gears, inclined plains and
how they work. Through videos, practice sheets, projects, research, a lapbook and experiments,
students will discover how this machinery can make work and movement easier by changing the
speed or force of movement. The unit will start by exploring each component mentioned above
individually. Once a solid understanding has been built, students will learn how each of these
forms can work together and how they can be combined to form a more complex device.
Students will be formatively assessed throughout the unit by their participation and
contribution to classroom discussion and activities, the clarity and comprehensiveness of their
lapbook, and the information provided in certain practice sheets. Summative assessment will be
in the form of quizzes, and inquiry projects. Differentiation will be available for students that
require it. It may consist of small group or individual instruction, group work, reduced work load,
and modified activities. I will circulate and aid students when they need it and also provide them
with extra activities to develop a stronger understanding of the content if requested.
Rationale:
Simple machinery is used throughout the world on a regular basis. Students themselves
probably see it being used regularly but may be unsure of the purpose or use behind
them. Why use a wheelbarrow when you can just carry the material yourself? Questions
like that one and many more will be asked and answered throughout the unit to help
students first build a basic understanding of simple machinery followed by a more in-
depth understanding of all the components involved. This unit is designed to educate
students on very valuable and necessary tools. It is important to know how things work
in order to know how to fix things. It will also expose them to variety of careers that
utilize these tools and perhaps even ignite an interest for the topic. This unit will
challenge students minds and teach them valuable skills like problem solving and critical
thinking. This unit was also created to serve as a stepping stone into the following unit
and will continually be referenced throughout student’s grade school career.

Objectives / Learner Outcomes:

4–6 Demonstrate a practical understanding of wheels, gears and levers by
constructing devices in which energy is transferred to produce motion.
Students will
1. Explain how rollers can be used to move an object and demonstrate the use of rollers in a
practical situation.
2. Compare the wheel and the roller and identify examples where each are used.
3. Construct devices that use wheels and axles, and demonstrate and describe their use in:
•model vehicles
• pulley systems
• gear systems.
4. Construct and explain the operation of a drive system that uses one or more of the following:
• wheel-to-wheel contact
• a belt or elastic
• a chain
• cogs or gears.
5. Construct and explain the operation of a drive system that transfers motion from one shaft to a
second shaft, where the second shaft is:
• parallel to the first
• at a 90° angle to the first.
6. Demonstrate ways to use a lever that:
• applies a small force to create a large force
• applies a small movement to create a large movement.
7. Predict how changes in the size of a lever or the position of the fulcrum will affect the forces and
movements involved.
8. Construct models of levers; and explain how levers are involved in such devices as: teetertotters,
scissors, pliers, pry bars, tongs, nutcrackers, fishing rods, wheelbarrows.
Key Teaching and Learning Activities:
Glossary
 Ongoing
Main Concepts
 Rollers
  Wheels and Axels
 Pulleys
 Drive System: including gears
 Levers
 Inclined Planes
Main Activities
 Experiments
 Compare and Contrast
 Practice Sheets
 Songs
 Videos
 Centres
 Lap Book
Resources: Planning for Assessment and Evaluation:
Program of Studies Diversity: Formative
Small group  Participation and
 https://education.alberta.ca/media/159
instruction Contribution to Class
711/elemsci.pdf
 Read questions Activities and Discussion
Ideas
to them  Clarity and
 http://slallison.weebly.com/uploads/4/6/9/  Scribe for them Comprehensiveness of Lap
9/4699028/grade4wheelslevers.pdf  Provide extra Book
explanation  Practice Sheets
 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Pro Modified Summative
duct/Wheels-and-Levers-Lapbook-3390206 questions and  Quizzes
activities  Projects
 Reduce
quantity of
work and level
of difficulty

Assessment/
Teaching and
Planning for Evaluation
Day Outcomes Learning Resources
Diversity (Formative &
Activities
Summative)
1 6. Demonstrate  Intro to unit  Slideshow  Partner Formative:
ways to use a  Work and Force  Video work Participation
lever that:  Video https://www.youtube  Small group and
• applies a small  Vocabulary: .com/watch? instruction Contribution to
force to create a work, force, v=WSY4HzWZIlo Discussion and
large force energy  Vocabulary Cards Activities
• applies a small  Types of  Balls
movement to
Movement  Heavy & Light
create a large
Activity Object
 movement.

 Introduces  Simple  Slideshow  Small group Formative:

2 and Machines  Vocab cards instruction  Participatio
incorporates Overview  Anchor chart (or  Reduced n and
multiple  Vocabulary: similar) work load Contributio
objectives for simple  Handout n to
the unit. machine,  Lap Book Discussion
compound and
machine, load Activities
 Anchor Chart  Simple
3
Activity Facts
 Simple Facts Practice
Practice Sheets Sheet
 Prepare
Lapbook
5. Construct and  Inclined Plane  Slideshow  Small group Formative:
explain the  Vocab: Inclined  Vocab Cards instruction  Participatio
operation of a Plane, Surface  Handout  Scribe for n and
drive system that  Moving on an  Lapbook students if Contributio
transfers motion Inclined Plane required n to
from one shaft to a Activity Discussion
second shaft,  Lap Book and
where the second Activities
4 shaft is:  Lap Book
• parallel to the Summative:
first  Moving on
• at a 90° angle to an Inclined
the first. Plane
Activity

 Lever  Slide show  Small group Formative:

5  Vocab Cards instruction
 6. Demonstrate  Vocab: Lever,  Video:  Reduced  Participatio
ways to use a lever Fulcrum, https://www.you work load n and
that: Leverage, Force tube.com/watch Contributio
• applies a small  Video ?v=lueqE0lxLyc n to
force to create a  3 Classes of  Handout Discussion
large force Levers Class  Lap book and Class
• applies a small Activity Activities
movement to  Lapbook  Lapbook
create a large  3 Classes of
6 movement. Levers
7. Predict how Activity
changes in the size
of a lever or the
position of the
fulcrum will affect
the forces and
movements
involved.

8. Construct  Build Your Own  Slideshow  Small group Formative:

models of levers; Lever Project  Materials for instruction  Participatio
and explain how  Lap Book Levers  Partner n and
levers are involved  Lap Book work Contributio
in such devices as:  Scribe for n to
teetertotters, students if Classroom
scissors, pliers, pry require Activities
7 bars, tongs, and
 Reduced
nutcrackers, work load Discussion
fishing rods,  Lap Book
wheelbarrows. Summative:
 Build your
Own Lever
Project
1. Explain how  Rollers  Slideshow  Small group Formative:
rollers can be used  Sand  Vocab Card instruction  Participatio
to move an object Experiment  Bucket with Sand  Scribe for n in
8 and demonstrate  Rollers students if Discussion
the use of rollers in  Handout necessary and
a practical Activities
situation.
9 3. Construct  Wheel and  Slideshow  Small group Formative:
devices that use Axels  Vocabulary cards instruction
 wheels and axles,  Vocab: wheel  Video:  Partner  Participatio
and demonstrate and axel https://www.you work n in
and describe their  Video tube.com/watch Discussion
use in:  Model of a ?v=q7c2j2MzD_E and
•model vehicles Wheel and Axle  Materials or cut Activities
• pulley systems Activity out’s for activity  Model of
• gear systems.  Racing Wheel Wheel and
10 Axle
and Axel
Activity Activity
Summative:
 Racing
Wheel and
Axel
Activity
2. Compare the  Wheels vs.  Slideshow  Small group Formative:
wheel and the Rollers  Lap Book instruction  Participatio
roller and identify  Lap Book  Handouts  Scribe for n and
examples where students Contributio
each are used. n to
11 Classroom
Activities
and
Discussion
 Lap Book
3. Construct  Pulley  Slideshow  Discussion Formative:
devices that use  Vocab: Pulley,  Classroom  Group work  Participatio
wheels and axles, Load, Groove Material (e.g. n and
and demonstrate  Build a Pulley chairs, broom, Contributio
and describe their System Class rope) n to
use in: Activity  Vocab Cards Classroom
12 •model vehicles Activities
• pulley systems and
• gear systems. Discussion

13 4. Construct and  My Invention  Slideshow  Group/Part Formative:

explain the Project ner work
 operation of a  Instructions and  Small group  Participatio
drive system that Rubric instruction n and
uses one or more  Exemplar  Teacher Contributio
of the following:  Possible assistance n to
• wheel-to-wheel Materials Classroom
contact Discussion
• a belt or elastic and Activity
14 • a chain Summative
• cogs or gears.  My
Invention
Project

FLEX PERIOD: Opportunity to catch up and finish assignments from previous lessons.
15
All of the above  Review  Slideshow  Small Formative:
 Centres (?)  Study Guide Group  Teacher will
 Games Checklist Instruction circulate
 Practice Sheets  Materials for  Partner or and
Centres Group work formatively
16  Modified assess
games or students
activities work and
assist
where
needed
UNIT QUIZ
17