Task 1

WORKSHEET

Materials and tools for a working group:

worksheet

A teacher can begin this set of tasks by discussing how a person is moving objects during various activities. From very simple movements, such as writing, to very demanding movements of objects, which are often seen in the construction of large buildings. Man often helps to move and carry objects using different machines. The machines can be driven in various ways, such as gasoline, diesel, electricity, gas, but they are also those that require no fuel (they are powered by human power and fuel is human food) and yet make it easier for a person to work.

To make entry into simple machines more interesting for pupils and to benefit from previous experiences and intuitive solutions, the teacher will set the pupils a task in which they have propose how to carry an old washing machine down the stairs and how to bring the new up the stairs. Various tools, but not power tools, can be used to facilitate this operation. It is advisable if the teacher leads them to try to figure out a way to make it easier for them to transfer their washing machines and only require items that can be found at home or in the garden or in the home workshop.

Pupils have a lot of experience in using different simple machines at this age and often use them very intuitively and correctly even though they have no systematic knowledge of them. Therefore, it is interesting to observe how they deal with this task. Based on the suggested solutions, the teacher can find out which simple machines pupils have experience with. Usually it is a wheel and an axis and an inclined plane. After the proposals are made, they are presented to other groups. Together, they assess the feasibility of the proposed solutions and conclude which proposal is likely to require the least effort. At the end of the discussion, the teacher points out that they are thinking just how best to move the washing machine and suggest that they try it out. However, in order not to carry such heavy loads, they will try it with smaller items. The purpose of their further research will be to find out which of the proposed practices actually make it easier for people to work. But first, they need to figure out how to measure the force that needs to be used to lift, pull, or print. The teacher leads them to solve the second task.