Simple Machines Webquest

Simple Machines Webquest
Chimacum Elementary School

Created by Al Gonzalez
Chimacum, WA
Last updated on Saturday, January 13, 2024

Intro || Task || Process || Resources || Evaluation || Conclusion

Introduction: Congratulations! Your class has been selected to create an exhibit on the six simple machines for the British Museum of History in London, England. There will be six rooms and your task is to create an exhibit for each room for each of the six simple machines and present your ideas to the board of directors as to what you want to include in your room. The purpose of this exhibit is to teach those that visit about each specific simple machine, its history (when and where it was invented and how it was used), and how your simple machine makes work easier.

Picture used with permission from The Franklin Institute Resources for Science Learning.

Google Maps image of the entrance to the British Museum in London.

Your Task: Your task is to create a Multimedia presentation for the board of directors displaying the following five points:

Describe when each machine was first invented or used.
Include anyone who is credited with each machine's invention or first use.
Describe the use of each machine throughout history.
Include specific examples on how each machine makes work easier.
And finally, design an exhibit to share what you've learned with visitors of the British Museum.

Process:

Step 1: Start by learning about the six simple machines and their history. Use the websites in the Resources section. Find information about each simple machine, each simple machine's history including who is credited with its invention or use, and how your simple machine makes work easier.

Step 2:
Next, use this blank timeline sheet to take notes on the history of each machine. Include dates and what happened at each date with each simple machine like when it was first used, what it was used for, who made it famous, etc.

Use this sheet for taking notes on all six simple machines. Highest ranking team members can share the document so all team members can participate.

Read about summarizing vs paraphrasing to help you take notes. (Use the Back button on the top left to return to this page.)

Step 3:
Once you are done taking notes you will create a exhibits for each simple machine! Using all your different notes, decide how best to share your exhibits (remember the Demonstration of Learning Choice Board for ideas). The presentation will be viewed by the museum board of directors. After viewing all the proposals, the board will choose the winning idea for their exhibits.

Along with a title and closing, your exhibit presentation will include details of the history of each simple machine, how each simple machine is used, and how each simple machine makes work easier for us (this is the physics part of this activity). Include a list of artifacts needed for your exhibit.

Step 4:
When your presentation is complete go to the Evaluation section of this webquest and score yourselves on how well you conducted the research, score your presentation using a Google Slides Rubric (it's still useful for making good presentations), and finally score how you each individually contributed to getting this project done.

Use the following Science Article Writing Chatbot for help writing your final copy

Resources:

The six simple machines are the wheel and axle, the lever, the inclined plane, the pulley, the screw, and the wedge. These machines are devices with no, or very few, moving parts that make work easier by transferring a force from one place to another, changing the direction of a force, increasing the magnitude of a force, or increasing the distance or speed of a force. They have been used since ancient times and are still in use today in various forms. Consult the Simple Machines AI chatbot if you need help understanding or if you get confused by what you read or watch.

Website Articles:

"6 Simple Machines: Making Work Easier" on LiveScience.
"Engineering: Simple Machines - Lesson" on TeachEngineering.
"Have You Ever Wondered..." on Wonderopolis.
"Simple machine | Definition, Types, Examples, List, & Facts" on Britannica.
"Contrasting student and scientific views" on Education Victoria.

YouTube Videos:

Use the following Science Article Writing Chatbot for help writing your final copy

Thank you to Mrs. Olley for sharing another resource from student volunteer Karissa on Simple Machines in Cars and Trucks - thank you Karissa!

Evaluation:

Rubric:Use the following rubrics to score your final product. Here is a research rubric.

CATEGORY	Excellent 4	Good 3	Needs Improvement 2	Poor 1
Notes	Notes are recorded and organized in an extremely neat and orderly fashion.	Notes are recorded legibly and are somewhat organized.	Notes are recorded.	Notes are recorded only with peer/teacher assistance and reminders.
Internet Use	Successfully uses suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Usually able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Occasionally able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Needs assistance or supervision to use suggested internet links and/or to navigate within these sites.
Quality of Information	Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples.	Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples.	Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given.	Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic.
Amount of Information	All topics are addressed and all questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.	All topics are addressed and most questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.	All topics are addressed, and most questions answered with 1 sentence about each.	One or more topics were not addressed.
Organization	Information is very organized with well-constructed paragraphs and subheadings.	Information is organized with well-constructed paragraphs.	Information is organized, but paragraphs are not well-constructed.	The information is disorganized.

18 to 20 = Excellent researching, 14 to 17 = Good researching, 12 to 13 = Your research needs work, 11 or less = You need to redo your research

Google Slides (really any presentation type) Rubric

SELF EVALUATION:
Answer the following questions:
    •How did you use your class time? Briefly describe your daily activities.
    •How did you work with your team?
        •Did you share information and responsibilities?
        •Describe how you broke up the responsibilities.
    •If you were to do this same project again, what would you do differently? What would make this a more meaningful activity for you?

Rate yourself on the following Teamwork Skills rubric.

CATEGORY	Excellent 4	Good 3	Needs Improvement 2	Poor 1
Contributions	Routinely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A definite leader who contributes a lot of effort.	Usually provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A strong group member who tries hard!	Sometimes provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A satisfactory group member who does what is required.	Rarely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. May refuse to participate.
Quality of Work	Provides work of the highest quality.	Provides high quality work.	Provides work that occasionally needs to be checked/redone by other group members to ensure quality.	Provides work that usually needs to be checked/redone by others to ensure quality.
Time-management	Routinely uses time well throughout the project to ensure things get done on time. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's procrastination.	Usually uses time well throughout the project, but may have procrastinated on one thing. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's procrastination.	Tends to procrastinate, but always gets things done by the deadlines. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's procrastination.	Rarely gets things done by the deadlines AND group has to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's inadequate time management.
Working with Others	Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Tries to keep people working well together.	Usually listens to, shares, with, and supports the efforts of others. Does not cause "waves" in the group.	Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others, but sometimes is not a good team member.	Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Often is not a good team player.
Monitors Group Effectiveness	Routinely monitors the effectiveness of the group, and makes suggestions to make it more effective.	Routinely monitors the effectiveness of the group and works to make the group more effective.	Occasionally monitors the effectiveness of the group and works to make the group more effective.	Rarely monitors the effectiveness of the group and does not work to make it more effective.

18 to 20 = Excellent team member, 14 to 17 = Good team member, 12 to 13 = You need to work on being a better team member, 11 or less = You are a poor team member

Conclusion: Thank you for offering your ideas to the board of directors for a British Museum of History exhibit on simple machines and their history. You helped add to the museum's legacy of expanding our knowledge by learning from the past. Many tourists and visitors to the museum will benefit from your work as they learn more about the physics, history and use of simple machines. Your exhibit might help inspire the next great inventor!