I am doing a blog about simple machines because my class is learning about them. Now first let me tell you what a simple machine is. A simple machine is a machine that helps people do things but it does not have an engine so as an example:

I will show a picture then explain how it is a simple machine! Sorry but this picture cannot be seen here but my Mom saw it and its right.

It is a simple machine because, well the metal thing that is labeled "lever" is the simple machine.

It's simple because it has no engine. It helps because instead of the girl trying to lift the big, heavy red rock she is using a tool to lift it! How that works is as you see in the picture..

The girl is pulling down on the top of the lever and then when she does it the rock will start to fly!

I will show you some other types of simple machines!

In this picture (sorry again you cant see it) you can see all the types of simple machines and I will talk about some of them.

-Lever

The simplest of machines is the common lever. A simple log can act to magnify forces and shift objects heavier than the person holding the log.

A lever is a board that rests on a turning part; the turning part is called a fulcrum.

-The pulley

The pulley is made up of a wheel and a piece of rope. The wheel that the pulley is on is called a "groove" the pulley can help people move things. How that can happen is you can get a hook and connect it to a pulley then pick something up with the hook (by moving the pulley) then lift the object up (on the hook) then with a wheel and axle (which is another type of simple machine that I will talk about later) you move the object whereever you want on the hook. Then when you have gotten to the spot you want to put the object you lower down the hook which will make the object drop and if you did it where you wanted then the object should be right in place! BUT…

If you did NOT then you will have to redo that all over again.

-Wheel & axle

Did you know that the wheel and axle is a very popular simple machine but I don't think it is as popular as the lever.

If you are learning about simple machines I will suggest this web sight because it has a quiz and it tells you great information

http://atlantis.coe.uh.edu/archive/science/science_lessons/scienceles1/pulley.htm

Here is a good poem:

The ancient Egyptians were very clever.

They figured out how to use the lever.

They built pyramids with stones that weighed a lot.

Inclined planes helped to move them to the right spot.

Why not use wheels?

I'm not certain.

History sometimes holds mysteries behind a time curtain.

Did the Egyptian invention work out?

See a pyramid and you have no doubt.

Here is a great song

Fifty Ways to Love Your Lever ~ A song

It's not a vision in your head, she

Said to me.

But a machine when you've work to do simply.

I'd like to help you understand mechanically,

There must be fifty ways to love your lever.

She said, it's got a fulcrum or a pivot point, you know,

Relative to the points of effort and of load.

And what is lost in force is gained in motion, so

There must be fifty ways to love your lever.

Chorus:

Just slip out the jack, Mack.

Use a pry bar, Carl.

Those pliers employ, Roy.

Just listen to me.

Work that pump, Gump.

Fill a wheel barrow, Cheryl.

Magnify the force, Doris,

And let your lever be.

She said, there's three kinds of levers you can use,

When you've heavy weights to lift or motion to infuse.

And I realized that though she was missing a few screws,

There must be fifty ways to love your lever.

In some, the fulcrum's in between the effort and the load.

Or at one end as in the nutcracker you hold.

In others, the effort's in the middle mode.

There must be fifty ways to love your lever.

Chorus (again)

My Mom got out the Paul Simon song from itunes and we sang this it was fun.

I got these from

http://www.tooter4kids.com/Simple_Machines/poetry.htm