Simple Machines Science Projects

Simple Machines Project
Grade 5
March/April 2010

Simple machines are EVERYWHERE!!! Now that we have learned a bit about the different kinds of simple machines and how they work, you are going to put what you know into action. You may choose to do one of the following projects. You need to think about your strengths as a student and choose the project that you feel you will do the best on. All projects will require a presentation. Each project is worth 50 points and will be a large part of your science grade for the quarter. The due dates and work times will be listed below. I am excited to see what you can come up with—be creative! You are scientists!

Schedule for Simple Machines Project

Monday, March 29, 2010 Introduction to Simple Machines Project
Wednesday, March 31 Project Ideas due and Work Day

WORK AT HOME OVER THE WEEKEND

Monday, April 5 Work at Home
Tuesday, April 6 work time at school, work at home
Wed,. April 7 Projects Due/ Presentations


Project #1: PowerPoint Presentation

For this project you will need to research the simple machines and give a PowerPoint presentation to the class. You will need to create an 8-10 slide presentation including the following

Title slide (name of presentation)
A slide for each simple machine (six)
Describe what it does
History of the simple machine, what has it been used for?
Real life examples of this with pictures

You may also include slides that tell interesting facts or use more than one slide for the pictures. Check your presentation for spelling errors.

Project #2: Create a “Rube Goldberg” Machine

Rube Goldberg was an artist who made cartoons of simple machines put together to do a common task. If you choose this project you will be responsible for creating a “cartoon” design of a “Rube Goldberg” type machine and actually build it for a presentation.

The requirement of this project is to construct an 8 step (or greater) machine to do a common household task. You must use a minimum of four simple machines in your task. You will be graded on the following parts:

Plan

You need to create a plan on paper that shows exactly what you are trying to accomplish. See the cartoon below for an example. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a “cartoon” but just a blueprint of what exactly you will build or construct.

Construction/Demonstration
You will need to construct your design and make it work to create the task that you are trying to accomplish. This can be done one of two ways. You may create the machine at home and record with a video camera your machine and how it works and then bring the tape to school so we can watch it working, or you may actually bring your parts to school and set it up here for the demonstration. While you are presenting, be prepared to show what the simple machines are and what types. Be ready to explain the steps of your process.

Project #3: Become and Engineer!

Do you have ideas for your own gadgets? See if you can use the concept of simple machines to invent something new. Think about problems that you have around the house doing something. Can you design a machine to do it for you?

For this project you will need to do three things:

Plan

Create a blueprint of your gadget. You should show what your invention will look like and identify the simple machines that will be used to build it. This will communicate your idea and help you to build it.


Create a Prototype

Create your gadget. Try to use as many things around the house as you can or recyclable materials. You should bring it to class with you on the day of your presentation and be ready to show the class how it works. It should be working!!

Presentation

Show the class what you have invented and what it will be used for. Explain how you got your idea and who would use it.

Tuesday, March 30

Today's Assignments:

Reading: Read chapters 31-32 in "Walk Two Moons" and complete the debate worksheet "Is Phoebe a Good Friend to Sal?" Make sure you find two arguments for "yes" and two for "no". Please also write the page numbers next to your answers to support them.

Spelling: Write the words 3x or 5x from the week 28 practice test.

Math: WB page 99. Try to do as much as you can on page 100. We will go over all the answers in class tommorow.

Language: Vocabulary and setting worksheet

Handwriting: WB p. 81-82

Have a good night!
Mrs. E

Week 28 Spelling Words

Words with the Latin root "scribe"

1. scribe
2. script
3. scribble
4. describe
5. describing
6. description
7. descriptive
8. subscribe
9. subscribing
10. subscriber
11. subscription
12. prescribe
13. prescribing
14. prescription
15. scriptwriter
16. manuscript
17. transcribe
18. transcribing
19. transcription
20. transcript

Book Character Day

Thank you to all the students who dressed up for the Dr. Seuss dress up days. Tomorrow is "Book Character Day" so dress up like one of your favorite book characters. I will be excited to see what everyone is wearing!

Thursday, March 25

We are gearing up for the state test, the MCA-II! It will be coming up in April. We will be spending time in the lab with Compass Learning. Feel free to log-in at home, also. Every little bit of learning helps!

Today's Assignments:

Spelling: Write a story using ten different spelling words. Underline each spelling word that you use. Please write in cursive.

Reading: Complete the Word Frame worksheet for the vocabulary words from "Walk Two Moons"

Math: WB p. 96

Thank you for the great participation in swimming today! It was a fun time.

Have a great evening. Enjoy the sunshine!

Mrs. Engman

Tuesday, March 23

Today's Assignments:

Reading: Read chapters 23-25 in "Walk Two Moons" and complete the comprehension worksheet
Spelling: Week 27 pre-test (write the words 3x or 5x)
Language: WS 135-136
Math: Correct WB p. 80, do workbook p. 81
Science: Read the Weekly Reader and complete the worksheet with the crossword puzzle.
Social Studies: Map Skills: Central America packet

Have a good night! Strive to get all your work completed on time and accurately!

Mrs. E.

Swimming

We will be going swimming one last time for gym this Thursday, March 25 from 2 to 3. Please remember a suit and towel!

The students will be playing water polo and having free time for the remainder of the hour.

End of the Third Quarter

Just a reminder:

Any missing work needs to be turned in by Friday, March 26. This is the end of the third marking period. Report cards will go home next week.

Thank you!

Week 27 Spelling List

Verbs to Nouns

1. suspend
2. suspense
3. defend
4. defense
5. offend
6. offense
7. pretend
8. pretense
9. refer
10. reference
11. confer
12. conference
13. infer
14. inference
15. prefer
16. preference
17. perform
18. performance
19. insure
20. insurance

Monday, March 15

Hello!

Today's Assignments:

Reading: Read chapters 9, 10, and 11 in "Walk Two Moons." Choose three words from the reading that are unfamiliar to you. Define the words and write the part of speech (noun, verb, etc.)

Math: Test

Spelling: WB p. 133-134

Science: Lab and Quiz

We will be going swimming on Thursday from 2-3 this week.

Shamrock Shake money is due tomorrow. It is 3 dollars for a shake.

The end of the quarter is March 26. Please have all missing assignments turned in prior to that date.

Have a wonderful night!
Mrs. Engman

Week 26 Spelling Words

1. kangaroo
2. pizza
3. menu
4. restaurant
5. cafe
6. spaghetti
7. moccasin
8. bouquet
9. zucchini
10. broccoli
11. ballet
12. piano
13. violin
14. beige
15. antique
16. cassette
17. crayon
18. yogurt
19. raccoon
20. karate

Friday, March 12

Today's Assignments

Reading: Complete the worksheet on "Types of Questions: QAR" Read chapters 6-8 in "Walk Two Moons"

Math: Review material. Test on Monday on Chapter 7

Social Studies: Read Weekly Reader and complete the worksheet on main idea and comprehension

Language: Puncutation 5 and 6

Please note that our last MAPS test is on Monday. Please get a good night's rest on Sunday and eat a good breakfast on Monday!

Have a good weekend,
Mrs. E.

Today's Assignments

Thursday, March 11

Spelling: In cursive, write a complete sentence (at least five words long) using each spelling word.
Reading: Read chapters 3-5 in "Walk Two Moons". There will be a short quiz tomorrow.
Math: P.330-332 in hardcover book. Problems 1-16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 27-33


I am sending home missing assignment lists today. So please check for those.

I will send home the spelling lists for the remainder of the year tomorrow.

Have a good night! Enjoy "spring"!
Mrs. E.

Swimming

We will be going swimming for gym next Thursday, March 18. Please remind your child to bring their suit and a towel. If there is a reason you wish your child not to participate in swimming on this day, please write a note.

MAP Test Results

We have completed two of the three MAPS tests that are done on the computer twice a year. Yesterday we completed the Reading test and today we took Language Arts. I am proud to say that a majority of the students did in fact exeed their scores from last fall!

We will not have MAPS testing tomorrow, but Monday we will have the Math test. Please eat a healthy breakfast on Monday morning!

Week 25 Spelling Words

Week 25 Spelling List

1. sign
2. signal
3. signature
4. significant
5. insignificant
6. significance
7. signify
8. signifying
9. resign
10. resigned
11. resigning
12. design
13. designer
14. designing
15. redesigned
16. assign
17. assigning
18. assignment
19. reassign
20. reassigning