A Simple Solution for the Circus
In this activity, students are challenged to design a contraption using simple machines to move a circus elephant into a rail car. After students consider their audience and constraints, they work in groups to brainstorm ideas and select one concept to communicate to the class.
Students devise a solution for the circusCopyright Wikimedia Commons http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Howard_Bros.Circus.JPG
Many mechanical devices designed by engineers have simple machines embedded in their structure, including elevators, escalators, construction equipment, and even medical devices. The same physical principles and mechanical advantages of simple machines used by ancient engineers to build pyramids are employed by today's engineers to construct modern structures such as houses, bridges and skyscrapers.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Recognize and identify the six simple machines.
- Define the concept of work.
- Explain why engineers are interested in simple machines.