Pulleys
Pulleys are the basis of the modern machines we use every day.
Engineers harness the power of pulleys by designing processes and mechanisms that help us achieve difficult tasks.
Thousands of years ago, early engineers used pulleys to help with construction of structures of monumental proportions, such as aqueducts, monuments and even pyramids. Today, we use pulleys to perform a variety of useful everyday tasks like opening window blinds or operating a garage door.
Pulleys Curricula
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ActivitySolid Rock to Building BlockStudents continue their pyramid building journey, acting as engineers to determine the appropriate wedge tool to best extract rock from a quarry and…
LessonVideoPowerful PulleysStudents continue to explore the story of building a pyramid, learning about the simple machine called a pulley. They learn how a pulley can be used…
ActivityVideoPulley'ing Your Own WeightUsing common materials (spools, string, soap), students learn how a pulley can be used to easily change the direction of a force, making the moving…
ActivityThe Power of Mechanical AdvantageStudents learn about the mechanical advantage offered by pulleys in an interactive and game-like manner. By virtue of the activity's mechatronic…
LessonVideoEngineering: Simple MachinesSimple machines are devices with few or no moving parts that make work easier. Students are introduced to the six types of simple machines — the…
ActivityVideoStack It Up!Students analyze and begin to design a pyramid. Working in engineering teams, they perform calculations to determine the area of the pyramid base…
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LessonVideoThe Advantage of MachinesIn this lesson, students learn about work as defined by physical science and see that work is made easier through the use of simple machines. Already…
ActivityVideoA Simple Solution for the CircusIn this activity, students are challenged to design a contraption using simple machines to move a circus elephant into a rail car. After students…
LessonJust Plane SimpleThis lesson introduces students to three of the six simple machines used by many engineers. These machines include the inclined plane, the wedge and…
ActivityVideoTools and Equipment, Part IThrough a series of activities, students discover that the concept of mechanical advantage describes reality fairly well. They act as engineers…
ActivityVideoMachines and Tools, Part IIIn this activity, students gain first-hand experience with the mechanical advantage of pulleys. Students are given the challenge of helping save a…
LessonRube Goldberg and the Meaning of MachinesSimple and compound machines are designed to make work easier. When we encounter a machine that does not fit this understanding, the so-called…
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ActivityVideoSimple Machines and the Rube Goldberg ChallengeStudents research simple machines and other mechanisms as they learn about and make Rube Goldberg machines. Working in teams, students utilize the…
ActivityVideoSplash, Pop, Fizz: Rube Goldberg MachinesRefreshed with an understanding of the six simple machines; screw, wedge, pully, incline plane, wheel and axle, and lever, student groups receive…
ActivityFlying T-ShirtsDuring this engineering design/build project, students investigate many different solutions to a problem. Their design challenge is to find a way to…
