Lovely Levers

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• Did you think the man was using a stick?
• Did you think it was a shovel?

It is actually a lever!

A lever is a simple machine. Simple machines make a difficult task, such as moving a heavy object, easier. Simple machines can operate without a computer or electricity.

Tools are things that people use to perform specific jobs. A lever is a bar that moves around a fixed point.

For example, in the picture below, the black bar is resting on a green triangle, called a fulcrum, to help lift the heavy rock.

A lever can change the direction of the movement of an object.

For example, a shovel is one kind of lever. You push down on one end of the shovel, and the other end will lift rocks, dirt, or snow, like in the picture below.

One of the simplest ways to lift a heavy object is by using a lever. Levers work by increasing the pushing force underneath the object so a large load (object or person) can be moved with a small effort.

• Have you ever played on a see-saw?

This is a perfect example of a lever. When a person sits on one side, the other side is lifted.

Pretend you want to lift your friend because he needs to reach something high.

• Could you do it just by standing still and lifting him?

Probably not. If you used a lever, like a see-saw, you could stand on one side while he stood on the other. Then, you could lift him with your body weight, not your muscles.

Besides the flat board or stick, there is another part to a lever. Called a fulcrum, this is the resting point of the lever.

• Can you think of lever examples you use daily?

Write these down. Then, add the levers you see in the video below to your list as you watch.

• Did you recognize any levers you used recently?

Now that you have a better understanding of what a lever is and how it makes work easier move to the Got It? section to try a simple trick!