Learning material

STEM Simple Machines

 

Discover the laws of physics at secondary school level

 

This construction kit contains a whole range of physical laws. STEM Simple Machines covers the topics of rope and rod, lever, pulley and inclined plane, which form the basis of various tools and machines. However, it is not only mechanical functions such as those of a differential gear that are explored, exciting models from the students' everyday lives are also examined more closely and provide exciting "aha" effects - for example, the mechanics of a vice and a pulley block are investigated. The results of the practical experiments can be measured and checked using the self-built spring balance.

Number of students
2-4 per kit
Learning objectives
Teaching mechanical basics in a fun way
Time required
Each task contains detailed time information for lesson structuring
Grade level
Secondary level
About the product

About the product

Didactic material

Didactic material

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Topics and learning objectives

 

 

  • Topic

    STEM Simple Machines offers a cross-section of important mechanical principles and their physical effects for teaching at secondary school level. Everyday technical functional areas are constructed and explored in a playful and practical way and encourage reflection. Independently or in teams, pupils build simple and more sophisticated machines, automata, tools and physical models.
    By working with simple machines, physics lessons can help pupils to perceive their environment differently and recognize the physical principles of simple machines as a pattern in a wide range of everyday applications.

     

  • Learning objectives

    Content-related competence:

    • Simple mechanics with everyday relevance, crank gears, cardan joints, eccentrics, parallel cranks, gearwheel gears, toggle mechanisms, counting, pawls, cable winches, pulleys, balancing gears, worm and spindle gears, forces and their measurement

     

  • Other competencies

     

    • Process-related competence: problem solving/ being creative.
    • Mathematical competence: logical and strategic thinking.
    • Personal and social skills: finding solutions together in a team.
    • Linguistic and communicative competence: developing technical terms.

  • Time required

    As a rule, it should be possible to cover individual topics within one lesson. The time required for experimentation, evaluation and discussion is estimated at approx. 45 minutes.

    Information material
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    Introduction to the topic
    What are simple machines?
    History
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