Simple Machines and Inventions Unit

Wikipedia image:  Rube Goldberg Machine

Science being the main subject and the utter lack of Language Arts, I found it difficult to even call this a thematic, so I didn't.

Day	Subject	Activity
1	Math	·         Talk about counting inventions. Abacus, zero, fractions and decimals, mechanical calculators, binary, electronic calculators, computers. Article on numbers ·         Using a Scientific Calculator exercise 1 ·         Math journal 45.8 hours
	Lesson	·         Newton’s Laws of Motion ·         Egg ‘trick’ ·         Inclined Planes ·         Talk about wheelchair ramps, building the pyramids, slides. ·         Inclined plane experiment ·         Wedges
2	Math	·         Using a Scientific Calculator exercise 2 ·         Math journal
	Lesson	·         Screws ·         Show a variety of screws and c-clamp ·         Activity 2 and 5 ·         Lesson 8 ·         Archimedes Screw
	History	·         Archimedes ·         Archimedes Principle ·         Archimedes Eureka poem
3	Math	·         Using a Scientific Calculator exercise 3 ·         Math journal
	Lesson	·         Levers ·         Cyber Chase Lever Snip ·         Lever Worksheet ·         Building a trebuchet
4	Math	·         Using a Scientific Calculator exercise 4 ·         Math journal
	Lesson	·         Wheels and Axels ·         Wheel worksheet ·         Wheel and axel worksheet ·         Discuss spokes as levers. Build a water wheel.
	History	·         Leonardo DaVinci ·         Talk about how he’s usually thought of for his art. View Mona Lisa and Last Supper ·         Guess What the Machine Does ·         Replica of Leonardo’s tank
5	Movie	·         Robots
	Activity	·         Marshmallow/popcorn catapult
6	Math	·         Scientific Calculator 1. Charitable Cans to Paint        Math journal:  10% discount
	Lesson	·         Gears and Pulleys both worksheets. ·         Make a windlass ·         Gears activity ·         Bicycle gears
7	Math	·         Scientific Calculator 4. Gifts for the Family       Math journal
	Lesson	·         Electricity ·         Bend the stream ·         Experiment with Electromagnets ·         Building series and parallel circuits Additional http://www.tryengineering.org/lessons/serpar.pdfseries and parallel circuit activity ·
	History	·         The Story of Electricty ·         Oatmeal’s Tesla comic, Forbes article (Development timeline of AC power),  Benefits of DC
8	Math	·         Scientific Calculator 6. Inspecting the Deck       Math journal
	Lesson	·         Rube Goldberg ·         Honda Commerical ·         OK Go ·         Crème that egg ·         Page Turner
9	Math	·         Scientific Calculator 13. Brief Introduction to Trigonometry       Math journal
	Lesson	·         Rube Goldberg DIY project ·         Paper design and practice.
	Choices	·         Put toothpaste on a toothbrush ·         Toast a slice of bread ·         Raise a flag ·         Other approved idea
	Requirements	·         6 simple machines ·         Minimum of 2 energy transfers ·         1 chemical reaction
10	Project	·         Videoed implementation of Rube Goldberg Machine
	Movie	·         Honey, I shrunk the Kids!

Additional Resources:

Natural Archimedes Screw 

Leonardo Notebook

Leonardo Worksheet

Leonardo Plans

Rube Goldberg book

Rube Goldberg Project Outline 1

 Rube Goldberg Machine Project outline 2

The New Way Things Work