Grade Four

Wheels and Levers

4
Wheels and Levers

Science
Alberta
Programs
for Your
Classroom

Science-In-A-Crate
From digging for dinosaur bones to balancing a budget or learning about
light, each trunk-sized "crate" contains everything you need to bring
science and math to life in any learning environment. Science-In-A-Crate
uses seven highly visual, hands-on and minds-on activities to illustrate how
science is used in everyday situations, all directly linked to Alberta
curriculum.
Crates are self-containedthey include everything you need to conduct
science learning activitiesincluding an activity guide with detailed, stepby-step instructions for each activity.
Visit www.sciencealberta.org for a complete listing of the crates available
or call 403-220-0077 for a program guide.

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Step inside the whimsical world of Wonderville.ca, where colourful
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chockfull of world-class science content in a format that children and
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Surf to Wonderville.ca to engage in the experience.

40 Grade Four

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Wheels and
Levers
Before You
Begin

In this unit and the following grade 4 unitBuilding Devices and Vehicles
that Movestudents learn that even complicated-looking machines are
made up of simple machines: levers, wheels, rollers, pulleys, gears and
inclined planes.They discover how these simple machines make work and
movement easier by changing the speed or force of movement.
The students also learn different techniques that can be used to transfer
motion from one simple machine to another. As they work with these
components, they explore the functions each simple machine can perform
and develop a sense of how individual components can be combined to
form a more complex device.

Topic B: Wheels and Levers

(Suggested time: 5-6 weeks)
This unit provides opportunity for students to explore a variety of simple
tools and mechanical devices before tackling more extended tasks in the
following unit.The materials for this unit can include recycled toys, which
provide many examples of simple machines found individually or in
combination with others. Some purchased materials can be helpful,
especially sets of gears that mesh with one another, and sets of wheels,
axles and pulleys.
Kits of mechanical materials can be used in extending the learning
experiences within this and the following unit, but are not required.

Wheels and Levers

41

Background
Information

This is a unit on wheels and levers, two simple machines that assist us in
performing work. Lets first look at what work means in the strict
scientific sense of the word, then investigate exactly how levers and
wheels lessen the amount of force we must exert to do specific tasks.
Scientifically speaking, work is what occurs when an object is moved over
a distance by using force.This unit focuses specifically on work carried out
against the force of gravitythe tendency of objects with mass to attract
one another. In the immediate environment of Earth, all objects are
attracted toward the Earths centre. In order to make one of these
objects go in the opposite direction, we must expend energy to lift it.
We must do work.
Although the work needed to accomplish a given task is fixed, simple
machines decrease the amount of force you must contribute to get the
job done, or they increase the mechanical advantage.They accomplish this
by:
increasing the distance through which you apply force;
adding the force of gravity to the force you are exerting; or
changing the direction of the force you are applying in order to take
advantage of the force of gravity.

Figure 1.
The three parts of a lever.

Figure 2.
Short distance between the
object to be moved and the
fulcrum.

Levers exist in a variety of forms that make use of one or more of these
approaches. All levers consist of
three parts: a part where you apply
force, a fulcrum and a part where
the object is moved (see Fig. 1).The
fulcrum provides a pivot point that
changes the direction in which the
force is exerted. By pushing down
instead of lifting up, you take
advantage of your own weight (gravitys contribution to the force being
applied).
You can gain further mechanical advantage from a lever by making the
distance from the object to the fulcrum considerably shorter than the
distance from the fulcrum to the
point where you are applying
forcethe basic idea behind a pry
bar. Although you have to exert
less force, the same amount of
work gets done because you must
apply your force through a greater
distance (see Fig. 2).
When we think of a lever, more
often than not we picture a setup

42 Grade Four

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as shown in the previous example. However, levers come in a wide variety

of shapes and configurations. Consider a nut cracker, where the fulcrum
(the hinge) is at one end of the lever instead of somewhere in the middle.
Or what about compound levers like scissors, pliers and tongs? These
tools (see Fig. 3) pivot two lever systems around one fulcrum (the hinge
again).

Figure 3.
Different types of levers.

Figure 4.
A fixed-pulley lever.

Wheels and rollers are

other systems used to
move objects.They are
affected by friction,
which can increase or
decrease the work
required to move
objects.They are used
to transport loads
across surfaces because
their curved shape
minimizes their area in
contact with the
surface.This minimizes
the friction
encountered and thus
the work needed to
move the load.
Compare the difficulty
of pushing a large rock
across a yard to the
ease of transporting it
in a wheelbarrow. A
certain amount of
friction is desirable,
however.Without it, the
wheel or roller has no way to roll.Without traction, the wheel or roller
simply spins in place, like a bald tire on a patch of ice.
When a wheel has a groove on the
outer edge and turns freely on an
axle attached to a stationary
position, you have a form of wheel
and axle called a fixed pulley.This
system uses rope wrapped over a
wheel-and-axle system to change
the direction force is applied (see
Fig. 4). Gravity works for you, not
against you.

Wheels and Levers

43

Figure 5.
Gear systems.
a. Transfer of motion.

b. Reversed motion.

c.

Frequently it is necessary to transfer power from one place to another.

This is usually done through the use of wheels, gears or pulleys that are
connected directly or through a belt.
The two wheels in Fig.
5a are of the same
size and are connected
by a belt. In industry
the belt would be
quite wide and heavy.
You may have seen
this arrangement with
a farm tractor and an
old threshing machine.
Note that the rotation
of the driving wheel
and the direction of
rotation of the driven
wheel are the same.
The two wheels are of
the same size and they
would therefore turn
at the same speed. Frequently, wheels used in these arrangements are
pulleys which have a V-shape along their edge to accommodate the belt
and keep it in position.
The two wheels in Fig. 5b are the same size and connected by a belt
which has been crossed.The effect of this arrangement is to have the
driving wheel and the driven wheel go in opposite directions.
In Fig. 5c one of the wheels is larger than the other.The smaller wheel in
this case will be the one with power on it, thus the driving wheel.The
larger wheel is the driven wheel.This arrangement allows for a change of
speed in the driven wheel. For each turn of the driving (small) wheel, the
driven (large) wheel will only turn part of a rotation.This allows the large
wheel to exert more force.

Figure 6.
Drive systems that use
wheel-to-wheel contact.

a. Wheels turn in opposite

directions.

b. The use of an idler wheel to

have both large wheels turn in
the same direction.

44 Grade Four

Rather than using a belt to transfer the energy from a source to a

machine, the driving wheel and the driven wheel may be connected
directly, by contact with each other, or through
the use of cogs cut into the wheels, which
mesh with each other.This creates a gear
system.
In Fig. 6a two wheels are allowed to make
contact with each other.The friction between
the wheels causes them to turn. Once again
the direction of rotation and speed will depend

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on the arrangement of the wheels.This arrangement is not very efficient

in transferring power, since it depends on friction, but it is used in some
machines.
A gear system uses wheels with cogs cut into them so that each of the
gears interlocks in an appropriate way.The underlying principle in the use
of gears is similar to other examples used in this section.The gears can be
used to transfer power directly, change the flow of power from one
direction to another or increase the power or speed of an object.

Figure 7a.
Direct transfer of motion.

Figure 7b.
Transfer of motion through 90.

Wheels and Levers

45

Elementary
Science
Program of
Studies
General and
Specific Learner
Expectations

The following general and specific learner expectations have been taken
directly from the 1996 Elementary Science Program of Studies.The
specific learner expectations (SLEs) are referred to by number in the
second column of the activities table.

General Learner Expectation

Students will be able to:
Demonstrate a practical understanding of wheels, gears and levers by
constructing devices in which energy and motion are transferred.

Specific Learner Expectations

Students will be able to:
1. Explain how rollers can be used to move an object and demonstrate
the use of rollers in a practical situation.
2. Compare the wheel and the roller and identify examples where each
is used.
3. Construct devices that use wheels and axles and demonstrate and
describe their use in:
model vehicles;
pulley systems; and
gear systems.
4. Construct and explain the operation of a drive system that uses one
or more of the following:
wheel-to-wheel contact;
a belt or elastic;
a chain; and
cogs or gears.
5. Construct and explain the operation of a drive system that transfers
motion from one shaft to a second shaft, where the second shaft is:
parallel to the first; and
at a 90 angle to the first.
Students who have achieved this expectation will be aware of changes in
speed and direction that result from different ways of linking components.
Introduction of gear ratios, however, is not recommended at this grade
level. Students will have an opportunity to develop the concept of ratio as
part of their junior high mathematics program.

46 Grade Four

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6. Demonstrate ways to use a lever that:

applies a small force to create a large force; and
applies a small movement to create a large movement.
7. Predict how changes in the size of a lever or the position of the
fulcrum will affect the forces and movements involved.
8. Construct models of levers and explain how levers are involved in
such devices as teeter-totters, scissors, pliers, pry bars, tongs, nut
crackers, fishing rods and wheelbarrows.

Cross-curricular
Connections

Mathematics
Measuring (mass, circumference and length).

Art
Create movable art using levers.
Make catapults.

Language Arts
Spelling.
Write instructions on how to build a simple machine.

Childrens
Alternative
Frameworks

It is appropriate to clarify what friction is when discussing rollers, and the

idea of reducing friction in making work easier. Children tend to think
friction is only the heat that is created when they rub their hands
together.

Wheels and Levers

47

Activities

Classroom teachers have identified the following activities that address

the Specific Learner Expectations (SLEs) in the Program of Studies.The
list is not prescriptive and teachers may select activities that are most
appropriate for their students.
Activities have been listed under two headings: Key Activities and
Extension Activities. Key activities are supported by authorized resources
and identify powerful and practical means for achieving learner
expectations. Extension activities represent alternative ways of achieving
or supporting learner expectations.

Key Activities
Key Activity

SLE

Making objects
move in a variety
of ways

Print Resources

Essential Materials

Comments

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Making Things
Move), p. 10

books, pieces of paper,

paper plate, balloon,
wooden block, cylinders
of various types, marbles,
straws, cardboard, string,
elastics, other materials as
needed

A good activity to determine

students knowledge about
making things move.

Innovations in Science, Level 3,

Roll It (On Track), p. 15

wooden board, cans,

different surface materials

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (A
Working Plane), p. 13

ramp, books, string, spring

scale, measuring tape,
objects of mass about 1
kg

Investigates how the ramp

surface and height can affect the
rolling of an object.

Innovations in Science, Level 4,

Technology and You! (So Inclined),
p. 11

ramp, blocks or books,

elastics, objects of mass
about 1 kg, rulers, tacks

Working with Inclined Planes

Investigating how
an inclined plane
can make moving
a load easier

48 Grade Four

Investigates inclined planes and

how the force required to move
an object can change due to the
angle of the ramp.

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Key Activity

SLE

Print Resources

Essential Materials

Comments

Working with Levers

Investigating
seesaws to learn
how a lever can
be used to lift
objects

6, 8

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (Seesaw
Slides), p. 10

seesaw type of setup

This can be an indoor

experiment with a wooden
plank resting on a fulcrum.

Investigating
different kinds of
levers

6, 8

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (A Lighter
Load), p. 12

ruler, Plasticine, eraser

Understanding the position of

the fulcrum and its relationship
to effort.

Innovations in Science, Level 4,

Technology and You! (Pushing and
Prying), p. 15

one-metre board, wooden

blocks, various weights,
metre stick

There are student activity cards

to supplement the activities in
the Teachers Notes.

Blueprints:Technology Key Stage

2 (Gadd & Morton), p. 14

wood or card strips,

paper fasteners, wood
block, glue, cardboard

Manipulate paper shapes using

levers.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Making Things
Move), p. 10

a collection of objects of
different shapes, weights
and materials

A group activity to explore

different ways of moving objects
of different weights and shapes.

Innovations in Science, Level 3,

Roll It (Rolling Right Along), p. 5

a collection of objects the

students think will roll,
wooden board and
blocks, measuring tapes,
metre sticks, stopwatches

Exploration of different types of

rolling objects.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Round and
Round), p. 11

straws, Bristol board,

scissors, any type of axle
material

An investigation into what

makes the best shape for a
wheel.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Big and Round),
p. 12

straws, Bristol board,

scissors, any type of axle,
different size cylinders

To explore if different-size
wheels perform in different
ways.

Innovations in Science, Level 3,

Roll It (Wheel Away), p. 17

pencil, string, boxes, old

toys, cardboard, heavy
paper, lids, dowels,
wooden board

Making wheels of different sizes

and materials.

Working with Rollers

Making and using
rollers

Working with Wheels

Exploring
different kinds of
wheels

Wheels and Levers

49

Key Activity

SLE

Print Resources

Essential Materials

Comments

Making and using

wheels and axles

Innovations in Science, Level 3,

Roll It (Wheels and More
Wheels), p. 26
lumber, dowels, a drill

Explores the twisting power of

the wheel and axle.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Rolling Along),
p. 14

straws, Bristol board,

scissors, different
cylinders, small boxes

Exploring ways in which to make

a box move.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Other Wheels at
Work), p. 16

water and sand wheels

with tables, pails, funnels,
containers, paper and
Styrofoam plates, Bristol
board, glue, scissors, tape

This could work well as a buddy

activity with kindergarten
students.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (Message
Express), p. 15

2 clothesline pulleys,
clothespins, a long rope,
string, paper, marker

Using a pulley as a tool.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (Pulleys
at Work), p. 17

pulleys, string

An investigation into how

pulleys can be manipulated to lift
a heavier load.

Innovations in Science, Level 4,

Technology and You! (Super
Strength), p. 23

paper clips, fishing line,

paper cups, stand, pulleys

Investigates fixed and movable

pulleys.

Blueprints:Technology Key Stage

2 (Gadd & Morton), p. 16

thread spools, dowels,

wood, string, weights

Design a simple pulley system.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (Spools
and Wheels), p. 19

scrap lumber, thread

spools, hammer, nails,
elastics, safety glasses

Investigates the influence of

moving parts.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (Belting
Up), p. 20

lids, nails, elastics, scrap

lumber, hammer, string,
rulers

Investigates wheels, their

direction and speed.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (Up
Down, In Out), p. 22

lids, nails, boards, straws,

cardboard, elastics, string

Demonstrates how a motion

can be changed to another
direction.

Innovations in Science, Level 4,

Technology and You! (Twist and
Turn), p. 18
Making carts and
trolleys

Constructing
sand and water
wheels

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Round and Up
and Down We Go), p. 13

Working with Pulleys

Investigating
pulley systems

Investigating belt
drive systems

50 Grade Four

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Key Activity

SLE

Print Resources

Essential Materials

Comments

3, 4

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (Gearing
Up), p. 23

gears, hammer, nails, scrap

lumber

An activity exploring the

workings of gears.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (A Lighter
Load), p. 12

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (Create
Your Own Gears), p. 24

SLE

Print Resources

Essential Materials

Comments

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Round and Up
and Down We Go), p. 13

a set of wheels and axle

from a toy car, Bristol
board, scissors, various
cylinders

How a set of wheels behaves

when the axle is not in the
centre.

Blueprints:Technology Key Stage

2 (Gadd & Morton), p. 5, 6

thread spools, string,

cardboard, weights,
dowels

Two activities to demonstrate

the use of counterbalances.

Innovations in Science, Level 4,

On The Move (Spin It), p. 38

aluminum pie plates,

waterproof glue, corks,
coat hangers, paper cups,
tape, string, pails,
containers

Build a waterwheel that can lift a

weight.

Working with Gears

Investigating
gears

Extension
Activities
Extension
Activity

Working with Wheels

Exploring wheels
and axles and
how the position
of the axle is
important to the
movement of the
wheel.

Working with Pulleys

Building a
counterbalance
Building a water
wheel

Wheels and Levers

51

Extension
Activity

SLE

Print Resources

Essential Materials

Comments

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (A
Working Combination), p. 26

The Gear Box kit

The Gear Box is a complete kit of

large gears and structural pieces
to build an endless variety of
machines and vehicles.

as needed by the students

An exercise to apply all the

learned knowledge from this
unit.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Carnival Time),
p. 24

materials suggested by
the students

An activity that can encompass

all aspects of this unit.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Moving Along in
the Future), p. 26

mural paper, paint and

brushes, cardboard, tape,
glue, paper fasteners,
magnets, markers, scrap
material

An art project based on moving

objects.

1, 2, 4

Innovations in Science, Level 4,

On the Move (Do the Twist),
p. 16

paper clips, elastics, empty

soft drink cans, large nails,
hammer, dowels or
pencils, a hook or
tweezers, nuts or bolts

Making a pop can that will roll

using an elastic band for power.

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (Crane
Building), p. 27

Explorations in Science, Level 4,

By Means of Machines (Flag
Raising), p. 29

Working with Gears

Building
machines using
pulleys and gears

3, 4,
5, 6

Making a moving
carnival

General
Doing mural art

Making a selfpropelled roller

52 Grade Four

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Assessment

Bibliography

For a broader discussion of science classroom assessment techniques see

Assessing Student Learning in the introduction of this publication on p. 15.
Good places to begin looking for the unit-related ideas are Explorations in
Science assessment handbooks, Innovations in Science teaching notes, Unit
tests and Portfolio ideas, Alberta Education sample tests at
www.education.gov.ab.ca and Alberta Assessment Consortium at
www.aac.ab.ca

CAMP, Classroom Assessment Materials Project. Alberta Learning, 1997.

Campbell, Steve et al. Explorations in Science, Level 3: Assessment Handbook.
Don Mills, Ontario: Addison-Wesley, 1993. ISBN 0-201-60685-2.
Campbell, Steve et al. Explorations in Science, Level 4: Assessment Handbook.
Don Mills, Ontario: Addison-Wesley, 1993. ISBN 0-201-60680-1.
Campbell, Steve et al. Explorations in Science, Level 4, On the Move. Don
Mills, Ontario: Addison-Wesley, 1992. ISBN 0-201-88145-4.
Campbell, Steve et al. Explorations in Science, Level 4, By Means of Machines.
Don Mills, Ontario: Addison-Wesley, 1992. ISBN 0-201-88154-3.
Explore! A Book of Science. Addison-Wesley Publishers Limited, 1992.
ISBN 0-201-55509-3.
Gadd,Tim and Dianne Morton. Blueprints:Technology Key Stage 1.
Cheltenham, England: Stanley Thornes, 1992. ISBN 0-7487-1357-3.
Gadd,Tim and Dianne Morton. Blueprints:Technology Key Stage 2.
Cheltenham, England: Stanley Thornes, 1992. ISBN 0-7487-1495-2.
Ostlund, Karen L. Science Process Skills, Assessing Hands-On Student
Performance. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1992.
ISBN 201-29092-8.
Science and Technology 4, Pulleys and Gears. Addison-Wesley.
Tolley, K. The Art and Science Connection: Hands-On Activities for Intermediate
Students. Pearson Education Canada, 1994. ISBN 0-201-45545-5.

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