Description

Help your students finally understand simple machines—not just build them.

This leprechaun‑trap themed mini unit is designed for upper elementary through middle school and focuses on the why behind simple machines: work, force–distance trade‑offs, and mechanical advantage. Students rotate through hands‑on simple machine stations (lever, inclined plane, pulley) and then apply what they’ve learned to design and test their own leprechaun trap that combines multiple simple machines.

Perfect for a 2‑hour club meeting, a multi‑day classroom mini unit, or a STEM night, this resource is built to confront three of the most persistent misconceptions about simple machines:

• “Machines reduce the work you have to do.”

• “The force–distance trade‑off is optional.”

• “Mechanical advantage means less total work.”

What’s included

• Simple Machines Guidebook for Students 
  • A quick start guidebook
  • All 6 machines
  • Examples of each type

• Teacher Guide (Lesson Plan)

  • Clear explanations of work, force, distance, and mechanical advantage in classroom language

  • Guidance for surfacing and correcting common misconceptions

  • Suggestions for differentiation grades 3–5 and 6–8

• Simple Machine Story Cards (for all 6 machines)

  • One card per machine with title, goal, short story hook, diagram prompt, and simplified build steps

  • Focus on lever, inclined plane, pulley for the lab, with additional cards for wheel & axle, wedge, and screw

• Vocabulary Cards & List

  • Student‑friendly definitions for key terms: work, force, distance, input/output force, mechanical advantage, IMA, AMA, efficiency, trade‑off, trigger bar, and more

  • Ready to print for word walls, notebooks, or station reference

• Full Lesson Plan

  • Objectives and student goals

  • NGSS links for grades 3–5 and 6–8

  • Core materials list and timing suggestions

  • Cross‑curricular ideas (ELA and math integration)

• Activity 1: Simple Machine Stations Lab

  • Three stations: Lever (secret door), Inclined Plane (rainbow ramp), Pulley (pot of gold lift)

  • Station cards with story snippet, goal, diagram description, and 4–5 numbered steps

  • Options for qualitative (younger) and quantitative (older) data collection

• Activity 2: Leprechaun Trap Engineering Challenge

  • Design‑brief, criteria and constraints, and planning sheet

  • Students must combine at least two simple machines to build a working trap

  • Structured test and reflection phase to connect designs back to force, distance, and work

• Assessment & Exit Tickets

  • Quick‑check exit tickets targeting misconceptions (e.g., “Do machines reduce the total work?”)

  • Ideas for performance‑based assessment and short written explanations

• Extension Ideas

  • Real‑world “machine hunt” on campus or at home

  • Data‑rich follow‑up labs on IMA vs AMA and efficiency

  • Optional mini Rube Goldberg challenge for advanced groups

How it helps you

• Low prep, high depth: Most materials use recyclables and basic classroom supplies. The conceptual heavy lifting (language, misconceptions, question prompts) is already done for you.

• Flexible format: Use as a one‑day STEM event, a 2–3 day mini unit, or drop individual stations into your existing simple machines sequence.

• Club, classroom, or homeschool friendly: Written so it works for after‑school clubs, homestead co‑ops, and traditional classrooms alike.