Joe’s Tree House Project Systems and Simple Machines Supplemental Booklet The Monroe 2–Orleans BOCES Elementary Science Program encourages students and teachers to visit: www.espsciencetime.org …a resource for students and teachers of elementary science. You’ll find information about: ESP Kits and Services Podcasts featured animal sites Measuring Challenges Summer Institute Newly Released Units Monthly Activities The Science Times Newsletter StreamingVideoSupport Upcoming Workshops safety tips and more! 2 Table of Contents Chapter One - The Idea . 4 Chapter Two - The Question . 5 Chapter Three - The Lever . 7 Chapter Four - The Wheel and Axle . 9 Chapter Five - The Pulley . .11 Chapter Six - The Inclined Plane . .14 Chapter Seven - The Wedge . .16 Chapter Eight - The Screw . ..19 Chapter Nine - Making it Our Own . .21 3 The Idea Chapter One It was Saturday afternoon . Joe and Jake were spending the day playing in Jake’s tree house . Jake’s father built the tree house . The boys loved playing in it . It is a place they can let their imaginations run wild . The two boys were playing with the toys and games Joe had brought over in his wagon . The day went by very fast . It was 5:00 p .m ., and Joe had to go home for dinner . “Well, Jake, I should be going . My mom told me to be home by 5:00,” said Joe . “OK,” said Jake . “Tomorrow we leave for our spring vacation . We’ll be back in a week . I’ll see you then .” “See you then,” said Joe . “Have a great time on vacation!” “Thanks,” said Jake . Joe put his toys back into his wagon and walked home . On his way home, he thought about how much fun he had playing with his friend in the tree house . Joe began to think about his own backyard . There is a tree in the back, left corner of his yard . It is an old tree, but its branches are strong . He remembered climbing the tree with Jake one afternoon . He wondered if that tree would be a good place to build a tree house of his own . He decided he would ask his dad at dinner . 4 Chapter Two The Question Finally, it was dinner time . Joe was very hungry from playing all day, but he was also wondering what his dad would say about building a tree house . After everyone at the table passed around the plates of food, Joe knew that this was the time to ask his dad about having a tree house in his backyard . “Dad,” Joe said . “I played at Jake’s house today . We played in his tree house all afternoon .” “That’s great, son,” said Joe’s dad . “Bet you are hungry for dinner .” “Yes, I am,” said Joe . “Dad, what do you think about the big tree in the back corner of our yard? I was thinking it would be a perfect place to build a tree house .” “Which tree are you talking about?” asked Mr . Jemison . “The old tree that I sometimes climb with Jake . It’s very strong,” said Joe . “That is a strong tree, but it needs some work,” said Joe’s dad . “I could help you fix it up,” said Joe . “I would want to help .” Joe’s parents looked at each other . They knew how much Joe loved playing in Jake’s tree house . Joe and Jake had spent hours in it . Joe’s parents thought that if there was a tree house in their yard, then Joe could invite all his friends over to play in it . 5 “Well, Joe, I’ll make a deal with you,” said his father . “We will work on building the tree house, but you have to help me along the way .” Joe’s face lit up . He couldn’t believe his parents said yes! “I will help! I promise!” said Joe . “We can start on the tree house tomorrow,” said Joe’s dad . “Tonight, we will need to get a plan together .” Joe agreed . That night Joe and his dad made a plan for the tree house . Joe’s dad drew out the plans . The plan helped them see how much wood they would need . They also made a list of the tools they would need to build it . 6 Chapter Three The Lever The next day Joe and his dad went out to the tree in their backyard . They wanted to take a close look at it . The tree would have to be a strong tree to hold the heavy tree house . “So, what do you think, Dad? Do you think we could build a tree house in this old tree?” asked Joe . “It looks pretty good,” said Joe’s dad . “We will have to take these nails out of the tree first .” “Why are the nails in the tree?” asked Joe . “I’m not sure,” said Mr . Jemison . “This is an old tree . These nails could have been there from a long time ago . Maybe someone hung signs on the tree . I think the nails will get in the way of our tree house . We need to remove them . Joe’s father went to the garage to get his hammer . Joe thought his dad was going to hammer the nails into the tree . Instead, he used the claw end of the hammer . He started by making sure one of the nails was in the claw of the hammer . He held the top of the hammer against the tree . Then he pulled down on the hammer’s handle . The nail slid out of the tree . Joe watched as his dad pulled out all the nails . “Dad,” said Joe . “I think you are using the hammer as a lever .” 7 Joe’s dad smiled . “Really? Can you explain what you mean?” Joe explained, “The top part of the hammer that is on the tree is the fulcrum . The nail you are pulling out of the tree is the load . You are pushing down on the handle of the hammer . That is the force . It pulls the nail out of the tree .” “Are you studying about simple machines in school?” asked Joe’s dad . “Yes, we are . We learned that simple load machines are all around us . I think I’m pretty good at force finding them,” said fulcrum Joe . “Well, you let me know when you see a simple machine,” said Joe’s dad . “I’d like to learn more about them, too .” “Sure, Dad . No problem,” said Joe . Joe and his dad could not work on their tree house for long today . Joe had a baseball game to play . They did get all the old nails out of the tree . The tree was ready for the next step . 8 Chapter Four The Wheel and Axle The next day, Joe and his dad went to the lumber store . They bought all the wood they would need to build the tree house . “That is a lot of wood,” said Joe . “Yes, it is,” Joe’s dad agreed . “It is good we made a plan last night so we knew how much to buy .” After Joe’s dad paid for the wood, a few men from the store helped them carry the wood out to their car . Joe noticed some of the men carried the wood by hand . Others used a cart to carry out the wood . The cart helped them carry a lot of wood at one time . Joe also noticed that the cart moved on wheels and axles . He knew that a wheel and axle is another simple machine . As he watched the men put the wood in the truck, he looked around and saw there were wheels and axles everywhere . Their car had wheels and axles . The lumber store’s delivery trucks had wheels and axles . The carts that the customers were using to bring the things they bought to their cars had wheels and axles . Mr . Jemison thanked the men at the lumber store for their help . When they got back into the car, Joe told his dad about his discovery . “Dad, I found more!” Joe yelled . “More what?” asked his dad . “I found more simple machines . There are wheels and axles everywhere!” exclaimed Joe . 9 Joe’s dad chuckled . “Oh, more simple machines . Well, tell me where you see the wheels and axles,” said his dad . “There are wheels and axles on the cart we used to carry out the wood . There are wheels and axles on the carts customers use in the lumber store . The delivery trucks have wheels and axles on them . Even our car has wheels and axles on it!” said Joe excitedly . “Yes, I see what you mean . I can show you another wheel and axle, too,” said Joe’s dad . Joe wondered what wheel and axle he had missed . Mr . Jemison explained that wheel the steering wheel of the car was also a wheel and axle . axle “Look at the steering wheel of the car . The wheel we use to steer the car is connected to an axle that is attached to the car . It is this wheel and axle that turns the wheels of the car .” Joe smiled . He couldn’t wait to tell his teacher what he had learned . After they got home from the lumber store, they unloaded all the wood out of the truck . Joe was glad that he and his dad had everything they needed to start the tree house . They would begin to build it tomorrow after his dad got home from work . Joe wanted to get it finished before Jake came back from vacation .