my third grade child needs to "invent a simple machine using household items", any ideas?

Answer 1

Take a small triangular block of wood and put a ruler over the point! You have a lever and fulcrum!

Or give them a wooden doorstop and call it a wedge!

Answer 2

Oh goody! I am a third grade teacher and that chapter is coming up next week. :) First, I will give you some examples of simple machines.

http://www.coe.uh.edu/archive/science/science_lessons/scienceles1/finalhome.htm

Inclined plane would probably be the easiest to make. Basically it's a ramp. Legos, or cardboard and tape would be easiest.

I hope this gives you some ideas.

Best of luck! :)

PS. I applaud your interest in your child's assignment! As a teacher I am often faced with uninvolved parents that say "use your imagination" and the students are embarrassed because other student's parents helped them create awesome projects. There is a big difference in guiding and doing and I think what you are doing is wonderful!

Also, believe or not, teachers create family involvement activities so that parents will work with their children. Whenever I assign projects I expect parents to help their children. It's how they learn. Children do not always learn best on their own. The key here is guide.

Answer 3

I hate to be picky, but why are you doing your third-grader's homework? If it's an invention, it should be his/her invention. Otherwise the child gets nothing out the exercise. Invite your third-grader to explore the kitchen, or your sewing room, or any other place where there is extraneous 'stuff' and set their imagination to work. Ask the child to define 'machine' first, to make sure that s/he knows the parameters. Machines can be VERY simple.

Answer 4

Something to hold a door open? A wedge is a simple machine. See if he can construct a wedge, perhaps just a wedge block if you have wooden or foam blocks or other piece of wood. If all else fails, make one out of soap.

Answer 5

Do you have any boxes laying around if so you can make a
T-shirt Folding Machine. And you wont have to fold any more t- shirts for your third grader. For directions on making a T-shirt Folding Machine go to www.youtube.com and type in T-shirt Folding Machine. i have some more ideas but I'll leave you with this one.

Answer 6

If you must get involved, make it obvious. Go on the Web and download a Zoetrope strip. Wrap it around a turntable. Shine a strobe light on it. Voila: Instant movie projector.

Answer 7

is the assignment to "invent a simple machine using household items" or to "copy someone else's idea"

Answer 8

i helped my son do the same thing last semester and the instructions SPECIFICALLY asked for parental guidance AND HELP (for his 4th grade science class), so ignore the rude comments and remarks about leaving it up to your daughter. we made a crane, but my husband had to help as making a simple machine isn't that simple to MANY mothers so its much harder for children!!

Answer 9

you could make a spinning device with a rubber band, stretched out bobby pin, and a button in the middle of the rubber band. Then put it in an enveloped, all wound up, and when someone opens the enveloped it will give them a scare.

Answer 10

Make a mechanical toe out of a closepin and hot-glue.