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Everyday Machines / Week 01 / Machine Day
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Week 01 · Machines Everywhere

Machine Day

Machine Day: The Wheel Hunt
// What a machine is, and the wheels all around you
⏱ about 15 min

Machine Day: The Wheel Hunt

Rocket, Raven and Nova set out on a wheel hunt.

"Wheels are everywhere!" Rocket says, pointing at a cart.

Raven keeps a list. "What do you notice? Big wheels and small ones."

Nova counts with a soft beep for every wheel.

"Would you like a hint? Look low and look high," she says.

  1. A machine is a tool that makes work easier.
  2. A wheel turns around a rod called the axle.
  3. Friction is the rubbing force that slows things down.
  4. Rolling makes less friction than sliding.
  5. A doorknob is a wheel and axle too.
◇ FAMILY WHEEL HUNT
Walk through your home and yard together.
Find as many wheels as you can.
For each one, find the axle.
Sort them: big wheels and small wheels.
Pick the strangest wheel you found.
For a grown-up
Point out wheels your child might miss: chairs, suitcases, toys.
Ask: what job does this wheel make easier?
Celebrate every wheel, even the tiny ones.
Safety first
Look and point. Do not climb on carts or chairs with wheels.
A grown-up moves anything heavy.
Stay away from the street and from cars.
MACHINE DAY CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
What is the rod in the middle of a wheel?
Why do carts have wheels?
SentenceTrue or false?
A suitcase with wheels is a machine.?
A wheel needs no axle to turn on.?
A machine makes work easier.?
WHY THIS EXERCISESpotting wheels helps you see machines everywhere.
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