Giblyn "Engineers" Build Compound Machines

Fourth Graders at Leo F. Giblyn School in Freeport brought a science lesson about machines to life when they created their own compound machines.

For this unit, students in team teachers Suzanne Caravousanos' and Mary Garguilo's classes studied the six simple machines-inclined plane, lever, screw, wheel and axle, pulley and wedge. They learned how each machine works, and how these simple machines can be combined to form compound and complex machines.

Next they created their own compound machines, combining two or more simple machines to solve a specific problem, like drawing water from a well or measuring the weight of objects. Students built their machines, with the help of their parents, using materials found around the house.

And like real-world engineers, they prepared a report to explain how they created their machines and to evaluate how successful each machine was at solving its specific problem.