Hey there! Today, Squeaks and I are on an exciting adventure looking for insects. We know that some insects like to hide under rocks, so we’re trying to lift a few rocks to see what we can find. But these rocks are really big and heavy! We need a clever way to move them.
Squeaks had a great idea! A few weeks ago, we learned about a tool called a ramp, which is a type of simple machine. Simple machines are tools that make work easier. A ramp helped us move books into the house, and now we need another simple machine to help us lift these rocks. This time, we’ll use a lever!
A lever is a simple machine that looks like a long bar balanced on something underneath, called a fulcrum. When you push down on one end of the lever, the other end goes up, just like a see-saw at the playground. Levers help us lift heavy things more easily.
For example, if Squeaks sits on one end of a see-saw and I push down on the other end, I can lift Squeaks up without much effort. Our simple machine made the job easier!
Now, let’s use a lever to lift our rocks. First, we put one end of the lever under the edge of a rock. Then, we use a smaller rock as the fulcrum and place it under the middle of the lever. By pushing on the high end of the lever, the rock goes up! We did it!
But it was still a bit hard. To make it easier, we moved the fulcrum closer to the rock we wanted to lift. This time, it was much easier to lift the rock. The closer the fulcrum is to the thing you want to lift, the easier it is!
Levers are all around us, even if they don’t always look like a see-saw. Did you know that when you use a wheelbarrow, you’re using a lever? The wheel acts as the fulcrum, and you lift the handles to carry things. We also use levers to open bottles, dig in gardens, and even eat our food!
Squeaks and I are off to find more insects, but we’ll be back soon with more simple machines. Thanks for joining us on SciShow Kids! If you have questions about machines, insects, or anything else, ask a grownup to help you leave a comment or send us an email at [email protected]. See you next time!
Lever Hunt: Go on a lever hunt around your home or playground! Look for things that work like levers. Can you find a see-saw, a bottle opener, or a pair of scissors? Try using them and think about where the fulcrum is and how it helps make work easier. Draw a picture of each lever you find and label the parts: the lever, the fulcrum, and the load.
Build Your Own Lever: Gather some simple materials like a ruler or a stick, a small block or a toy as the fulcrum, and a small object to lift. Experiment by placing the fulcrum at different points under the ruler. Try lifting the object by pressing down on the opposite end of the ruler. What happens when you move the fulcrum closer to the object? Write down your observations or share them with a friend.
Lever Story Time: Imagine you are an inventor in a world where levers don’t exist yet. Write or draw a short story about how you discovered levers and how they changed the way people do things. What problems did levers help solve in your story? Share your story with your family or friends and see if they can think of other ways levers help us every day.
