10 doing work k 2 simple machines complete inv pack

While reading, students will record key vocabulary and evidence from the text they read.. Each Mystery File includes a Mystery File Question to help students decide whether the subject d

Each Investigation Pack includes everything you need for this activity The

investigation begins with the Key Question—the guiding question that

students will address during their reading It challenges students to identify

texts, as well as from their discussions, to answer the Key Question

ACTIVITY OVERVIEW

group reads at least

and collects evidence

Key Question

with the other files they read, and why or why not

INTRODUCTION Welcome to Investigation Packs! Your students are about to embark on an

exciting new science adventure They will dig deeper into science content, apply scientific practices, and develop skills in the language arts

high-interest, in-depth science content In each investigation, students will

critical thinking, and creativity

ABOUT THE

RESOURCE

© Learning A–Z All rights reserved www.sciencea-z.com

INVESTIGATION PACK TEACHER’S GUIDE

2

¢ Printing: The I.Files are intended to be printed double-sided and in color, but this is not essential They may be printed single-sided, in black and white, or even projected or viewed on screen as needed

¢ Leveling: To help differentiate instruction within groups, one of the I.Files

is written at a lower reading level, two or more are at a middle level, and one is at a higher level These levels are represented by small dots to indicate a lower (•), middle (••), or higher (•••) reading level Assign the appropriate file to each student within a group, or pair an emerging reader with a capable reader and ask them to read the same file

¢ The I.File Response Sheet asks the Key Question and provides space for prior knowledge While reading, students will record key vocabulary and evidence from the text they read Then they will compare notes with their teammates to write their answer to the Key Question on this sheet

¢ The Mystery File may or may not share all of the key details of the

I.Files Each Mystery File includes a Mystery File Question to help students decide whether the subject does or does not belong grouped

their decision using evidence from the text

¢ The I.Files Teaching Tips are specific to the topics in the pack They include answers

common misconceptions, key vocabulary terms, solutions to Math Moments, and extensions and variations related to the files

Each Investigation Pack includes the following:

informational text covering a specific high-interest topic related to a Science A–Z unit Students will interpret photographs, illustrations,

maps, and graphs Certain embedded details are common to all the

files and are integral to answering the Key Question

Contents of Each Investigation Pack

q 4–6 I.Files

q 1 Mystery File

q I.File Response Sheet

q I.Files Teaching Tips

I.File

Reading Levels

File

INVESTIGATION PACK TEACHER’S GUIDE

We recommend using the Investigation Packs in one of two ways

of the unit it accompanies This activity is meant to complement the other unit materials while providing students with deeper scientific content Before using the Investigation Pack, you might have students

can be used at the beginning of the unit in order to spark interest in the subject matter

reading activity before or after introducing other unit materials

matter of the Investigation Pack

Make sure students understand what the question is asking

the answer is in the My First Answer section, based on their prior knowledge Now is a good time to review unfamiliar vocabulary

Grouping Alternatives

Have students work in Investigation Teams (or “I.Teams”) of four to six

convene to discuss the pack of files If using smaller groups, consider one of these approaches:

pairs meet to discuss all the files in the pack

files together

Group Roles

Consider assigning group roles to students, particularly a recorder and a discussion leader Other roles might include a materials collector,

a timekeeper, a reporter, and a fact checker

reading, students should record key vocabulary terms in the My Key Words and Definitions chart and attempt to define them in their own words using context clues Provide dictionaries to help students define the words

In the My Evidence section, instruct students to record details from their

own reading that may help answer the Key Question

© Learning A–Z All rights reserved www.sciencea-z.com

can be copied directly from the left-hand I.Team Evidence section of the

I.File Response Sheet Then have them circle whether each detail is or is not

details in order for the answer to the Mystery File Question to be yes.

Invite groups to share their answers to the Key Question and the Mystery File Question

If groups disagree, encourage scientific

evidence If groups didn’t find all the key

share with them the ones they missed

SPECIAL NOTE: It is important that students come away with the correct answers to the Key Question and the Mystery File Question Address any misconceptions that may have influenced

Now have students come together as a group and report on what they have learned They should collaboratively fill out the group section

for details that are definitely true of all the files as well as space for details that only might be true By analyzing which details are found in all the

files, students will engage in scientific argument in order to come to an agreement on the answer to the Key Question Invite groups to share their findings so the whole class can come to a consensus Refer to the

I.Files Teaching Tips to guide the discussion

Students each read

one different I.File

Group discusses

all the I.Files

Class discusses answer

to Key Question

AFTER THE

ACTIVITY

INVESTIGATION PACK TEACHER’S GUIDE

Consider these ideas to extend the usefulness of any Investigation Pack Also

and variations specific to that Investigation Pack.

file Back in class, have students discuss the answers to the Key

Allow students to read the rest of the files from the pack to learn more about each topic

the text:

1 Provide vocabulary support by using a word wall

2 Review pronunciations with students before beginning the activity

3 Introduce any science words that have cognates in a student’s

native language

4 Pair an English Language Learner with a fluent reader of English

5 Allow students to define vocabulary terms in nonlinguistic fashion

(drawings)

can create their own version of a picture or diagram from their

I.File or draw a new one based on facts from their reading

present their findings to the class using digital presentation software

details to include it with the others Students may also add images, maps, graphs, math problems, and interesting sidebars

EXTENSIONS

AND VARIATIONS

© Learning A–Z All rights reserved. 1 www.sciencea-z.com

Teacher Instructions: Before students read the I.Files, ask them to explain what they know or think they know about the answer to the Key Question using the My First Answer section After students read an I.File, ask them to list five words

that are important for understanding the topic Then have them define each term in their own words.

Name Date Others on my I.Team

My Key Words and Definitions

Teacher Instructions: In the My Evidence section, have students list the most important or interesting details from their I.Files Only some of these details will help them answer the Key Question Next, have each group complete the I.Team Evidence section together In the table on the left, ask students to list the details that were in every I.File their team read

These details will be used to answer the Key Question In the table on the right, students can list details that might be true

of all the I.Files, but they would need to learn more to know for sure Students should not use these details to answer the

Key Question Finally, have students provide the I.Team Answer in complete sentences, using separate paper if necessary.

My Evidence

_ _ _ _ _

Details that might be true

of all the I.Files

Name Date

Lever It Up

Investigation File

© Learning A–Z All rights reserved.

www.sciencea-z.com

Photo Credits: Left: © IvancoVlad/iStock/Thinkstock; right: © Jens Gade/123RF

Illustration Credits: Tracy Bishop/© Learning A–Z

“Let’s open it!” Jose says

Beth points to the side of the box “This is

the top We need to use a lever to turn

the box over Levers help people do work by making objects easier to lift.”

José finds a long board Beth sets the board on a rock near the box.

“Now we need a force to move the box,” Beth says.

They push down on the end of the board, and the box tips over.

“Now we can open it!” José says.

José and Beth use a lever to tip the box over

Lever

Long levers let you use less force to move something than short levers do.

crowbars

Seesaws are fun! But can you play on a

seesaw with an adult who is bigger than

you? Yes! A seesaw is a lever It has two

parts, a long bar and a fulcrum in the

middle If the adult is far from the fulcrum,

she is hard to lift If the adult is close to

the fulcrum, she is easy to lift

A catapult is a complex machine It has

a lever and other parts, too It can throw things far People once used catapults to throw heavy rocks during battles Now some people use

catapults to see how far they can toss a pumpkin!

T he S e e s aw

It takes less force to lift someone on a seesaw if she is closer

to the fulcrum The work is easier

A dog that weighs 20 pounds sits on the end of

a seesaw How many 5-pound cats would you

need on the other end to balance the seesaw?

A wheelbarrow is a lever

You lift up on the handles

to move the load

Slide It Down

1

Investigation File

© Learning A–Z All rights reserved.

J osé and Beth see a big box in the

family truck A sign on the box says,

“Move to treehouse.” José tries to lift the box

“This box is heavy!” José says

“Let’s make a ramp!” Beth says “Ramps help people do work They make it easier

to move things up or down.”

José and Beth use a long board to make the ramp Now they need a force to move the box They

push the box down the ramp with their hands

José and Beth use a force to move the box down the ramp

Ramp

A ramp does not have to be straight

It can be curvy A road that goes up

a mountain is a kind of ramp.

A ramp joins low places and high

places You can use it to move

things up or down.

A ramp is a simple machine It has

only one part

A ramp can be part of a complex

machine A dump truck has many

parts Lift the ramp! The

use less force over a longer distance This helps you to move an object

FORCE AND DISTANCEforce

of an ant climbing up around a screw!

Playground slides and waterslides are ramps, too They can be very long They can be straight or curvy.

Open It!

Investigation File

© Learning A–Z All rights reserved.

J osé and Beth want to open a big box.

“The top is on too tight,” José says

“I will find a wedge,” Beth says

Beth gets a doorstop It has only one part The piece of wood is thick on one end and thin on the other end

“Try using this!” Beth says

José puts the thin end under the top

of the box He needs a force to move the top He pushes

on the doorstop

The top opens!

José uses a wedge

to open the box

Wedge

You use wedges when you eat Knives, forks, and even your teeth are wedges! They have thin or pointy ends.

Long ago, people made wedges

out of rocks Using wedges

helped them do work They used

wedges to dig up food They

also used wedges to cut meat.

People tied wedges to sticks

to make spears They used

spears for hunting.

Do you want to make

an apple pie? With

an adult’s help, peel the apples first An apple

peeler is a complex

machine with many parts

A sharp wedge is one of its parts Put the apple on the machine

Turn the handle The wedge takes the peel off for you!

Then the wedge pushes the wood apart

wedge

spear

wedge

HOW A WEDGE WORKS

force

People use wedges to move objects apart A shovel, scissors, and a saw are wedges What does each wedge move apart?

Rolling Along

Investigation File

© Learning A–Z All rights reserved.

J osé and Beth’s parents brought home

a mystery box A sign on the box says,

“Move to treehouse.”

“This box will be hard to move,” Beth says.

“I wish the box had wheels,” José says

“Maybe it can!” Beth says She gets a hand truck, and they load the box

“Now we need a force to move the box,” Beth says

They push the hand truck and move the box to the back yard

José smiles “The wheels made our work easier.”

José and Beth use the wheels on the hand truck to move the box

Whee l

a n d

Axle

A wheel has two important parts, the wheel itself and

the axle (ACK-sull) A wheel and axle make up a simple

machine They turn at the

same time They make it easy to move things

Bicycles have many parts

They are complex machines

with wheels The pedals help you turn the wheels You push the pedals and go for a ride!

If you make the axle turn, the wheel will also turn Or if you make the wheel turn, the axle will turn, too

This Ferris wheel in Las Vegas is 167.6 meters (550 ft.) tall! It uses a big wheel and axle

wheelaxle

HOW A WHEEL AND AXLE WORK

A boy on a bicycle rides 6 meters The wheels turn 3 times Then the boy rides 10 more meters The wheels turn 5 times How many times did the wheels turn in all?

How far did the boy ride?

Gears are wheels with teeth!

The teeth of one gear match

up with the teeth

of another gear

Gears help machines

do more work with less force.

wheel

teeth

axle

Mystery File Question

“It’s a telescope!” José says

“Let’s use a pulley to lift it up to the

treehouse,” Beth says.

The pulley has two main parts It has

a rope wrapped over a wheel It will need a force to move the telescope

Beth ties one end of the rope around the telescope José pulls on the other end

of the rope The rope turns the wheel The telescope

goes up

“Just in time to see the Moon!”

pulleys

load

A crane is a complex machine It uses more

than one pulley The pulleys help people

do work When the machine pulls down,

the load goes up, up, up.

A crane can lift very

heavy loads A big

crane can lift a car

or even a house!

Lifting a Big Load

Pull down on the rope

The pulley at the top changes the direction

of the force The hay

is the load It goes up

Mystery File Response Sheet

Key Question: What do simple machines have in common?

Details found on all I.Files:

T = true F = false ? = not sure

Did you circle T (true) for all the details? Yes No

Mystery File Question:

Is a pulley a simple machine? Yes No

Teacher Instructions: First, have students list the key details found in every

I.File their group read Refer to the left side of the I.Team Evidence section

on their I.File Response Sheet Then have students circle T, F, or ? to indicate

whether each detail was true of the Mystery File.

Ask students to answer the Yes/No questions These two answers should match Finally, have students use the blank lines to answer the Mystery File Question using complete sentences, based solely on what they read.