Students learn how the six simple machines — lever, pulley, inclined plane (ramp), wheel and axle, wedge and screw — make work easier by changing the size or direction of a force. They identify the load, effort and fulcrum of a lever, balance a seesaw, compare lifting with using a ramp or pulley, and explain the trade-off between force and distance.
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Curriculum: Texas grade levels (TEKS). We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.
Completed: Simple Machines: Levers, Pulleys and Ramps
6th Grade students (typically ages 11–12) working on forces & motion. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.
Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.
About 35 minutes for 14 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.
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Success TutoringWorksheets6th Grade · Science · Forces & MotionName
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Simple machines make jobs easier, not lighter: less force over a longer distance.
Read the passage, then answer the questions.
A simple machine is a device that makes a job easier by changing the size or the direction of a force. There are six simple machines: the lever, pulley, inclined plane (ramp), wheel and axle, wedge and screw.
A lever is a rigid bar that turns around a fixed point called the fulcrum (or pivot). The force you apply is the effort, and the object being moved is the load.
A pulley is a wheel with a rope around it. A fixed pulley changes the direction of the force. A movable pulley, attached to the load, halves the force needed.
Show your working.
Balancing a lever: a lever balances when force × distance from the fulcrum is the same on both sides. A smaller force can balance a bigger one if it is further from the fulcrum.
Ramps: if we ignore friction, force × distance is the same whether you lift a load straight up or push it up a ramp. A longer ramp means less force, but more distance.
Write True or False.
Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.
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Worksheet · 4th Grade · Forces & Motion · Level 2 · Standard
Worksheet · 4th Grade · Forces & Motion · Level 2 · Standard
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