Simple MachinesGrade 3 Science for Kids

Levers, pulleys and ramps help us lift and move things with less force.

Simple Machines helps third graders find levers, pulleys, ramps and wheels all around them, test where to push on a lever and add pulleys to lift heavy loads with less force. Hands-on science and engineering.

  • Grade 3 · Ages 8–9
  • 3 lessons
  • 3 experiments
  • 12 practice questions
  • About 25 min
Start Learning Free Open the Course
  • Machines Everywhere
  • Machine Hunt
  • Levers
  • Lever Lift
  • Pulleys
  • Pulley Power

Science lab course · Grade 3

Simple Machines · Learning goals

What Your Child Will Learn

Find simple machines all around you, test where to push on a lever, and add pulleys to lift a heavy load with less force.

  • Levers, pulleys and ramps are simple machines that make work easier.
  • The farther from the pivot you push, the less force you need to lift a load.
  • More pulleys share the load, so you need less force to lift it.

Why it matters

Why This Matters for Kids

  • Machines everywhere

    Scissors, seesaws, door handles and ramps are all simple machines kids use daily.

  • Less effort

    Kids discover how machines make work easier, a big idea in physics and engineering.

  • Engineering mindset

    Thinking about how tools work encourages kids to design and build.

Inside Simple Machines

How the Course Works

Each level has a short read-aloud lesson, an interactive experiment and a mini quiz.

  1. Step 1 · Lesson

    Machines Everywhere

    A simple machine makes work easier. It changes the size or direction of a force.

  2. Step 2 · Experiment

    Machine Hunt

    Simple machines are hiding everywhere! Which kind is each one?

  3. Step 3 · Lesson

    Levers

    A lever has a pivot (fulcrum): the point it turns on.

  4. Step 4 · Experiment

    Lever Lift

    Let's lift a heavy rock with a lever. We'll push near the pivot, in the middle, and at the far end.

  5. Step 5 · Lesson

    Pulleys

    A single pulley changes the direction of a force: pull down to lift up!

  6. Step 6 · Experiment

    Pulley Power

    Let's lift the same heavy box using 1, 2 and then 4 pulleys and measure the pull needed.

Lesson preview

A Peek Inside the Lesson

This is the real lesson text your child hears, read aloud by a friendly voice.

Machines Everywhere

A simple machine makes work easier. It changes the size or direction of a force.

A lever is a bar that turns on a point, like a seesaw.

A pulley is a wheel with a rope, like on a flagpole.

A ramp (inclined plane) is a slope that helps move things up.

Levers

A lever has a pivot (fulcrum): the point it turns on.

The load is what you lift. The effort is your push.

Pushing farther from the pivot makes lifting easier!

Pulleys

A single pulley changes the direction of a force: pull down to lift up!

With more pulleys, the load is shared between more ropes.

You pull less hard, but you pull more rope.

For parents

Try It at Home

Learning sticks best when kids use it in real life. Here are simple ideas from this course.

Parent Tip

Make a lever with a ruler and a pencil. Move the pencil and see how much easier it is to lift a small stack of coins.

Machine Hunt

  1. Hunt for simple machines in your kitchen.
  2. Scissors, a can opener, a jar lid…
  3. Draw 3 of them and name them.

Levers, pulleys and ramps are simple machines that make work easier.

Lever Lift

  1. Put a ruler over a pencil like a seesaw.
  2. Put coins on one end.
  3. Press the other end near the pencil, then at the tip. Which is easier?

The farther from the pivot you push, the less force you need to lift a load.

Pulley Power

  1. Loop a rope over a broom handle held by two people.
  2. Tie a bucket to one end and pull.
  3. Loop it around twice. Is it easier?

More pulleys share the load, so you need less force to lift it.

Practice

Grade 3 Science Practice Questions

Real questions from Simple Machines. Try them with your child, then tap to see the answer.

  1. Question 1

    What does a simple machine do?

    • A.Makes work easier
    • B.Uses electricity
    • C.Makes noise
    Show answer

    Makes work easier

  2. Question 2

    What is the pivot of a lever?

    • A.The heavy load
    • B.The point it turns on
    • C.The handle color
    Show answer

    The point it turns on

  3. Question 3

    What does one pulley do?

    • A.Makes the load heavier
    • B.Nothing
    • C.Changes the direction of the force
    Show answer

    Changes the direction of the force

The full course has 12 questions with instant feedback, stars and rewards. Create a free account to play them all.

Simple Machines · Questions from parents

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this course for?

Simple Machines is a grade 3 science course for kids ages 8–9. That is Year 4 science in the UK and Year 3 in Australia. It also works well for review in the next grade, or as a challenge for a confident younger learner.

What will my child learn?

Find simple machines all around you, test where to push on a lever, and add pulleys to lift a heavy load with less force. Along the way they practice: Levers, pulleys and ramps are simple machines that make work easier; The farther from the pivot you push, the less force you need to lift a load; More pulleys share the load, so you need less force to lift it.

How long does the course take?

About 25 minutes in total, split into 3 short levels. Most kids finish it over two or three sessions. Progress is saved, so they can stop any time and pick up where they left off.

Is this course free?

Simple Machines is part of SkillBloom Premium, which unlocks every course in every subject. Each subject also has free courses, so your child can try SkillBloom before you decide.

Does my child need to read well to use it?

No. Every lesson has a friendly read-aloud voice, questions are read aloud too, and the pictures help kids follow along. Confident readers can turn the voice off.

Can we use it for homeschool?

Yes. SkillBloom is built for homeschooling families. Kids work through lessons, games and quizzes on their own, and the parent dashboard shows what they finished and which skills need more practice. It works on phones, tablets and laptops.

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