3 / 4
arts working together.
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What is a human system?
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What is a mechanical system?
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What is a simple machine?
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How are machines helpful to humans?
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What are some systems (human or mechanical) that we have in our community?
Questions to Ask your Child
Home Learning
Suggested Home Extensions
Key Vocabulary
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Watch videos on YouTube about simple machines
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Read books about situations in which human systems are used to achieve a goal (examples would
include restaurants, airplane travel, public transportation, and other work scenarios)
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If you could build any kind of robot you wanted to, what kind of a robot would you build? Write
and illustrate a story together that features your robot.
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Observe and discuss human systems that you have at home (bedroom routines, homework
procedures, getting ready for school in the morning).
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Go to a restaurant or local business. Observe what simple or complex machines are used, and what
roles humans play in the system.
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Find simple machines you have at home. Use them to build a more complex machine.
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Go to a playground. Identify the simple machines and have fun playing on them together!
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Work with your child to make a system that would allow him or her to be in charge of simple tasks
at home (like watering the plants, setting the table for dinner, or feeding family pets).
Systems
Improve
Effective
Machines (simple and complex)
Push and pull
Force