Grade 4 Science: Machines, Structures, and Engineering
Free Grade 4 Science unit on Machines, Structures, and Engineering: 10 lessons in order. Includes practice questions and answer keys.
10 lessons in this unit
Structures
Learn that a structure is something built to hold weight or shelter people, sort natural and man-made structures, and identify the parts and loads that act on them.
Lesson 2Strength and stability
Learn that strength is how much load a structure can bear and stability is how well it stays upright, and discover shapes, wide bases and low centres that improve both.
Lesson 3Materials for construction
Learn which materials builders use, such as wood, brick, concrete, metal, glass and thatch, and match each to its job using properties like strength, weight and cost.
Lesson 4Levers
Learn that a lever is a bar that turns on a pivot, identify the effort, load and fulcrum in everyday levers, and discover how position changes the effort needed.
Lesson 5Pulleys
Learn that a pulley is a wheel with a rope that changes the direction of a pull, investigate fixed and moving pulleys safely, and link them to wells, flagpoles and cranes.
Lesson 6Wheels and axles
Learn that a wheel and axle is a wheel fixed to a rod that turns together, see how it reduces friction and makes turning easier, and find it in carts, bicycles and doorknobs.
Lesson 7Inclined planes
Learn that an inclined plane is a slope that makes lifting easier, test how slope steepness changes the effort needed, and link ramps, wedges and screws to the idea.
Lesson 8Mechanical advantage introduction
Learn the idea that machines can multiply force or change direction at the cost of distance, compare simple machines, and explain why no machine gives free work.
Lesson 9Engineering design
Learn the engineering design process of asking, imagining, planning, creating, testing and improving, and use it to solve a simple problem with clear criteria and constraints.
Lesson 10Building and testing models
Learn to build, test and improve a model bridge or shelter with fair tests, record results in tables and graphs, and present a design report with evidence.