STEM Supplies Exclusive Product
Includes Lessons and Curriculum
ForceCourse Pulley System Kit
Pulleys are an integral part of today's engineering and construction industries due to their ability to distribute the load of an object and reduce the force required to move it. But which pulley design is best? With ForceCourse, students discover how different pulleys produce different mechanical advantage, and compare three major types of pulley systems used frequently in real-world design—fixed, movable, and compound pulleys.
Start by setting up the 60"H durable yet lightweight ABS frame in your classroom, gymnasium, or even outside. Then engage students in exciting hands-on experimentation, solidifying abstract physics concepts through visual and tactile reinforcement. Students will build all three pulley systems, place weighted bags in a bucket, then lift it using each system while observing the variances in force required. Next, challenge small groups to use trial and error to design and build the pulley system they think will produce the highest mechanical advantage. Challenge older students to take it a step further, integrating math to calculate the reduction of force based on the number of pulleys in a compound system. Everyone can test their inventions in 4 pulley stations, encouraging collaboration for better learning and comprehension.
Kit includes enough parts to build one of each kind of pulley simultaneously. The included lesson direction details setup instructions, activities by grade level, learning objectives, and teaching suggestions to expand lessons. Patented. Accommodates 12 students. Recommended for Elementary and up.
Click here to view a sample of the included lesson directions.
Kit includes:
- ABS Frame (47-1/2"L x 47-1/2"W x 64"H; 20 lb), 1 Ea
- Buckets, 4 Ea
- Weighted Bags (4" sq/50 g to 6" sq/1,000 g), 4 Sets of 5
- Ropes (11'6"L), 4 Ea
- Pulleys, 8 Ea
- Carabiners, 8 Ea
- VersaBagPlus Mesh Bag with Straps, 1 Ea
- Lesson Direction
Next Generation Science Standards*:
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3-PS2-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
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3-PS2-2: Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.
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3-5-ETS1-1: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
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3-5-ETS1-2: Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
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3-5-ETS1-3: Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
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MS-PS2-2: Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object's motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.
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MS-PS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or maximizes thermal energy transfer.
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MS-PS3-5: Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the motion energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object.
*The Next Generation Science Standards are a registered trademark of WestEd. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.