CU 4.18Pulleys

1. 1

   Lift the bucket straight up by the handle. 'I pulled up to lift it.'

2. 2

   Hook the rope over the pulley. Pull down on the free end slowly. 'I pulled down, and the bucket went up.'

3. 3

   Lower the bucket slowly, hand over hand.

4. 4

   Say: 'A pulley is a wheel with a groove for a rope. It lets us pull down to lift up.'

5. 5

   Add a block to the bucket and lift again.

6. 6

   Invite the child to lift and lower the bucket.

7. 7

   Match the picture cards of everyday pulleys.

What catches the child’s eye

• The bucket rising while the child's hands pull down
• The pulley wheel spinning as the rope runs through its groove

Extensions, easiest to hardest

1. Raise the class flag with the guide on a real flagpole
2. Use a two-pulley set and feel that the load is lighter, with the guide
3. Lift the bucket to a marked height and stop it there
4. Find pulleys on window blinds and in pictures of cranes