CU 4.17Wheel and Axle

1. 1

   Drag the box across the rug. 'It rubs and drags. That is friction.'

2. 2

   Set the box on the cart and pull it the same distance: 'The wheels roll, so it is much easier.'

3. 3

   Turn the toy car over. Point to the wheels and the bar between them: 'This bar is the axle. The wheels turn on it.'

4. 4

   Slide the spool onto the pencil and spin it: 'The spool is the wheel. The pencil is the axle.'

5. 5

   Turn a doorknob: 'A doorknob is a wheel and axle too. The big knob turns the small rod inside.'

6. 6

   Invite the child to try each one and match the picture cards.

What catches the child’s eye

• A load that was hard to drag gliding easily on wheels
• The hidden metal bar found when the toy car is turned over

Extensions, easiest to hardest

1. Pull a cart with big wheels and one with small wheels and compare
2. Look for wheels and axles on the playground and in the kitchen
3. Roll dough with a rolling pin in food preparation and find the axle
4. Count the wheels and axles on toy vehicles