Background Information
The Inventor's Workshop - Leonardo's fascination with machines.
Rube Goldberg Machines - the official Rube Goldberg Web site.
LEGO® Great Ball Contraption - posted on September 17, 2012 by akiyuky ( from Japan ) in his house, machine has 17 modules that track blue and red balls, running at 1.0 balls/sec, there are 500 balls, size : 1.5m X 6.5m, path length : 31m, construction time : 600 hours
Buzzle.com - Simple Machines, by simple nature of the concept, are fairly complicated. However, on a relative note, some machines are simpler than others. Read more here to know about them.
Simple Machines - there are 6 simple machines that make work easier for us by allowing us to push or pull over increased distances. ( with picture examples for each type of simple machine )
Beacon Learning Center - "Wally the working ant will be your guide as we learn about the six simple machines and how the machines make work easier."
Understanding Simple Machines
Scholastic: Simple Machines - learn about the six types of simple machines
Enchanted Learning: Levers - interesting site explaining the types of levers with animated illustrations.
The Essence of Simple Machines - Click on any of the machines to learn more, or click on a button at the bottom of the page to go to another section.
Classifying Simple Machines
Gadget Anatomy - The hand powered tools shown on this page all use combinations of the elements of machines to accomplish their functions.
How Simple Machines Work
How Gears Work - here you will find an explanation about how gears work from the creator's of how stuff works.
How a Block and Tackle Works - here you will find an explanation about how pulleys work from the creator's of how stuff works.
Simple and Complex Machines - ASPIRE - Simple & Complex Machines - Lab Menu
Demonstrate Your Own Simple/Compound Machine
Simply Machines - In this two-part activity, students design and build Rube Goldberg machines. This open-ended challenge employs the engineering design process and may have a pre-determined purpose, such as rolling a marble into a cup from a distance, or let students decide the purposes.