RESOURCE GUIDEBOOK FOR EDUCATORS
Islamic Inventions: Machines Using Cranks
Lesson/Activity Title: 7.07 Islamic Inventions: Machines Using Cranks
Created by: Arooj Arslan and Salma Nakhuda
Recommended Grade(s): Grade 4
Time Needed – Execution: 6 - 8 periods (40 mins each)
Links to the accompanying Slidedeck, Worksheet, Rubric and Escape Room Acitivity provided in the Lesson plan below.
Background:
With the advancements in Science & Technology, we need to acknowledge and credit the long chain of scientists, engineers, and inventors who spent their lives in exploration leading up to these advancements. To highlight some of the contributions made by the Muslim Civilization in the middle ages, we have created a series of 5 lessons to introduce K-12 students to some of the significant contributions made by Muslim scientists and inventors in the fields of Engineering, Physics, Astronomy, and Mathematics.
Lessons in these series:
7.06 Islamic Contributions to Flight
7.07 Islamic Inventions: Machines Using Cranks
7.08 Engineering of Domes in Islamic Architecture
7.09 Islamic Contributions: Camera Obscura
7.10 Astronomy and Space: Build a Sundial
Curriculum Expectations:
Grade 4
Science
Use technological problem-solving skills to design, build, and test a pulley or gear system that performs a specific task
Describe how one type of motion can be transformed into another type of motion using pulleys or gears (e.g., rotary to linear in a rack and pinion system)
Describe the purposes of pulley systems and gear systems (e.g., to facilitate changes in direction, speed, or force)
Describe how rotary motion in one system or its components is transferred to another system or component
Objectives of the Lesson:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Connect the contributions of Islamic Scientist Al Jazari to the inventions of machines that convert rotary motion to linear motion
Design, build and test an automaton that tells a short story
Success Criteria:
My automaton tells a short story.
I have drawn a clear and detailed diagram of my automaton.
I can use the design thinking process to build an automaton.
I can explain how my automaton converts one type of motion into another.
Materials and Preparation Needed:
Slide Deck (bit.ly/ihmCranksSlides)
Worksheet (bit.ly/ihmCrankWorksheet)
Kahoot (link) (bit.ly/ihmCrankKahoot )
Rubric (bit.ly/ihmRubricCrank)
Projector
Cardboard
Paper
Scissors
Glue
Glue gun
Foam sheets
Skewers
Vocabulary:
Gears, rack and pinion, linear motion, rotary motion, cranks, cam and camshaft,
LESSON
Minds-on
Watch the following video clip with the students: 1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets - Sir Ben Kingsley. Using think/pair/share, ask the students to discuss with a partner:
Why do you think that time period was known as the dark ages in Europe?
Why was the same time period known as the golden ages of Science in the Islamic world? (Answer: “In Muslim civilization, which stretched from Spain to China, science was studied from previous civilizations and other cultures under the umbrella of Muslim culture and civilization. They built upon this knowledge and in turn passed on the achievements to the modern world. This period was known as the Golden Age.” (Al-Hassani, 2012))
Discuss the concept of simple and complex machines with students using slides 1-3 in the slide deck. Then take a look at slide 4 to review how rotary motion can be transformed into linear motion using machines. As a class, view slides 5-8 and have a discussion with the students about the contributions of Al-Jazari.
Students will then play a Kahoot (bit.ly/ihmCrankKahoot ) on the topics above. You can choose one of the two methods below.
You can click and play it as a Guest by clicking on Play>Classic OR
Log into your Kahoot account and click on the Discover tab. Type ‘Contributions of Al-Jazari to Science’ in the search bar. This will allow you to see the questions and answers before playing it with your class.
Action
Students will work in pairs or groups of three for this activity. Share the following information from slide 8 of the slide deck with the students:
“Automatons are moving, mechanical sculptures using everyday materials that allow you to tell a story. They can be considered as a simple toy or a mechanical device that works by itself. You will be creating an automaton that tells a short story.”
Share the following videos and resources with the students. You may choose to view them as a class before asking the students to begin working on their design:
Students can sketch a draft of their automaton on the worksheet (link). (bit.ly/ihmCrankWorksheet). They will select and label the materials while creating their design. Prompt the students with the following questions:
What kinds of movement will your automaton display?
Why did you decide to use these materials?
How might you redesign this design to show your improvements?
Once the students have finalized their sketches, they can begin to build their automaton using the materials provided.
While the students are building their automaton, prompt them to test it often to make sure that it is working the way they envisioned it in their design. Ask the students what kinds of adjustments they can make in the materials or the design to make it perform better.
A few troubleshooting tips that you might find useful are listed on page 9 of this document (bit.ly/ihmAutomataGuide) from the Exploratorium website.
Consolidation
Share the student automatons in a gallery walk. Come back together as a class and ask the students:
What is one thing you learned from building this automaton?
Why do you think it is important to continue to build on or improve designs from earlier inventors?
There are many scientists and inventors who went through the design process in order to create the complex machines that we use today. We need to acknowledge and credit the long chain of scientists, engineers, and inventors who spent their lives working to advance science and technology. The complex machinery that we have today would not have been possible without their contributions.
Assessment:
Observations of how students use the design thinking process to design and test their automatons.
Anecdotal notes of how science terminology was used in the design process.
Additional Resources from TDSB Virtual Library
LibGuides for Grade 4 - Science & Technology: Pulleys & Gears (bit.ly/LibGuidesGears )
PebbleGo: Simple machines (Log on to the TDSB Virtual Library for the username and password for PebbleGo)
General Virtual Library Search Grade 4 Structures and Mechanisms: Pulleys and Gears
Britannica School Links for vocabulary:Gears, rack and pinion, linear motion, rotary motion, cam and camshaft, cranks (Log on to the TDSB Virtual Library for the username and password for Britannica School)
Opportunities for Modifications and Extensions:
Pre-teach the vocabulary using images for younger students, English Language Learners, and Special Education.
Students can be asked to demonstrate their understanding of the motion transformations built into their automatons. They can then create a list of machines that use that kind of movement.
References:
1001Inventions. (2020). 1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets-Sie Ben Kingsley [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/SxJ2OC7iXo0
Al-Hassani, S. (2012). 1001 Inventions: the enduring legacy of Muslim civilization (3rd ed.). National Geographic.
Al-Hassani, S. (2012). 1001 Inventions and Awesome Facts from Muslim Civilization. National Geographic.
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2013, September 18). Automaton. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/automaton