Reading Level: Grade 1 Interest Level: Grades K – 3
Inclined planes have been around for thousands of years. They might have even helped Egyptians build the pyramids! This low-level title explores the history and functions of these machines. It includes diagrams and simple experiments to show how inclined planes make our everyday lives easier.
These titles describe simple machines to new readers who are eager to learn how they make life easier. Some of the machines are more basic than others, like wedges, levers, and inclined planes. Others, like pulleys, screws, and wheels and axles, require a little more engineering. Pulleys tells readers how rope, wheel, and axle can combine to lift a heavy load with less force and how adding more pulleys (creating a compound pulley) can reduce the effort even further. Bright colors and large text, complemented with illustrative photographs, make these books wonderfully educational. The history of simple machines is discussed in each volume. Perhaps the best part is that each book includes several experiment suggestions, teaching readers how to make a pulley, an Archimedes’ screw, and more with household objects. VERDICT: Fun, educational choices for every collection.
