Simple Machines in My Home

Looking around my home, you would find many types of simple machines. These types of machines are a Lever, Inclined Plane, Wheel and Axle, Screw, Wedge, and a Pulley.  Here are some of the objects I chose after observing my home:

Lever: An example of a lever in my home is scissors.  The handles are the force you apply while the fulcrum is what holds the two together and the cut is the force you produce.

Inclined Plane: An inclined plane that I thought of would be something that all would have on their homes, a roof.  This is used to move water downward off of a roof, instead of allowing it to sit in one place.

Wheel and Axle:  An old "homemade" wheelbarrow is something I saw as a great example of wheel and axle.  If you look closely, the wheelbarrow shows the axle that makes the wheel go around.

Screw: I never thought of a lid to be considered a screw (something new I learned).  I found a lid to a peanut jar which is a screw used to hold the jar together.

Wedge: I found in my garage something that is known as a "stake."  This is considered a wedge because when driven into the ground, it forces the dirt apart.  (This is similar to an axe splitting wood.)

Pulley: Also in my garage there is a old, antique sewing machine.  I have taken a picture of the "pulley" part of this machine that in located underneath.  When you step on the pedal, the string goes through the hole (located at right side) then around in the wheel, up to desk to begin your sewing.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in my Home

After being asked to show ways that I reduce, reuse, recycle in my home, I thought 

 that I really did not do much besides recycling. Sitting and actually thinking about my everyday activities and what I have been taught growing up, I realized, I do more than I thought.

REDUCING-  When it comes to reducing, I have always been told, "turn the lights off when you do not need them". This is one way my family contributes to reducing. Every time one of us leaves a room, it is a habit to make sure the lights are off. Another way we reduce is to turn the thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer. This is to conserve energy, allowing for the air-conditioning unit to not work as hard. The last thing I could think of for reducing is when I brush my teeth in morning and at night, instead of leaving the water running, it is turned off, using it only when I need it.


REUSING- This is something that I do almost everyday.  Instead of getting a new water bottle, I reuse one that I used earlier.  To be honest, I can only do this for a day or two, but reusing is happening.  Another thing my family and I reuse is the reusable shopping bags.  We take the grocery ones with us to the store, when we remember. Here is a picture of the ones I use to put my lunch in and one that I take to a department store.

RECYCLING- This is what the recycling box looks like at the beginning of the week.  We recycle paper, plastic, and aluminum into this box as much as possible, but sometimes it doesn't always go to the recycling bin.