Simple Machines (Song and lyrics)

Another SOL song covering material from the 3rd grade Virginia Science SOL. This one is about simple machines. It's a little more didactic than I prefer, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to give a basic overview of the simple machines and what they do, along with a chorus that lists them all repeatedly. I toyed with adding a bridge about compound machines, but that will just have to wait for another song.

I gave a little more care to this recording (I recorded several tracks more than once, and even added a bass!) I hope you enjoy it.

This is also an audience participation song... after "a screw is like a screw" everyone has to shout "DUH!" as loud as they can... try it now... no louder! Well, okay, just wait for the right part of the song...

Lyrics:

Simple machines make work easier to do
Use a wedge or a lever or a pulley or a screw;
A wheel and axle or an inclined plane.
They're all simple machines, oh simple machines.

A wedge starts wide, but is pointed at the end
A lever's like the seesaw that you ride on with a friend
A pulley is a wheel with a rope that goes around
Wherever there is work to do, you know what will be found...

Simple machines make work easier to do
Use a wedge or a lever or a pulley or a screw;
A wheel and axle or an inclined plane.
They're all simple machines, oh simple machines.

An inclined plane helps you move things up and down
A wheel and axle helps things move or turn around
A screw is like a screw (duh!) or the lid of a jar
Without simple machines, we couldn't get too far...

Simple machines make work easier to do
Use a wedge or a lever or a pulley or a screw;
A wheel and axle or an inclined plane.
They're all simple machines, oh simple machines.

Simple machines make work easier to do
Use a wedge or a lever or a pulley or a screw;
A wheel and axle or an inclined plane.
They're all simple machines, oh simple machines.

[cinnnabohn]

Grade 4 I heard this song. It's been around I have to say more than a decade and finally found the song they used. It's been stuck since grade 4 just wow. I am now 20😂

[michaelhyland]

This is probably the greatest song I have ever heard! My students and I were literally having a massive sing along!! Great work guys!!!

[BFAIStudios]

Wedge is a surface that’s wide to thing
Lever is a lever (duh)
Pulley is wheel with a rope that goes around
A wheel and axel helps you move things up and down
A screw is like a screw (duh) pr the lid of the jar
A inclined plane is a ramp that makes it easy to moves things up and down

[carmensilva]

I love the song! It helped out with learning about simple machines! At my school we were learning about simple machines and our teacher found this song and showed us this song and it really helped us with learning! 😄

[jackiechancan]

I remember listening to this in third grade and my whole class would start singing it. :) Now I'm in 8th grade...but I still love this song and I remembered the words one day during class, and it turned out I was learning about Simple Machines!! So I had to look up this song and now I still listen to it non-stop when i want to listen to it. :)

[KalistaReyes]

I still randomly get this stuck in my head and takes me back to the easy times in middle school, especially 6th grade, and now I'm heading into Junior year. Man has the time passed. I miss being a kid sometimes where I could just have a couple of my friends come over and we'd play outside until the sun went down. This song just makes me really happy and reminds me of old memories. My 6th grade science teacher showed us this song and she's my favorite teacher ever. I'm not sure if she still shows her students this cause the curriculum has changed since I was in middle school but I hope she does. Thank you for writing this song!

[LawOfSlay]

I always come back to this song every few months. It makes my day better every time no matter what happened. Also super informative and catchy ! Helped me a lot in class years ago ☺️

[AceAlyx]

I listened to this song in third grade. I’m a sophomore in high school now. TODAY we’re starting our work/machines unit and I couldn’t help but look up this video and just listen to it. I never ever got this song out of my mind since I first listened to it. Thank you!

[gabypolakovic]

i heard this song like 20 times in third grade. Now I'm in sixth grade and this randomly got stuck in my head and i still know all the words! "OH SIMPLE MACHINES MAKE WORK EASIER TO DO..."

[LawOfSlay]

If you don’t FW this
You are quite simply uncultured
THIS IS THE BEST SONG TO HAVE EXISTED (i learned this in class in 5th grade, I’m so thankful)

[paulagulliver-spencer]

This is actually the first song I found about simple machines and it was great lol I can't believe it took me this long to find it Thanks dude

[KalistaReyes]

Almost a year later since I've listened to this song. Still one of my favorites. I've known this song for almost 6 years now. I'm finishing off my Junior year and heading into Senior year. Can't believe I knew this song back in 6th grade. Again, thank you for writing such a catchy tune!

[ukhti_naz]

I heard this in grade 2 and I’m going to grade 11 now it’s actually crazy

[koribamohamed]

This song is stuck in my head now im almost in 4th grade and i learned it in 2nd grade

[ciruw]

i listened to this song 9 years ago when i was 6 to learn these, I still sing it in my head today

[KalistaReyes]

I love this song so much! I had to move away from where I lived and when I was in 6th grade my science teacher showed me this song and it helped a lot!! Thank you for showing our grade this song!

[cheetahvroom]

This song is what made learning simple machines SO much easier to do. :) Thank you so much for making this.

[Poppamunz]

My class learned this song in 3rd grade. Just about a decade later, it's suddenly stuck in my head and I have no idea why. I guess it's just that catchy.

[byEVxL]

It’s been petty much 8 years since I listened to this

[DavidNewmanSings]

You're welcome, and thanks to you as well for sharing it with your students!