Building Shadufs: STEM-Based Learning

---

Science

Simple machines

Mechanical advantage

Engineering principles

History

Ancient Civilizations

Writing

Research skills

Note taking

---

Having students understand that subjects can and should be integrated is key in developing a dynamic mindset in students. This activity is a great way to combine science, history, and some aspects of writing so students can have a better understanding of how to incorporate subject matter together.

Completing good research is a 21st century skill that is sometime glossed over in the classroom. Students had to research shadufs to understand 1) what they are 2) how they were used 3) what civilizations used them. Taking time to teach the difference in reliable and unreliable sources and how to take notes is a huge developmental skill for students.

Questions to ask during this step:

• Do you just copy and paste the notes that you think are important?

• What websites did you use and how can we show what research we have done?

• Did you click on the first link in google or did you dive in and do some additional searching?

Since shadufs are a first-class lever, they are a great way to talk about mechanical advantage and how this applies to current day engineering processes. Use this topic to introduce simple machines and see if students can identify key parts that simple machines aid to mechanical advantage. For example, a great question for students would be to see if they can determine how the resistance arm and the effort proportion to create more or less mechanical advantage.

#simplemachines #ancientegypt #elevatingedu