Deirdre Brotherson and her fifth grade classroom has been selected to receive a 2017 Hess Toy Truck STEM Kit. Congratulations! The class will share this experience with other classes. The Hess STEM kit should arrive at school in late March. The kit includes (12) 2017 Hess Dump Truck and Loader toys to be used with the 2017 Hess STEM curriculum (see link below) and as the teachers see fit.  Each activity uses the Hess Dump Truck and Loader to explore different aspects of simple and compound machines. The activities can be used sequentially as a unit or inserted into an existing curriculum. While designed for middle grades (4–6), they can easily be adapted for upper and lower grades. The activities support the Three Dimensions of Science Learning in the Next Generation Science Standards. The following STEM activities are available.

1. Heavy Equipment: Simple Machines — How many simple machines can you find and identify in the 2017 Hess Dump Truck or Loader?
2. Lifting Forces — How do dump trucks unload their cargo?
3. Traction and the Center of Gravity — Why does the 2017 Hess Loader have continuous tracks instead of wheels with big treads for traction?
4. Degrees of Freedom — How many degrees of freedom does the Hess Loader have?
5. Loader Games — What operator skills are needed to successfully compete in loader games?
6. Bridges: Supporting Heavy Loads — Can your team construct a bridge strong enough to permit the 2017 Hess Dump Truck and Loader to cross safely?
7. Writing for STEM — What do users need to know to operate and maintain the 2017 Hess Dump Truck and Loader in good condition?
8. Adding an “A” to STEM — What is the best way to market the 2017 Hess Dump Truck and Loader?

http://www.bioedonline.org/lessons-and-more/focus-on-stem/simple-and-compound-machines/