A machine is a tool that helps us do work. There are many kinds of machines. A simple machine uses only one movement to work. One simple machine is the lever. A lever is a long, hard object that can move around a fixed point. This fixed point is called the fulcrum. A seesaw is a good example of a lever. There are three parts to a lever: the fulcrum, the effort, and the load. The effort is the force we use to move the lever. The load is what we are trying to move. By using a lever, we can move heavy things more easily. The lever helps us use less effort to move a load. It is a very useful simple machine.