Simple machines.

Sadly my poor camera wasn't cooperating during our Scientist in School workshop or for most of the week leading up to it... this is the only picture I have to share with you on the topic. Here, I gave the students clothes pegs glued to board and some counters and Dixie cups. I told them to figure out what they could do with them, and to invent a game that could be played with more than one person. It didn't take long for the students to figure out that this lever plus fulcrum is a bit like a teeter totter. However, because the fulcrum is under tension, it can be used like a catapult. Once they realized that they could launch counters from it; the invention of games became incredibly animated! I wish I'd been able to shoot a movie as there were counters and laughter coming from all quarters!

Our class is so very grateful to all our parent volunteers who gave their time so happily to help during the implementation of the Scientist in School workshop. I hope that you had as much fun as we all did! Our scientist, Willa, brought with her four centres full of hands on experiments with levers, wedges, inclined planes, and gears. It was an action packed morning full of learning!