Simple Machines

My second year or so of teaching, I was teaching simple machines (lever, pulley, etc.). The kid's end-of-the-unit assignment was to create a new kind of mousetrap that had to use at least 2 simple machines, and trap the mouse not kill it. (I did that to make them think I was letting mice go in the room, which I never said but implied. I love watching them squirm. I also had some class hamsters at the time that were getting annoying...). They weren't alone, they were put into small groups.

They had 2 class days to work on it (about an hour each, at the time, they weren't my homeroom). They brought in God-awful amounts of materials to work on their traps. I watched and helped a lil and offered advice.

Most of the traps revolved around a bucket or cup that would trap the mouse. One trap played music, I beleive as a Pied Piper influence... However, the coup-de-grace was massive.

In the front of the room on the day the traps were due, one group put together a monstrosity. It was as big as my desk and composed mostly of tape and rulers. They put it together in about a minute (apparenlty they had practiced at home. It didn't help.).

This trap was swaying with the breeze, and there wasn't a breeze. While trying not to look like I was attempting to hold my composure, I asked, "Well, how does it work?"

One kid, who either 1) didn't agree with his partners about the construction of the trap or 2) had enough engineer in him to know it wouldn't work glanced at his partners, glanced at the trap, then turned to me and said....

I love this kid. He passed.

"Well, we were gonna put up a VACANCY sign and hope for an industrial accident."




And they say kids are dumb.