Grape Smasher

The event I've been hearing all about this whole school year finally came today. Each third grader was required to create a grape smasher. They needed to include at least 2 simple machines (lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined planes, etc.) Kiera designed quite an elaborate system that included not only 2, but 10, simple machines. With a "little" help from Quentin, they got it done. The grape was hoisted from a pulley in a little "elevator" then rolled down 3 inclined planes into a holder next to a brick wedge. Then when Kiera pulled a pin, a lever with a rock glued onto the end would smash against the wedge thereby smashing the grape. How cool is that?! Today was the big day where all the third grade classes could show off how their grape smashers work. It was fun!