Marble Run

As part of Charlotte's enrichment program at school, she had to create a marble run which contained 4 simple machines.  Of course she didn't mention this project until Thursday night and it was due on Monday.  And of course the weekend in question was that of the big winter storm which dumped over two feet of snow and caused everything to be cancelled from basketball to church.  Charlotte owes her Dad big time for braving the elements - actually for risking a potential accident with our van - to get the needed supplies from Home Depot Saturday night.  And we consider it a tender mercy that church was cancelled on Sunday so she and her Dad could spend ALL DAY working on it.  Those who were so kind to call and check on us that Sunday heard hammers and drills in the background and probably tsk, tsked us for breaking the Sabbath.  Does helping your daughter constitute breaking the Sabbath if you're using a hammer & drill?  Not sure, but either way, we did it.  When it was finally completed, we sent the first marble down with great anticipation.  And it got stuck.  AAAUUUUUGGGGGGG!  We quickly figured out that if you sent 2-3 marbles down, one had a better chance of making it all the way through without assistance (a requirement for getting an "O" for "Outstanding").  But despite sending 2-3 marbles down at a time, sometimes they went smoothly and sometimes they got stuck and there really wasn't a reasonable explanation for either outcome.  So what does a good mother do to help her daughter?  She prays, of course.  We asked Heavenly Father to bless the marble run in our family prayer Monday morning so that at least one marble would make it through without getting stuck.  I hauled that marble run to school on Monday morning for my beautiful daughter and then prayed again.  And it worked.  Our prayers were answered and the marbles sailed through that thing without a hitch and Charlotte received an "O."  Hallelujah!

The Builders

The Run

Simple Machines 1, 2 & 3: Wheel & Axle; Inclined Plane; and Screw

Simple Machine #4: Lever