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Everyday Machines / Week 12 / Wednesday
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Week 12 · The Elevator and Your Machine Show

Wednesday

Build a cardboard elevator
// A car, a counterweight and your big explanation
⏱ about 15 min

Wednesday: Build a Cardboard Elevator

Rocket dumps out a box of cardboard, string and cups. "Build time!"

Raven lays out the parts in a row. "What do you notice we need first?"

"A tall shaft," Rocket says.

Nova glows a plan. "Would you like a hint? The wheel goes on top."

What you need

  • A tall cardboard box or a cereal box for the shaft
  • A pencil or a spool for the sheave
  • A paper cup for the car
  • A small bag with a few coins for the counterweight
  • String, about as long as your arm
  • Tape
Safety first
A grown-up does all cutting of the cardboard.
Coins and small parts stay away from younger siblings and mouths.
Keep the string off necks and fingers.
Build on the floor or a low table.
  1. Ask a grown-up to cut a tall window in the box front.
  2. Ask the grown-up to poke a hole high on each side.
  3. Push the pencil through both holes. This is your sheave.
  4. Tape one end of the string to the cup. This is your car.
  5. Hang the string over the pencil.
  6. Tape the other end to the coin bag. This is your counterweight.
  7. Set the cup in the window. Let the bag hang behind the box.

Make it move

Pull the bag down a little. Watch the cup rise.

Let the bag up slowly. Watch the cup sink.

Your motor is your hand today.

BUILD CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
What is the pencil in your model?
What is the cup?
Who cuts the cardboard?
Model partReal elevator part
BoxShaft
PencilSheave
CupCar
Coin bagCounterweight
Your handMotor
SentenceTrue or false?
The string runs over the pencil.?
The coin bag is the car.?
When the bag goes down, the cup goes up.?
Coins can go in a mouth.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEYour model has the same parts as a real elevator, just smaller.
BUILD ORDER
  • Tap a card.
  • Then tap its spot.
1First
2Next
3Then
4Last
For a grown-up
Cut the window and poke the holes with the child watching.
Count the coins into the bag together, then seal it with tape.
Keep the model for tomorrow's test and Saturday's show.
Draw your cardboard elevator. Label the car and the counterweight.

You built an elevator model. Amazing!

Tomorrow, we test the counterweight.

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