The Portal Opens Up…At the Wood Pile

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Mountain to Climb
How many examples of simple machines can you find around your house, apartment, classroom, neighborhood, or backyard? How do they make work easier?

Seeking the Peak
- How Simple Machines Work Video
- What is a Simple Machine
- Brain Pop Jr Simple Machines Video (You need a log in)
- Brain Pop Simple Machines Videos (You need a log in)
Beyond the Peak
- Activity: Build Your Own Simple Machines
- Video: Generation Genius with Dr. Jeff

Novel: Hatchet – Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is traveling by single-engine plane to visit his father for the first time since his parent’s divorce. When the plane crashes, killing the pilot, the sole survivor is Brian. He is alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present. https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781416936473

Picture Book: You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Simple Machines! – Simple machines are around us all the time and we use them every day. You might not even think of them as machines. Many are built into complex (compound) machines-but the simple machine is still in there, doing its job. Learn about how simple machines enable practically everything around us to work, allowing us to travel in wheeled vehicles, lift very heavy objects, fix things together, and break things apart. https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780531193631

Picture Book: How Do You Lift a Lion – Explore the functions of levers, wheels, and pulleys, and learn how to lift a lion, pull a panda, and deliver a basket of bananas to a baboon birthday party! https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780807534212
Reaching the Peak:
Once you think you have reached the peak of this mountain, ask an adult for permission to leave us a reply explaining how you arrived at a solution. Your reply may not appear right away – don’t worry! – it has been sent to Portal Peak for review and will be posted soon. Remember, there is no need to give an email, your last name, or a website when leaving your reply, just leave those parts blank. For more information, head over to the Navigator’s Base Camp