Adler Park School fifth-grader Matthew Wagner joins other students to make a mousetrap during the “Mousetrap Machine Show” presented by Smarty Pants. Smarty Pants used balloons to illustrate principals of simple machines creating a levers, pulleys, and wheels until a mousetrap was finally created.
Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
Adler Park School Principal Jon Bogie sneaked around the curtain causing students to squeal with laughter while he scurried around wearing mouse ears and a tail.
It was all part of the fun and learning in Smarty Pants' “The Mousetrap Machine Show.” He used colorful balloons to create simple tools like wheels, levers, pulleys, inclined planes and screws to teach and entertain students at the Libertyville school.
“We like to present the machines in a fun, memorable way through balloons,” said Smarty Pants. “That helps them learn what the machines are about and how they work. The best way to learn is to have entertainment while you are being educated.”
Students participated in the fun by walking around with a wheelbarrow made from balloons and throwing screw-shaped balloon darts around the gym.
In the end, a group of students put their balloon machines together to create the ultimate mousetrap and they captured the scampering Mouse Bogie.
“I thought it was pretty good,” fifth-grader Tabata Valdez said after the show. “You didn't expect what was going on. I thought they were going to catch a little mouse instead they caught Mr. Bogie.”
Adler Park School first-grader Joshua Sanders throws a balloon utilizing a screw shape as students watch the Mousetrap Machine Show presented by Smarty Pants. Smarty Pants used balloons to illustrate principals of simple machines creating a levers, pulleys, and wheels until a mousetrap was finally created.
Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
Students watch as Smarty Pants creates a wheelbarrow out of balloons during the Mousetrap Machine Show at Adler Park School in Libertyville. Smarty Pants used balloons to illustrate principals of simple machines creating a levers, pulleys, and wheels until a mousetrap was finally created.
Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
Adler Park School students laugh as they watch Principal Jon Bogie pretend to be a mouse during the Mousetrap Machine Show presented by Smarty Pants. Smarty Pants used balloons to illustrate principals of simple machines creating a levers, pulleys, and wheels until a mousetrap was finally created.
Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com