Harpo's World

text and art by Sylvia Spain

comic book page about a contraption to make electricity with dog power.
Page 1

TEEGAN: Wow, what's this crazy contraption?

PERSIA AND AKANE: It's our latest invention!

TEEGAN: What's it supposed to do?

AKANE: Watch. You turn on the radio which wakes the squirrel.

PERSIA: The squirrel grabs the nut which pulls the rope which opens the trapdoor.

TEEGAN: I still don't get it.

AKANE: Wait, there's more. The weight lands on the teetertotter, and the ball bounces and tips the ramp. The roller skate rolls and kicks the bowling ball into the basket.

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Vocabulary

  • contraption: A mechanical device; a gadget.

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A mechanical device; a gadget.

Activity

  1. Which simple machine is used most often in this invention?
  2. Describe how a lever is used in this invention.
  3. If the lever were removed from this machine, what other parts of the machine would need to change to make the invention work?