A bit of a puzzle…..

Had you ventured into the classroom during the lesson before lunch on Friday, you would have heard an unnatural silence, save for a furious scratching, scribbling sound.  Plus a few tuts and huffs and sighs.

Children were busy sketching a very odd-looking machine.  A complicated and odd-looking machine.  But my goodness, they were doing a fantastic job!

Take a close look at some of their in-process work.

Can you see…..

what it is…..

yet?

Well, that might be because it is an unusual and odd-looking machine.  In fact, none of us knew what it was we were sketching.  Instead, we had to look closely at all of its springs and screws and levers and handles and try to think what on earth it might be for.

Here are some of our ideas.

• A machine for sewing; for weaving; for knitting
• A machine for drilling holes in wood; in walls; in paper; in fruit
• A machine for cutting down trees
• A machine for making drinks; for squeezing fruit; for cutting vegetables; for cutting fruits from plants
• A food mixer
• A can opener
• A pencil sharpener

Look again.  This time at some of the finished work.

At the real thing.

Time I think to come at least part-way clean.  It is a machine for drilling holes.  It is a machine for cutting.  It is a machine that has a similar effect to that of a pencil sharpener.  It is a machine that has something to do with fruit.  Specifically this fruit.

Do you know what it is yet?  We do because once we had finished our sketches, we all got to try it out (and what fun that proved to be!)

And children who bring apples to school for their snack in the coming weeks, will be able to use again.

PS If you are still unsure what the machine does, click on the link to see the machine in use