Lever

Have you ever tried to lift a big, heavy box full of toys. It can be so hard. Grrr. But I can help make it easy. I am like a magic stick. When you put me over a little bump and push down on one end, the other end goes way up high. I can lift giant things with just a little push. It feels like magic. I am a secret superhero helper, and I love making big jobs feel small and fun. I help you feel super strong without even trying very hard.

I have been helping people for a long, long, long time. Way back, in a sunny place called Mesopotamia, around 3000 BCE, I helped people lift buckets of cool water. They used me to give their thirsty gardens a drink so yummy food could grow. Splish, splash. Much later, a very smart man named Archimedes discovered my secret in a place called ancient Greece. This was during the 3rd century BCE. He got so excited when he learned about me. He shouted that if he had a me that was long enough, he could move the whole world. Wow. He knew I was a super strong helper.

Are you ready to learn my real name. I am a Lever. Can you say that with me. Leh-ver. You can find me everywhere. When you play on a seesaw at the park, going up and down, that’s me. When a grown-up opens a fizzy drink with a bottle opener, that’s me too. Pop. Even the oars that push a boat through the water are a kind of lever. I am all around you, making hard work feel like a fun game. Next time you see a seesaw, you can say, 'Hello, Lever.'