Our second stop on Day 2 the trip was to Marble King also in Paden City.
We spent nearly an hour in the gift shop alone playing with marbles, marble toys and picking out the specific marbles we wanted to take home!
We got to meet Beri Fox in person. From the previous posts you know she is the oldest daughter of Roger Howdyshell who worked in the factory himself until he bought the company in the 1950s. She is now the very proud owner of the Company.
While at the gift store we couldn't help but act YOUR age and play with all of the trinkets! Marbles are VERY entertaining.
Look on some other teacher's blogs to see video of this thing in action!
We will learn that a combination of simple machines like this inclined plane can get a tough job done like transporting a marble! Have any of you played Mouse Trap?
Marbles are amazing. I say this not only because they are a really cool and challenging game and not only because they are beautiful as seen below. I say this because of the cool things I've learned.
Marble King is the ONLY marble factory left in America. So if a marble is made in the USA then it came from America.
Next. Marble King makes around 1 MILLION marbles a day. Even I can't imagine that many marbles.
Marbles are used around the world for things I had no clue! (Check out some of the teachers blogs for all of the ways they use them!)
Marble King is an award winning factory winning environmental awards, innovation awards, world-wide awards and more!
Marble King Marbles went to Space!
After my personal experience, new purchased marble games, and getting to talk to the owner and see her pride and love for the company, I couldn't agree more with the display below!
Zoom in and it's an entire wall made of marbles!!
Thought Marbles:
1. As a West Virginian student, how does it make you feel to know a common game played around the world is created here in WV?
2. Can you think of a new way to use a marble?
3. 1 million marbles a day.... even if sold for 1 penny each.... think of that possible income!
Great pictures from Paul Wissmach. Glad that you let the kids know that we are human also.
ReplyDeleteYour blog entry title says it all. There are some great ways for your students to use what you have seen and done at Marble King.
ReplyDeleteThat mural made from marbles was amazing! Can you imagine how long that took to make?! I like your "thought marbles." They are good questions to ponder..
ReplyDeleteThere were some great physics to discuss just in the toys themselves!
ReplyDelete