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Directions:
Directions:
How far can you launch something with a homemade popsicle stick catapult. Which items fly the farthest? Plan, design, and build a working catapult.
STEP 1: Make predictions. Which object will fly the farthest? Why do you think one will fly farther than the other?
STEP 2: Hand out supplies to each individual or in small groups, and build a Popsicle stick catapult following the instructions below.
STEP 3: Test and measure how far each item goes when flung from the catapult. Record results.
This is a simple and quick Popsicle stick catapult using just two supplies. The best part is that you can also grab the supplies at the dollar store! Check out how we stock our dollar store engineering kit.
Adult supervision and assistance is highly recommended when using scissors.
You will want to use a pair of scissors to make two v notches on either side of two jumbo craft or Popsicle sticks (in the same place on both sticks). Use the photo below as a guide for where to make your notches.
Adults: This is a great step to prep ahead of time if you are making these popsicle stick catapults with a large group of kids.
Once you have made your notches in two of the sticks, set them aside!
Take the remaining 8 craft sticks and stack them one on top of the other. Wind a rubber band tightly around each end of the stack.
Go ahead and push one of the notched sticks through the stack under the top stick of the stack. Make sure to watch the video again to see this done.
At this point flip your partially made popsicle stick catapult over so that the stick you just pushed in is on the bottom of the stack.
Lay the second notched stick on top of the stack and secure the two popsicle sticks together with a rubber band as shown below. The V notches that you cut help to keep the rubber band in place.
Create more leverage with your catapult by pushing the stack of popsicle sticks towards the notched ends connected by the rubber band. Read about the science behind this below!
Use sticky dots or another strong adhesive to attach a bottle cap to the popsicle stick. Get ready to fire away!
learning coach tips:
learning coach tips:
Click here for step-by-step pictures of this project!
THE SCIENCE OF HOW TO MAKE A CATAPULT!
This is a great simple physics activity for kids of multiple ages. What is there to explore that has to do with physics? Let’s start with energy including elastic potential energy. You can also learn about projectile motion.
Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion: An object at rest stays at rest until a force is applied, and an object will stay in motion until something creates an imbalance in the motion. Every action causes a reaction.
When you pull down the lever arm all that potential energy gets stored up! Release it and that potential energy gradually changes over to kinetic energy. Gravity also does its part as it pulls the object back down to the ground.
If you want to delve deeper into Newton’s Laws, check out the information here
You can talk about stored energy or potential elastic energy as you pull back on the Popsicle stick, bending it. When you release the stick all that potential energy is released into energy in motion producing the projectile motion.
A catapult is a simple machine that has been around for ages. Have your kids dig up a little history and research when the first catapults were invented and used! Hint; check out the 17th century!
Career Connections: STEAM Careers
Local Career Connection: Allen Organ
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