Embedded Files
Aim of the Activity
To make a Working catapult
Target Year Level
Years 2 - 5
Curriculum Alignment
Science/Technology
Things you will need
Paddle pop sticks
Elastic bands
Blu tack
Pom-poms
Plastic bottle caps
Description of the Activity
Collect eight paddle pop sticks and some elastic bands.
Stack six paddle pop sticks on top of each other. They should secure each end of the stack with an elastic band. It’s really important that the elastic bands are tight enough to hold the bundle together, so a grown up might need to offer a helping hand.
With the remaining two paddle pop sticks, place them on top of each other and use a rubber band to secure only one end.
Open the free end of the two paddle pop sticks, so the whole thing looks like a beak.
Push the bundle of six sticks inside the beak shape as far as it can go. It should look a bit like a wonky cross, where one of the lines is held open.
Wind an elastic band around the point where the two bundles meet – the middle of the wonky cross shape.
Hold the catapult flat on the table, while you twang the top of the double stick ‘beak’. This is the arm of the catapult, so it should twang freely. Test how well the catapult is working by trying to twang a pom-pom from the end of the arm. It might take a bit of practice!
Adjust the elastic bands until the catapult has the maximum amount of spring.
Use Blu tak to attach a bottle lid to the end of the catapult arm. This will act as a handy bucket to hold the pom-poms.
Questions to talk about with your child
Which part of building the catapult did people find the trickiest?
The elastic bands in this activity represented the ropes people use in bigger pioneering projects – they use the same skills that everyone used to make their catapults to make bigger things like tables or chairs from logs or poles and rope. What would’ve happened if people hadn’t used elastic bands, or hadn’t made sure they were tight?
People’s catapults may have fallen apart, and they certainly wouldn’t have worked. Would it be helpful to have a partner?
Links for further learning
https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/lolly-stick-catapults/
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/the-great-indoors-bear-grylls
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