7. Siege Solutions

Objective

An antivirus has been found and needs distributing outside of the enclosure. Students design and build a model siege engine to propel a table tennis ball (antivirus) or other safe and suitable projectile as far as possible.

Materials Needed

milk carton/plastic caps
small and medium bulldog clips
rubber bands (various lengths and thicknesses)
string and tape (electrical tape works well)
lolly/craft sticks
round and square wooden dowels
drinking straws
flat headed push pins
card
small weights
plastic or bamboo tablespoons
table tennis balls or similar to use as antivirus capsules
safety glasses

Helpful Links:

https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/popsicle-stick-catapult-kids-stem-activity/

Students can use the following search terms: Model siege engine, ice lolly siege engine, model catapult, trebuchet, and ballista.

You have some experimental antivirus capsules that may stop the zombies from multiplying. You need to disperse these all around your safe enclosure. But how?

Your task:

Build a catapult or other device to throw or fire an antivirus capsule as far as possible.

Take a look at an antivirus capsule. How could you throw or fire this as far as possible?
Look at what materials you have available. Since you’re stuck in your safe enclosure, you can only use what’s on hand.
Sketch some ideas. Think about how best to use each material and how you’ll store and release energy to propel the capsule.
If you can, use the search terms below to research some ideas on the internet. Remember, you don’t have many options for materials and you can’t use electricity to throw or fire your projectile. Because of this, it may be best to look up medieval siege engines, as people in the medieval period didn’t have electricity or a multiplicity of materials either!
Get your materials and build your design. Use your materials carefully – if any of them break, you may not have any more to use!
Test your design against other teams. Remember to wear protective eye glasses. Which design is most powerful and most accurate?

Model siege engine, ice lolly siege engine, model catapult and model trebuchet.

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