Student Goal: Design and build a Popsicle stick catapult to launch mini-marshmallows across the room into a paper cup with accuracy.
Teacher Goal: Give students goal, materials, parameters, and opportunities to plan and carry out investigations without assistance.
Once students understand the parameters of the phenomenon, have them write a PLAN, which includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Introduction
- Necessary materials
- Step-by-step plan for catapult design
- Description of the data collection method
- Timeline of the investigation
- Example of data collection strategy (tables, graphs, etc.)
- How the results will be reported
Students then carry out the investigation.
Possible Materials:
- Plastic spoons
- Popsicle sticks
- Rubber bands
- Masking tape
- Paper cups
- Mini-marshmallows
Optional materials for differentiation:
- Measuring tapes
- Tablet to video-record launches
- Calculator
- Bulls-eye
Resources for Teachers:
Show the “Punkin Chunkin’” video included below from ScienceChannel.com to give students an idea of what catapults looks like and to discuss failures, challenges, and perseverance:
Differentiating for Different Grade Bands:
- Differentiating for Primary: no limitations on supplies (teacher discretion)
- Possible focus: measurement; cause/effect
- Differentiating for Intermediate: limit amount of rubber bands, tape, and Popsicle sticks
- Possible focus: measurement; forces; percents; simple machines
- Differentiating for Middle: supplies have prices; students have limitations on how much they can “spend” on materials
- Possible focus: measurement; velocity; force; angles; potential and kinetic energy
- Differentiating for High: supplies have prices; students have limitations on how much they can “spend” on materials; aesthetics; set distance
- Possible focus: force; energy; physics; angles of trajectory