Catapult Calamity
Students will use engineering skills and knowledge of forces, motion, angles and simple machines to build a catapult that will hit multiple targets.
Lesson Partners: ETV Education, S2TEM Centers SC, Knowitall.org
Essential Question
How can we use our knowledge of force, motion, and simple machines to design machines to hit targets?
Grade(s):
- 5
- 6
Subject(s):
Recommended Technology:
- Computers
- Interactive board/tv
- 1:1 devices
- Apps for formative assessments (Socrative, Quizlet, Quizizz, etc.)
- Presentation apps (Shadow Puppet, Google Slides, Power Point, etc.)
Other Instructional Materials or Notes:
- Graduating Engineers and Computer Careers article, “ Fun and Games, Engineers and computer scientists are turning their passion for play into exciting careers at toy companies.” (see Lesson Resources for PDF)
- Design Squad video, “Nerf Toys” In this video, Hasbro toy engineer Amanda Bligh demonstrates how work can be play when you spend your day designing products like Nerf Hoops and Nerf Blaster.
- Catapult Design Worksheet – This worksheet guides students through the design process as they design, build, and test their catapults.
- Paired Verbal Fluency Strategy (teacher resource)-
a dialogue strategy used to engage students in an active verbal discussion. It can be used to review or summarize information or concepts previously learned or access prior knowledge or thinking about a concept or topic of study. The strategy allows students to construct their own learning and listen to the ideas of others.
- To access prior knowledge, the amount of time should increase from round to round. For example, the time would increase from 15 seconds in Round 1, to 30 seconds in Round 2, to 45 seconds in Round 3. As students’ prior knowledge is accessed, they are able to remember more and make more connections, so the longer span of time as they move from round to round is needed.
- Each group of 3-4 needs:
- 3 sheets of paper (for brainstorming)
- Markers
- Place the following materials in a clear zip-lock bag. Each group gets one bag of materials for the design stage. During the build stage they will be deciding on the quantities of materials they will need. (Each group gets only 1 base)
- cardboard base (6 x 6 inches)
- ~48 inches of masking tape
- plastic spoon
- 3 rubber bands
- 8 Popsicle sticks
- 4 straws
- 1 Ping-Pong ball
- To share with the entire class:
- targets made of cardboard or foam core board (10 points, 50 points, 100 points and 200 points)
Lesson Progression
Day 1
Engage:
- Post for students to see as they enter the room:
WANTED! TOY ENGINEERS
2.Ask students about their knowledge of toy engineers. Read aloud the first two paragraphs from the Graduating Engineers and Computer Careers article, “ Fun and Games, Engineers and computer scientists are turning their passion for play into exciting careers at toy companies.”
3.Show the Design Squad video, “Nerf Toys” http://pbskids.org/designsquad/video/nerf-toys/
- In this video, Hasbro toy engineer Amanda Bligh demonstrates how work can be play when you spend your day designing products like Nerf Hoops and Nerf Blaster.
4.Set the task with students, “You are an engineer who specializes in designing cool toys and machines for games. You were recently contacted by the SuperFun Toy Company to help design a machine called a catapult for a game that will launch Ping-Pong balls at a series of targets. To ensure that children and adults alike will love the game, you need to make sure the catapult is both accurate and precise.” (Catapult Design Worksheet (https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_catapult_lesson01_activity1)
- In groups of 3-4, have students brainstorm what science and engineering principles they would need to know in order to design a catapult. As students share out, write (or type) the skills and content needed on the board.
Explore
- Prior to the design and building task, have students explore several interactives and web resources regarding catapults and catapult design. QR codes can be created for students to explore the following sites. As students gather information, remind them to refer back to the skills and content they mentioned would be needed. In student notebooks, students should including notes, drawings, diagrams, and labels, with a focus on academic vocabulary.
- Know it All. Hobby Shop Interactive, http://www.knowitall.org/interactive/balloon-blast-hobby-shop
- Design Squad, Build a Catapult. Two teams of kid engineers design and build catapults to fling a tennis ball as far as possible. (http://pbskids.org/designsquad/video/nerf-toys/
- Myth Busters, How to Build a Trebuchet (You Tube 2:30 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Hwxw4fgqk
- Catapult Physics http://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/catapult-physics.html
- Introduce the engineering design process. There are several Design Processes that are used in schools, PLTW, EiE, NASA, etc. You may use a process that it easy for your students to understand.
- NASA Engineering Design Process https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/engineering-design/
- Engineering is Elementary Design Process http://www.eie.org/overview/engineering-design-process
Explain:
1.Arrange students in groups of 3-4. Allow students to see the materials they have to build with, but do not let them open the materials bag.
2. Student groups should complete the Imagine and Design sections of the worksheet.
Elaborate:
Exit Slip:
- How successful do you think your design will be? Why? What should you remember about force when trying to hit all of the targets?
Day 2
Engage:
Paired Verbal Fluency:
Paired-Verbal-Fluency is a dialogue strategy used to engage students in an active verbal discussion. It can be used to review or summarize information or concepts previously learned or access prior knowledge or thinking about a concept or topic of study. The strategy allows students to construct their own learning and listen to the ideas of others.
To access prior knowledge, the amount of time should increase from round to round. For example, the time would increase from 15 seconds in Round 1, to 30 seconds in Round 2, to 45 seconds in Round 3.
See the strategy sheet for directions for implementation.
Round 1 question:
What should you be mindful of when designing your catapult?
Round 2 question:
How does your knowledge of force effect the design of your catapult?
Round 3 question:
How important is it for your group to work as a team in order to be successful?
Explore:
- Re-introduce the engineering design process.
- Remind students of safety concerns. Rubber bands should be used carefully in the build.
- Students should now move to the Build phase. They will decide the quantities of materials needed. Each group gets only 1 base.
- Have a space set up for groups to Test their catapults
Explain:
- Once groups have tested, have them answer the questions in the Test phase. They are able to make TWO changes to their design and re-test.
Day 3
Engage:
- Revisit the Engineering Design Process. Today, student groups will be competing against one another.
Explore:
- Give each student group a chance to make any last changes to their design, documenting changes in a different color pen or pencil on their original design.
- Have the targets set up. Each group will have one time to compete. Students should record their points for each launch. The group with the most points at the end of the competition wins. (Have some type of reward/prizes available)
Explain:
- Student groups should answer the following questions:
- Did your catapult work the way you intended?
- What could you change to make it better?
- Does your catapult launch the Ping-Pong ball too far past the target or too far to the right or left?
- What could you do to fix this?
Elaborate:
- Have student groups create a 2-3 minute video or other digital presentation, narrating the process they used in the Design Phase, the changes they made, their results, and what they might do to re-design. Remind students to use correct academic vocabulary.
- Several apps that may be used are:
- Shadow Puppet (Storyboard template is online at get-puppet.co)
- Google Slides
- Power Point Online
Post videos on your classroom site.
Evaluate:
- Videos may be scored using a presentation rubric.
- Apps may be used for formative assessments (Quizizz, Quizlet, Socrative, etc.)
- Quizes
Teacher Notes
For additional information, please refer to the Support Guide for Grades 5 and 8, South Carolina Academic Standards and Performance Indicators for Science http://ed.sc.gov/scdoe/assets/File/instruction/standards/Science/Support%20Documents/Science_5Support.pdf
Balloon Blast Interactive | Hobby Shop
Learn how velocity and distance work in this balloon blast game. A catapult is a military device that was used in ancient and medieval times to hurl stones, spears, and other objects. There were many...
View AssetPaired-Verbal-Fluency
Paired-Verbal-Fluency is a dialogue strategy used to engage students in an active verbal discussion.
View ResourceCatapult Design Worksheet
Students will design a catapult that is both accurate and precise.
View ResourcePBS Kids Design Squad
Hasbro toy engineer demonstrates how work can be play when you spend your day designing products like Nerf Hoops and Nerf Blaster.
View ResourceStandards
- Physical Science: Forces and Motion
- 5.P.5 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the factors that affect the motion of an object.
- 5.P.5A The motion of an object can be described in terms of its position, direction, and speed. The rate and motion of an object is determined by multiple factors.
- 5.P.5A.1 Use mathematical and computational thinking to describe and predict the motion of an object (including position, direction, and speed).
- 5.P.5A.2 Develop and use models to explain how the amount or type of force (contact and non-contact) affects the motion of an object.
- 5.P.5A.3 Plan and conduct controlled scientific investigations to test the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the rate and direction of motion of objects.
- 5.P.5A.4 Analyze and interpret data to describe how a change of force, a change in mass, or friction affects the motion of an object.
- 5.P.5A The motion of an object can be described in terms of its position, direction, and speed. The rate and motion of an object is determined by multiple factors.
- 5.P.5 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the factors that affect the motion of an object.
- Science and Engineering Practices
- 5.S.1 The student will use the science and engineering practices, including the processes and skills of scientific inquiry, to develop understandings of science content.
- 5.S.1A The practices of science and engineering support the development of science concepts, develop the habits of mind that are necessary for scientific thinking, and allow students to engage in science in ways that are similar to those used by scient...
- 5.S.1A.1 Ask questions used to
- 5.S.1A.2 Develop, use, and refine models to
- 5.S.1A.3 Plan and conduct controlled scientific investigations to answer questions, test hypotheses and predictions, and develop explanations:
- 5.S.1A.3.1 formulate scientific questions and testable hypotheses,
- 5.S.1A.3.2 identify materials, procedures, and variables,
- 5.S.1A.3.3 select and use appropriate tools or instruments to collect qualitative and quantitative data, and
- 5.S.1A.3.4 record and represent data in an appropriate form. Use appropriate safety procedures.
- 5.S.1A.4 Analyze and interpret data from informational texts, observations, measurements, or investigations using a range of methods (such as tabulation or graphing) to
- 5.S.1A.5 Use mathematical and computational thinking to
- 5.S.1A.6 Construct explanations of phenomena using
- 5.S.1A.7 Construct scientific arguments to support claims, explanations, or designs using evidence from observations, data, or informational texts.
- 5.S.1A.8 Obtain and evaluate informational texts, observations, data collected, or discussions to
- 5.S.1A The practices of science and engineering support the development of science concepts, develop the habits of mind that are necessary for scientific thinking, and allow students to engage in science in ways that are similar to those used by scient...
- 5.S.1 The student will use the science and engineering practices, including the processes and skills of scientific inquiry, to develop understandings of science content.
- Physical Science: Energy Transfer and Conservation
- 6.P.3 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties of energy, the transfer and conservation of energy, and the relationship between energy and forces.
- Science and Engineering Practices
- 6.S.1 The student will use the science and engineering practices, including the processes and skills of scientific inquiry, to develop understandings of science content.
- 6.S.1A The practices of science and engineering support the development of science concepts, develop the habits of mind that are necessary for scientific thinking, and allow students to engage in science in ways that are similar to those used by scient...
- 6.S.1A.1 Ask questions to
- 6.S.1A.2 Develop, use, and refine models to
- 6.S.1A.3 Plan and conduct controlled scientific investigations to answer questions, test hypotheses, and develop explanations:
- 6.S.1A.3.1 formulate scientific questions and testable hypotheses,
- 6.S.1A.3.2 identify materials, procedures, and variables,
- 6.S.1A.3.3 select and use appropriate tools or instruments to collect qualitative and quantitative data, and
- 6.S.1A.3.4 record and represent data in an appropriate form. Use appropriate safety procedures.
- 6.S.1A.4 Analyze and interpret data from informational texts, observations, measurements, or investigations using a range of methods (such as tabulation, graphing, or statistical analysis) to
- 6.S.1A.5 Use mathematical and computational thinking to
- 6.S.1A.6 Construct explanations of phenomena using
- 6.S.1A.7 Construct and analyze scientific arguments to support claims, explanations, or designs using evidence from observations, data, or informational texts.
- 6.S.1A.8 Obtain and evaluate scientific information to
- 6.S.1A.8.1 answer questions,
- 6.S.1A.8.2 explain or describe phenomena,
- 6.S.1A.8.3 develop models,
- 6.S.1A.8.4 evaluate hypotheses, explanations, claims, or designs or
- 6.S.1A.8.5 identify and/or fill gaps in knowledge.
- 6.S.1A.8.5a Communicate using the conventions and expectations of scientific writing or oral presentations by
- 6.S.1B Technology is any modification to the natural world created to fulfill the wants and needs of humans. The engineering design process involves a series of iterative steps used to solve a problem and often leads to the development of a new or impr...
- 6.S.1B.1 Construct devices or design solutions using scientific knowledge to solve specific problems or needs:
- 6.S.1B.1.1 ask questions to identify problems or needs,
- 6.S.1B.1.2 ask questions about the criteria and constraints of the device or solutions,
- 6.S.1B.1.3 generate and communicate ideas for possible devices or solutions,
- 6.S.1B.1.4 build and test devices or solutions,
- 6.S.1B.1.5 determine if the devices or solutions solved the problem and refine the design if needed, and
- 6.S.1B.1.6 communicate the results.
- 6.S.1B.1 Construct devices or design solutions using scientific knowledge to solve specific problems or needs:
- 6.S.1A The practices of science and engineering support the development of science concepts, develop the habits of mind that are necessary for scientific thinking, and allow students to engage in science in ways that are similar to those used by scient...
- 6.S.1 The student will use the science and engineering practices, including the processes and skills of scientific inquiry, to develop understandings of science content.
Assessments
Presentation rubric
Quizzes
Exit/Admit Slips for formative assessments
