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Designing and Building Catapults
Seventh graders complete a challenge to create a catapult that projects a marble or other projectile at least one meter. While experimenting they apply the Four Question Strategy to answer the question, " How can I make one modification...
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Build a Catapult
Studens construct their own catapult. In this history of catapults lesson, young scholars work in groups to make their own model of a catapult. Students use physics vocabulary terms explain how the catapult works. Young scholars test the...
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Catapult Unit
Students understand the need for carefully defining the problem before searching for a solution. They understand the need for carefully defining the problem before searching for a solution. Students compare a variety of catapults and the...
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Catapults!
Pupils work together to discover the relationship between the angle of catapults and the flight of different objects. They discover the heavier the object the more force is needed. They examine how engineers use this information to...
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Levers: Catapults
Students construct a catapult that shoots a cotton ball at least two meters using Legos, rubber bands, and plastic spoons. They discuss how the catapult works, and identify any problems they had with their experiment.
101 Questions
Small Trebuchet
Travel back to medieval time where learning is just a stone's throw away! A video introduction shows a trebuchet (catapult-like machine) as it launches a rock into a lake. Learners use their quadratic modeling skills to predict the...
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Elastic Forces
Third graders predict and experiment to discover the amount of force exerted by a stretched elastic band. They construct a spreadsheet and make a bar graph showing the results of their experiment.
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UFOs
Students, in groups, construct a catapult. Then they conduct a series of experiments by catapulting a marshmallow, using different lengths of spoons, across the room. They predict, measure, and record the measured distance on a worksheet.
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Exterior Ballistics
Students explore velocity and trajectory. Using exterior ballistics rules, students predetermine the path of an artillery shell. Given equations and the firing angle, students determine the velocity and horizontal travel. Students...
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Don't Let Parabolas Throw You
Students identify relation, function, patterns and range. In this algebra lesson, students factor and graph quadratic equations. They use transformation to move the parabola around and make predictions.
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Angling for Distance
Explore the concept of projectile distance through determining the angle that will provide the maximum distance of a launched projectile. High schoolers launch baseballs on a football field and video tape the path of the ball.
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Move It!
Third graders examine simple machines. In this simple machines lesson, 3rd graders observe simple machines at work in a video, then experiment with creating their own simple machines to move objects.
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Simple Machines, Survivor-Style
Students apply the principles of simple machines to create events in a wacky obstacle course. They work with a partner to prepare a visual presentation and an expository description of the obstacle course. Each group sequentially...