Curated OER
Catapult Physics
Student explore the relationship between Hooke's Law and catapults. After exploring the four types of catapults, young scholars use Hooke's law to determine the spring constant in a torsion powered catapult. They answer questions based...
Cornell University
Catapult
Studying levers couldn't be more exciting! Learners build their own catapults and test the results as they make adjustments to the fulcrum. They compete against other groups to create the most accurate apparatus.
Curated OER
Catapults
Students test catapults. In this physics lesson, student conduct scientific investigations that require them to test catapults. Students practice their problem solving skills as they employ the use of the scientific method.
Cornell University
Catapults
Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome.
Curated OER
Motion, Forces, Energy and Electricity
What a wonderful way to explore motion and forces! Learners design a catapult, after watching a video and discussing types of catapults. This is a comprehensive and complete lesson with links to supplementary resources.
Curated OER
Medieval Catapults
Students design and build a working catapult or trebuchet to explore the concepts of force, motion, and distance.
Curated OER
Catapult
In this social studies learning exercise, students find the words related to the catapult and the answers are found by clicking the button at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Catapults!
Students 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...
Curated OER
Catapults
Students are introduced to the concept of a catapult and how it is used with the help of a media presentation. They use catapults in a large, open area and record the distances objects travel. Students use the scientific method while...
Curated OER
The Catapult
Students identify the advantages and disadvantages of a catapult as a weapon. In this physics lesson, students construct their own catapult. They investigate how changing one variable affects results.
Curated OER
Interactive Physics & Projectile Motion
Learners explore projectile motion using an interactive program and the projectile launcher. In this physics lesson, students calculate a give projectile motion problem. They compare their answer to Interactive Physics' answer.
Berkeley Engineering and Mentors
Marshmallow Catapaults
After a brief lecture on levers, torque, projectiles, and the five-step engineering design cycle, young physical science learners or engineers build catapults out of craft sticks. This is an open-ended exploration of what works and what...
NASA
Newton Car
If a car gets heavier, it goes farther? By running an activity several times, teams experience Newton's Second Law of Motion. The teams vary the amount of weight they catapult off a wooden block car and record the distance the...
Cornell University
Alka-Seltzer Rockets
Blast off! An engaging hands-on activity has pupils create rockets powered by Alka-Seltzer. They learn about the physics behind these rockets throughout the process.
Curated OER
Science: Motion Commotion
Young scholars examine Newton's three laws of motion to discover what causes it and how it changes. They conduct motion experiments by building catapults and constructing balloon rockets. Finally, they conduct peer studies correlating...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
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.
Utah STEM Foundation
Utah Stem Action Center: Angry Birds Are Mad About Physics
Learn about catapults and Newton's laws of motion.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Physics of the Flying T Shirt
Students are introduced to the physics concepts of air resistance and launch angle as they apply to catapults. This includes the basic concepts of position, velocity and acceleration and their relationships to one another. They use...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Projectile Motion: Creating a Catapult
This lesson is for 9th grade physical science students. It begins with an inquiry-based lesson using a projectile motion computer simulation. It culminates with students building a catapult; applying and connecting science knowledge from...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: The Physics and Engineering of a Trebuchet
In this simple machines lab learners investigate how the trebuchet works using their prior knowledge of simple machines. Students then build a trebuchet and analyze the physics and engineering that goes into building and launching it.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ancient Greek Catapults and Medical Packs
This passage will test the knowledge of students who are taking the MCAT. This question asks students to work with launch velocity.
Maryland Science Center
Maryland Science Center: Field Goal! [Pdf]
Create a catapult using the provided link, then experiment with it to see how your accuracy at making a field goal is affected by distance from the goal posts. Learn about the physics of the football's trajectory path.