https://discoveryplace.org/assets/DiyCatapult-g3qA1eQu.js

1import{j as e}from"./app-Ds4QqyXg.js";import{A as t}from"./ArticleLayout-BkF-VCgd.js";import"./arrow-left-deP3zNk7.js";const n=()=>e.jsx(t,{title:"DIY Catapult",subtitle:"Launch your inner engineer with a DIY catapult.",heroImage:"https://dscplace.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/catapult.jpg",heroAlt:"Hand-built craft-stick catapult ready to launch a marshmallow",sections:[{content:["There are few things that are as inherently exciting as when things are flying through the air, whether the flying object is a hummingbird, a baseball or a Charlotte Hornets player going up for a slam dunk.","In this activity, we will use the engineering design process to create our own miniature catapult and send things flying!","Humans love to throw objects fast and far, but there is a limit to what we can do with our arms alone. That's why ancient and modern engineers created machines that can do it better. One of those early creations was the catapult — a device that stores up energy as potential energy to be released all at once as kinetic energy that throws a projectile much further than a human could alone.","To make our catapults, we will use something that engineers utilize every day: the Engineering Design Process. This is a circular, six-step plan that helps us create the best possible solution to a problem."],image:{src:"https://dscplace.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NASA-graphic.jpg",alt:"NASA's Engineering Design Process diagram (Source: NASA.gov)",caption:"Source: NASA.gov"}},{heading:"The Engineering Design Process",content:["From NASA (who knows a thing or two about engineering), we learn that the engineering design process is:","Step 1: Ask — What problem are you trying to solve?","Step 2: Imagine — What knowledge do you need to better understand the problem?","Step 3: Plan — Draw or write out a plan including the materials needed.","Step 4: Create — Build a prototype.","Step 5: Experiment — Test your prototype and see how it works.","Step 6: Improve — How can you make the prototype better?","This isn't just a guideline for how to solve complex engineering problems; it is a process that can be used for a broad variety of everyday issues. Broken toy? This can help you fix it. Argument with a friend? Try following these steps to figure out a solution — instead of building a machine, you are using the steps to plan out the conversation you will have with them.","For today, though, we will be using these six steps to help us build our miniature catapult! You'll need around 5 minutes of prep time and can expect 10–60 minutes of learning time. This activity is well-suited for children in grades three through five."]},{heading:"Materials",content:["While this is the list of materials we used for our catapult, your materials may vary.","• Rubber bands (the more the merrier!)","• Hot glue gun and glue sticks","• Scissors","• Popsicle / craft sticks","• Straws","• Paper clips","• Clothespins","• Mini marshmallows","• Chopsticks","• Pipe cleaners","• Cups","• Markers","• Bottle caps","• Pencils","• Paper","• Bowls","• Tape (scotch, masking and/or duct)"]},{heading:"Directions",content:["Remember, we are going to use the engineering design process as a guide for making our catapult:","• ASK — Our task is to make a catapult using the materials we have on hand. How will we do this?","• IMAGINE — What do catapults look like? How have people made them with household materials?","• PLAN — Choose a couple of your best ideas to sketch out in more detail and decide on which one you want to make.","• CREATE — Build your catapult based on your plan.","• TEST — Test your design. How far and how accurately can your catapult fire the projectile? What's working well and what could use tinkering?","• IMPROVE — Based on your test results, what about your design could be improved and why? Build a second version!","Once you've gone through all six steps, the process begins again. Keep going through the cycle until you are satisfied with your design."],image:{src:"https://dscplace.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Craft-Stick-Catapult.jpg",alt:"Simple craft stick catapult with rubber bands"}},{heading:"Simple Craft Stick Catapult",content:["• Stack five craft sticks together and wrap a rubber band around each end.","• Stack two craft sticks and wrap a rubber band around only one end.","• Slide the five sticks in between the two sticks, as shown.","• Wrap a rubber band where the two sections meet to hold the catapult together.","• Attach a bottle cap to the top stick to hold the projectile.","• Place a projectile (mini-marshmallow, small ball of paper, etc.) in the cap, hold the stick down and release!"]},{heading:"How to Adjust for Younger and Older Learners",content:["For younger learners, create targets using paper, bowls and pencils/markers to make a launching range or game.","For older learners, practice measurement and division by calculating your projectile's overall speed. Measure how far it traveled and the time from launch until landing, then divide the distance by the time to find the projectile's velocity. Compare different catapults to see which launches the fastest projectiles.","Love this activity? Visit Discovery Place Science!"]}]});

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