Engineering a Catapult
Exploring force, distance, friction, and air resistance
Students will be able to see physics in action with this lab. Kids will start off this lab with a super fun, hands-on activity that teaches the importance of collaboration and perseverance when engineering something. Next, kids will engineer two catapults and learn about how force affects the distance an object will travel. Students will catapult objects by pulling the catapult back different lengths. We will then measure the trajectory of the object thrown.
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Next, we will observe how air resistance, friction, and weight affects how an object will move. We will use the scientific method to make predictions, analyse our data, and posit conclusions. I always finish each of my labs with a quick quiz that indicates what each student has learned!