Trebuchet Toss

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In this activity, learners explore trebuchet design. Teams of learners construct trebuchets from everyday materials. They then test their trebuchets to determine the farthest distance they can hit a target with a marshmallow projectile.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
1 to 2 hours
Estimated Materials Cost:
$10 - $20 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 11 - 18
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • Student Resource Sheets
  • Student Worksheets
  • 20 plastic drinking straws
  • 20 unsharpened pencils
  • 20 popsicle sticks
  • 10 rubber bands
  • 5 toothpicks
  • 5 paperclips or craft wire
  • Masking tape
  • String
  • Scissors
  • 5 metal washers
  • Small piece of cloth
  • Meter stick or measuring tape
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Pie tin or paper plate

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Manufacturing Engineering
      • Metallurgy and Materials Engineering
    • Technology
      • Manufacturing
      • Construction
  • Physical Sciences
    • Energy
      • Energy and Power
      • Work and Machines
    • Motion and Forces
      • Machines
      • Gravity
      • Momentum and Velocity
      • Projectile Motion
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data
      • Formulating Explanations
      • Communicating Results
  • The Nature of Technology
    • Technology and Society
      • Impacts of Technology
      • Technology and History
    • The Design Process
      • Research and Development
      • Invention and Innovation
      • Problem Solving
      • Troubleshooting and Maintenance

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking
  • Historical Reenactment
  • Toys

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read
  • be mobile
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Links STEM to other topics of interest such as arts and humanities
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, IEEE,