DIY Popsicle Stick Catapult

Build a working class 3 lever catapult to explore potential energy and trajectory. Experiment with different projectiles and arm lengths to see how they affect distance and speed.

Tools

• hot glue gun (1)
• pliers or wire cutters (1)
• scissors (1 pair)

Materials

• regular craft sticks (15-20)
• craft sticks cut in half (3 sticks total, resulting in 6 half-pieces)
• cubes with holes (4)
• regular small cubes (7)
• thin wooden dowel (1 piece, cut to width of base)
• rubber bands (2-3)
• plastic cup (1)
• tape (1 roll)
• foam cubes or small projectiles (3-5)

Safety

• Adult supervision required for hot materials. Burn risk.
• Adult supervision required for sharp objects.
• Protect work surface. Materials may stain clothing.
• Rubber bands can snap. Wear eye protection if launching projectiles.

Steps

1. Prepare your materials by cutting or breaking 3 craft sticks in half using pliers or wire cutters.
2. Build the base: Connect two regular craft sticks together using hot glue and one of the half-stick pieces as a cross-brace.
3. Flip the base over and glue two regular cubes to the corners above the half-stick piece.
4. Glue two cubes with holes onto the opposite end of the base, ensuring the holes are aligned.
5. Reinforce the base by gluing more sticks along the sides and the top, leaving the gap between the two cubes with holes open.
6. Create side supports by gluing two regular cubes to the top of triangular stick supports on each side of the base.
7. Glue the remaining half-stick pieces onto all four sides of these top cubes to create a stop bar.
8. Build the catapult arm: Create two beams, each consisting of two craft sticks long and connected in the middle by a third craft stick.
9. On one beam, glue a regular cube in the center and another on one of the ends.
10. Glue a cube with holes onto the opposite end of that same beam, ensuring the holes point sideways.
11. Glue the second beam on top of the three cubes to sandwich them together.
12. Install the arm: Slide the catapult arm through the middle of the base. Insert the wooden dowel through the cube with holes on the arm, then slide the ends of the dowel into the cubes with holes on the base.
13. Add the power source: Loop a rubber band around the catapult arm, pull it under the stop bar at the top, and loop it back over the arm.
14. Attach the bucket: Use both hot glue and tape to secure a plastic cup to the end of the catapult arm.
15. Launch: Hold the base down with one hand, pull the arm back with the other, load a foam cube, and release!