How to make a catapult with popsicle sticks

What your kid makes

Your kid ends with a working popsicle stick catapult that launches pom-poms at a paper target, a score from the family target game, and a first look at how a lever stores and releases energy.

The 4 lessons

1. 

   Lesson 1. Build it

   Five banded sticks make a block, and two more make the lever.

   1. Stack five sticks and band each end
   2. Band two sticks at one end and slide the block in
   3. Wrap the last band in an X and tape on the cap

   Where: At home

   Watch it free above

2. Lesson 2. Why it flies

   The bent stick stores energy and pushes back when it's let go.

   1. Push the stick down
   2. Feel it push back
   3. Let go with nothing in the cap

   Where: At home

   In the app

3. Lesson 3. Aim and launch

   A target three big steps away turns launching into a game of aim.

   1. Draw a target and put it three big steps away
   2. Launch five soft things
   3. Count the hits

   Where: At home

   In the app

4. Lesson 4. Tweak it and play

   Changing one thing, then testing, shows what launches farther.

   1. Change one thing, like the block's place
   2. Test it and compare
   3. Play the target game with the family

   Where: At home

   In the app

Lesson 1 transcript: Build it

1. 0:00

   Hi, I'm Tek. Today you make a catapult. A little machine that launches things across the room!

2. 0:08

   Get your stuff. Seven popsicle sticks, four rubber bands, and a bottle cap. And some tape.

3. 0:15

   Stack five sticks in a pile. Wrap a rubber band tight around each end. That's your block.

4. 0:22

   Take the last two sticks. Hold them together, and wrap a rubber band around one end.

5. 0:29

   Open the other end, like a mouth. Turn the block sideways, and slide it in between.

6. 0:35

   Wrap the last band in an X, where the sticks cross. Then tape the bottle cap on the end of the top stick.

7. 0:43

   Your turn. Build the block. Band two sticks. Slide the block in, and add the cap. Then press Next.