Gummi Bear Long Jump (Grades K, 1, 2, & 3)

Make at home.

Students will work alone or in teams of 2 and make a catapult device at home. The students must design their own catapult device themselves. An adult may help with assembly of the device when appropriate, ie. cutting wood or hammering nails.

Students must test their catapult at home and collect data to determine if a Gummi Bear launched at various angles will hit a target area. Note that the launchers will be placed on the floor anywhere from 2 to 10 meters from the target. Bring your catapult and data sheets (see examples) to the event. Gummi Bears will be provided at the event.

You may build your catapult out of any material you'd like: recycled materials, cardboard box, Styrofoam, wood, plastic, or whatever you'd like. Are you using a plastic spoon to launch the Gummi Bears? If so, are you bringing extra spoons with you in case it breaks? Did you attach a protractor to measure the launch angle?