Last week the 8th graders finished a study of projectile motion. This subject is important for understanding many technologies (like satellites), but also applies to spacecraft and how we study other worlds in the solar system. The unit project was a design challenge that asked student teams to create a projectile launcher that could hit two different targets at specific distances. The variables discussed were the angle of launch, the mass of the projectile, the launch's force, and air resistance. There were three options: a catapult, a ballista (crossbow), or a trebuchet (giant sling). When all the projects were finished, we had a blast sharing the launchers with our Kindergarten and 1st Grade buddies. Want to try your hand at launching projectiles? Click HERE...

Rich Seymour
Middle School Science