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BoilerLauncher
Grade Level:
6th Grade
Total Time Required:
5 sessions
30 minutes each
Prepared by:
Mary Hildebrand and Andrea Levrio
Lesson Objectives: (List any 3 that directly apply to the lesson)
Students will be able to:



Describe the difference between kinetic and potential energy
Explain the effect that degree of angle, force, and mass have on the distance that an object travels
Create a prototype of a catapult that uses a combination of degree of angle, force, and mass that allows
the catapult to launch an object the maximum distance
Indiana Science Standards: (Identify 2 content/subject-specific standards and 3 design process-specific
standards)
Content specific
 5.4.2 Investigate the purpose of prototypes and models when designing a solution to a problem and how
limitations in cost and design features might affect their construction.
 6.1.4 Recognize that objects in motion have kinetic energy and objects at rest have potential energy
 6.1.6 Compare and contrast potential and kinetic energy and how they can be transformed from one
form to the other
 6.4.2 Construct a simple device that uses potential or kinetic energy to perform work
The Design Process
 Throughout the entire design process, document the design with drawings (including labels) in a
portfolio or notebook so that the process can be replicated.
 Test and evaluate how well the solution meets the goal
 Create the solution through a prototype
 Redesign to improve the solution based on how well the solution meets the need
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Literacy Connections: (Identify 2 or 3 connections or standards that apply)
EL.6.5.5 2006
 Write persuasive compositions that:
o State a clear position on a proposition or proposal.
o Support the position with organized and relevant evidence and effective emotional appeals.
o Anticipate and address reader concerns and counterarguments.
EL.6.6.3 2006
 Punctuation:
o Use colons after the salutation (greeting) in business letters (Dear Sir:), semicolons to connect
main clauses
Concepts and Vocabulary
Term
Kinetic energy
Potential energy
Elastic potential
energy
Force
Mass
Prototype
Degree of angle
Defined by a scientist or engineer
The energy of motion
Energy of a body or a system due to the
position of the body or the arrangement of the
particles of the system
Energy stored in elastic materials as the result
of their stretching or compressing
Strength or power exerted on an object
Quantitative measure of an objects resistance
to a change in its speed
Early sample or model built to test a concept or
process or to act as a thing to be replicated or
learned from
Measure of an angle
Defined by a 5th or 6th grade student
Energy that connects things
Stored energy
Energy in a rubber band
To make someone do something
How much something weighs
A video game
Measure of an angle
Equipment, Materials and Tools
List the quantities of all materials and equipment needed:
Materials
Mouse traps
Plastic spoons
Mini marshmallows
Amount Needed
6
10
1 bag
Materials
Big marshmallows
Cotton balls
Wedge
2 blocks
Amount Needed
1 bag
1 bag
6 blocks (2 of each angle)
Special Materials Notes and Comments
Kinetic energy is related to mass and velocity. In other words, when some object with mass is moving, it has
some kinetic energy. This is related to potential energy because those are the two main types of energies that an
object has. Potential energy is the relationship between the distance an object can move and gravity.
PE=mg(d2-d1). KE=1/2mv2. Elastic potential energy is very similar to potential energy, but the energy is found
in the amount of elasticity that a certain object has.
The mass of an object is how much of the object exists. If an object is bigger, it is harder to lift or move
because there is more of it to move, requiring more energy to move it. This can also relate to the amount of
force it takes to move an object, as force is related to the mass as well.
There are two different components to a force acting at an angle. There is the x component and the y
component. The catapult will create a vertical and a horizontal component causing the object to go a certain
height and distance. There are other forces that resist the forces created by the catapult, such as gravity, air
resistance, and other slight factors. When the catapult is put at a 135 degree angle, the thrust force will act
perpendicular to the plane causing a smaller vertical force and a larger horizontal force.
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Lesson Plan #1
Guiding Question – What effect does mass have on the kinetic energy of a catapult when
other variables are constant?
Time: Day One- 30 minutes
Procedure
o Introduction of what we will be doing in the classroom for the next couple of weeks
o Potential and Kinetic energy PowerPoint
o Inquiry activity- Mass
 Show catapult-give safety talk
 “We are going to be studying the effects that mass, force, and degree of angle have on the
distance an object is thrown by a catapult, which relates to the amount of kinetic energy in the
object.
 Ask guiding question
 Design notebook- write on board so they can fill out their notebook as they get the information
1. Students need to include the following in their design notebook
 Title of activity
 Guiding question/problem
 Materials
 Procedure
 Data table- for 3 different masses, 3 distance trials for each mass object, and
average distance for each mass object
 Graph of average distances for the 3 objects
 Conclusion
 Directions for catapult and mass
1. Break students up into groups of 4 or 5
2. Each group gets one catapult, one big marshmallow, one small marshmallow, one
cotton ball, and one ruler
3. Measurements will already be taken in the hallway marking off feet
4. Students will take the small marshmallow and launch it three times, taking down each
measurement of the marshmallow’s initial impact with the ground in their notebook.
If the marshmallow is in between two of the feet measurements, they can use their
ruler to get the exact measurement.
5. Once they have completed three launches with the small marshmallow, they will
repeat step four with the large marshmallow and the cotton ball
6. When they are done with the activity, they will go back into the classroom and fill out
the rest of their design notebook, through the graph.
7. Have the students announce the results as teachers put class results in data table on
board, then create class average graph.
8. Discuss which object went the furthest and why, and the least distance and why.
 What variable are we testing?
 As this variable changes, why does the distance the object goes change?
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
Even though the big marshmallow and the cotton ball are the same size, why does
the cotton ball not fly as far?
9. Then have them write a small conclusion based on our discussion. In the conclusion
they need to choose which object they will use in the next activity
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Lesson Plan #2
Guiding Question – What effect does force have on the kinetic energy of a catapult when
all other variables are constant?
Time: Day Two- 30 minutes
Procedure
o Inquiry activity- Force
 Show catapult-give safety talk
 We will measure the force put into the object by how far we pull back the spoon. Demonstrate ½
force, ¾ force, and full force
 Ask guiding question
 Design notebook- write on board so they can fill out their notebook as they get the information
1. Students need to include the following in their design notebook
 Title of activity
 Guiding question/problem
 Materials
 Procedure
 Data table- for 3 different forces, 3 distance trials for each force, and average
distance for each force
 Graph of average distances for the 3 forces
 Conclusion
 Directions for catapult and force
1. Break students up into same groups
2. Each group gets one catapult, one ruler, and whatever object they chose at the end of day
one
3. Measurements will already be taken in the hallway marking off feet
4. Students will take their object and launch it three times for ½ force, taking down each
measurement of the object’s initial impact with the ground in their notebook. If the
object is in between two of the feet measurements, they can use their ruler to get the exact
measurement.
5. Once they have completed three launches at half force, they will repeat step four with ¾
force and full force
6. When they are done with the activity, they will go back into the classroom and fill out the
rest of their design notebook, through the graph.
7. Have the students announce the results as teachers put class results in data table on board,
then create class average graph.
8. Discuss which force sent the object the furthest distance and why, and which force sent
the object the smallest distance and why
 What variable are we testing?
 Looking at our results from today, what do you know about force?
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9. Then have them write a small conclusion based on our discussion. Have them pick the
force they think is best for the next lesson.
Lesson Plan #3
Guiding Question – What effect does the degree of an angle have on the kinetic energy
when all other variables are constant?
Time: Day Three- 30 minutes
Procedure
o Inquiry activity- degree of angle
 Show catapult-give safety talk
 Demonstrate the three angles of 90 degrees, 135 degrees, and 180 degrees
 Ask guiding question
 Design notebook- write on board so they can fill out their notebook as they get the information
1. Students need to include the following in their design notebook
 Title of activity
 Guiding question/problem
 Materials
 Procedure
 Data table- for 3 different angles, 3 distance trials for each angle, and average
distance for each angle
 Graph of average distances for the 3 angles
 Conclusion
 Directions for catapult and mass
1. Break students up into groups of 4 or 5
2. Each group gets one catapult, one big marshmallow, one small marshmallow, one cotton
ball, and one ruler
3. Measurements will already be taken in the hallway marking off feet
4. Students will take the small marshmallow and launch it three times, taking down each
measurement of the marshmallow’s initial impact with the ground in their notebook. If
the marshmallow is in between two of the feet measurements, they can use their ruler to
get the exact measurement.
5. Once they have completed three launches with the small marshmallow, they will repeat
step four with the large marshmallow and the cotton ball
6. When they are done with the activity, they will go back into the classroom and fill out the
rest of their design notebook, through the graph.
7. Have the students announce the results as teachers put class results in data table on board,
then create class average graph.
8. Discuss which object went the furthest and why, and the least distance and why.
 What variable are we testing?
 What did you notice about the height of the object for each angle?
 (Assuming tests went as planned) why did the 135 degree work the best?
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
Why do you think that is compared to the 180 degree angle? Wouldn’t you
think that when it gets more time on the catapult so it would go farther?
 How does the degree of angle work with kinetic energy and the direction the
marshmallow is moving through the air?
9. Then have them write a small conclusion based on our discussion.
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Lesson Plan #4
Design Challenge – Design a catapult prototype that will launch an object a maximum
distance using the variables of mass, force, and degree of angle.
Time:
Time: Day 4- 30 minutes
Procedures:
o Review the big ideas from your inquiry investigations. Ask students:
o How does mass affect the distance an object is projected?
o How does the angle at which the object is project affect its distance?
o How does the force affect?
o What are three key principles that you learned about catapults that did you know before?
o Distribute the design brief. We will read through the design task with the students
o What is the problem?
o Who is the client?
o Who is the end user?
o What are your constraints?
o We will begin the lesson by passing out the design task worksheet
o We will read through the design task with the students
o Design notebook- write on board so they can fill out their notebook as they get the information
 Students need to include the following in their design notebook
 Title of activity
 Guiding question/problem
 Client
 End user/consumer
 Constraints
 Materials
 Sketch of individual plan
 Sketch of team plan
 Data table- for 3 different trials and average distance
 Graph of average distances for the launches
 Conclusion
o Based on their conclusions from the previous days, they will design a prototype of a catapult that they
believe will launch an object the furthest distance. Students will first plan their own catapult (5
minutes). Students will then work with their group to decide on the best team prototype (5 minutes).
o Due to the height constraint given, the object will also have to reach a height that will pass a wall given
by the teachers.
o Then the students will do three trials with their prototype, record their data, graph their data
o When they are done with the activity, they will go back into the classroom and fill out the rest of their
design notebook, through the graph.
o Have the students announce the results as teachers put class results on the board.
o Discuss which combination of variables made the object go the furthest distance.
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
What combination of the variables were used in the prototype that had the farthest distance
recorded? Based on our last few days, why do you think this happened? Is this what you
expected to happen?
o Then have them write a small conclusion based on our discussion. Include how they would redesign
their prototype
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Lesson Plan #5
Redesign Challenge – What feedback do you get on your design?
Time: Day 5- 30 minutes
Procedures:
o Design notebook- write on board so they can fill out their notebook as they get the information
 Students need to include the following in their design notebook
 Title of activity- Redesign of Catapult
 Materials
 Procedure- includes drawing of prototype including each of the three variables they chose
 Data table- for 3 different trials and average distance
 Graph of average distances for the launches
 Conclusion
o Based on their conclusions from the previous days, they will design a prototype of a catapult that they
believe will launch an object the furthest distance
o Due to the height constraint given, the object will also have to reach a height that will pass a wall given
by the teachers.
o Then the students will do three trials with their prototype, record their data, graph their data
o When they are done with the activity, they will go back into the classroom and fill out the rest of their
design notebook, through the graph.
o Have the students announce the results as teachers put class results on the board.
o Discuss which combination of variables made the object go the furthest distance.
o Then have them write a small conclusion based on our discussion and what they did differently to their
original catapult design to make it launch the object further.
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Assessment
We will have both formative and summative assessments. The formative assessment will be placed throughout
the lessons. This will consist of the teacher walking around the classroom as the students are completing the
tasks and activities and observing their reactions and work. It will also include answers the students give to
questions given from the teacher during the lecture time. The summative assessment given is for the design
task, BoilerLauncher, and will be placed at the end of the task when all aspects are completed.
 6.1.4 Recognize that objects in motion have kinetic energy and objects at rest have potential energy
 6.1.6 Compare and contrast potential and kinetic energy and how they can be transformed from one
form to the other
Rubric
Content
Procedure
Data Table
Understand
ing of PE,
KE
0 pts
1 pt
2 pts
3 pts
Do not have
procedures;
incomplete
No data table
given
Some procedures
listed; unable to
replicate
Does not include:
title, units, all trials,
averages, data.
Unclear
All listed in detail, design is
able to be replicated using
procedures given
Title, units, all trials,
averages, and data are present
and correct. Neat and easy to
understand
No conclusion
Does not convey an
understanding that
PE is stored and that
KE is transferred to
the projectile
Procedures listed;
unclear while
replicating
Some information
is missing, but
majority of aspects
from 3pts are
present
States that PE or
KE are present but
does not
communicate a
clear relationship
between the two
concepts
Design Process
Notebook
Includes less
than 5 of the 10
aspects needed
for full points
Includes at least 5 of
the 10 aspects
needed for full
points
Includes at least 7
of the 10 aspects
needed for full
points
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Able to accurately identify PE
and KE with its prototype.
Able to compare/contrast PE
and KE and how they are
transformed using the
catapult.
Includes all of the following
o Title of activity
o Guiding
question/problem
o Client
o End user/consumer
o Constraints
o Materials
o Procedure- includes
drawing of prototype
o Data table- for 3
different trials and
average distance
o Graph of average
distances for the
launches
o Conclusion
Lesson Extensions and Resources
Activity Extensions:
Students will build their own catapult, not using a mousetrap. They will be given rubber bands, planks of wood,
spoons, tape, and wire. Their objective is to build a prototype of a catapult that will launch their object of
choice from BoilerLauncher the farthest distance. They can use a mousetrap as a model to aid them in their
design.
Web Resources:
Catapult video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXNgHoIBPXM
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BOILERLAUNCHER
Design Task
Purdue University students need a faster way to get from their dorms to their classes. They also want to
eliminate air pollution so driving is not an option. Purdue’s Transportation Department needs help designing a
prototype of a catapult that will launch students across campus in a fraction of the time that it takes for students
to walk.
Design a prototype that will launch an object that will reach a height and a distance that will be a scaled version
of Purdue’s buildings and campus. The tallest building is 9 stories high (10 feet per story) and campus is
approximately 1500 feet.
Constraints:
o Use a scale of 1 inch per 1 foot (1 in=1 ft)
Materials:
o
o
o
o
o
Catapult (mouse trap with spoon)
Big marshmallow
Small marshmallow
Cotton ball
Wedge blocks (3 different angles)
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