Cardboard Catapult

Hi!

This is a really cool catapult that really works, too!

Catapult Tools

· Hot glue gun, ruler, box cutter or scissors, pen or pencil

Catapult Materials

· Qty. 1 Rubber band

· Qty. 1 Marble or small ball

· Qty. 1 Wooden dowel (12” long, ¼” diameter)

· Qty. 4 Popsicle sticks (1” x 8”)

· Qty. 4 Popsicle sticks (1” x 4”) made by breaking two 1” x 8” popsicle sticks in half

· Qty. 1 Corrugated cardboard rectangle (12”x 4”)

· Qty. 1 Corrugated cardboard rectangle (3.5” x 3”) with ¾” x ¾” squares removed from two corners as shown

· Qty. 3 Corrugated cardboard rectangles (4” x 8”)

· Qty. 4 Corrugated cardboard right triangles (base = height = 6”)

· Cellophane tape

Glue two of the 6” triangles together using hot glue. Do the same with the other two 6” triangles.

Glue the three 4” x 8” rectangles together using hot glue.

Fold the 12” x 4” along its length to form a tube of square cross-section . The tube is 12” long and has four 1” wide sides. Glue the tube along the 12” edges.

Fold the sides of the 3.5” x 3” cardboard cutout to form a box. Hot glue the sides together to hold the shape of the box. You can use tape to hold the box together while you apply the hot glue.

Glue two 1” x 8” popsicle sticks together and glue them perpendicularly to one of the 4” edges of the 4” x 8” cardboard.

Glue two of the 1” x 4” popsicle sticks together using hot glue and glue them onto one of the centers of the long edges of the 4” x 8” cardboard. Hot glue the other two 1” x 4” popsicle sticks together and glue them on the other edge of the 4” x 8” board.

Hot glue the two last 1” x 8” popsicle sticks together and glue them perpendicularly onto the center of the last edge of the 4”x 8”board. The sticks should stick out about 5” or 6”.

Hot glue the triangle cardboards to either side and on the topside of the catapult bottom.

Make small holes in the two triangles near the tops and make a small hole in the 12” long tube so that the tube sticks out over the popsicle stick about ½”. Put the dowel through the triangles and the tube.

Hot glue the box onto the end of the tube that is opposite the popsicle stick that sticks out.

Put the rubber band around the tube and the popsicle stick that sticks out. Use cellophane tape to hold the rubber band in place.

Put the marble into the box and push the box down. When you let go, the box will fly up and the marble will fly across the room.