Catapult Design Challenge/Projectile Motion
This is a cross curricular project with 10th grade mathematics and my teaching partner Vee Nguyen. Students studied quadratic equations, projectile motion, and design thinking methods by conceptualizing, prototyping, and testing working catapults, cannons, ballistas, and trebuchets. Each design team had to come up with a design that would launch a standard baseball a minimum of 15 feet. Students then had 8 days after design and prototyping to construct their projects. Students were given an optional design challenge to use basic joinery, or to incorporate as much recycled material as possible.