Marshmallow Catapult
This activity is ideal for elementary school students!
A fun way to learn about kinetic and potential energy is to watch it in action! Create a catapult out of marshmallows and wooden skewers, and use it to launch mini marshmallows (or other small items like erasers). Check out the easy, fun, and yummy activity below:
Materials:
4 Jumbo Marshmallows
Mini Marshmallows
7 Wooden Skewers
Plastic Spoon
Rubberband
Tape
Directions: Place three jumbo marshmallows in a triangle shape on a table. Connect with skewers. Your triangle should lie on the table.
Take skewers and stick them into the top of each marshmallow.
Bring the tops of the skewers together and stick all of them into the final jumbo marshmallow.
Tape a spoon to another skewer. Stick this skewer into one of the three base marshmallows.
Take the rubber band and wind around spoon and then loop end of rubber band around the bottom of the top marshmallow.
Place a mini marshmallow on the spoon.
With one hand gently hold down the jumbo marshmallow that has the skewer spoon stuck in it, with the other hand push down the lever (the spoon) filling the marshmallow with potential energy!
Let it go and check out all the kinetic energy your mini marshmallow now has.
Idea by: Sarah McClelland, Little Bins for Little Hands
