At the moment we’ve been learning about levers, pulleys, inclined planes, gears, wheel & axles, cranks and are deep into learning about simple machines which has led us to doing many experiments and building things such as our very own catapult out of popsicle sticks to demonstrate a lever in action which was a huge hit. 

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What you will need:

  • 15 thin popsicle stick
  •  4 half popsicle sticks
  • 1.5cm craft cubes with holes
  • One thin dowel (i used a piece of wood from a sushi mat)
  • A small container cup
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun
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Instructions:

  1. Make the base by gluing a cube to both ends of a long popsicle stick. Add another stick to the other side. Repeat twice.
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  2. Now take your half popsicle stick and glue them to the ends of each section to make your base.
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  3. Take 2 popsicle sticks and create a triangle and glue them together attaching them to each side of the longer side of your base. Glue a cube with the hole facing out to the top of triangle. Repeat on other side.
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  4. Make your lever by gluing 2 popsicle sticks to a cube like you did in the frame twice but only on one end. Glue another cube between one set a little more than half way down. Now bring both pieces together so the cubes are at each end and take 2 more sticks and glue them onto each side to hold it together.
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  5. Now add a dowel through the hole and place it into your base. Then glue on your cup to the longer end. Glue a stick on the shorter end lengthwise to be your handle and you are done!
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