Catapult Castle Challenge
Lay siege to the castle with science!
Every student engineers their own catapult from pop sticks and elastic bands: no glue guns, and a harder design for Years 5–6. Then the science starts. Pairs change one thing at a time, the mass of the ammunition, the arm length or the number of elastic bands, measure every launch and use their data to hit the castle. Every student takes home the catapult they built and tested.
Years 3–6 + HPGE
Hands-on
Investigations
Inquiry Based
Primary School Workshops
Customise
Your
Experience
What's In Catapult Castle Challenge?
A hands-on engineering and forces workshop for Years 3 to 6: how can we make a catapult hit the target every time? Every student builds a catapult, then pairs fair-test it with a challenge card matched to your stage.
Every session opens with a surprise challenge from the castle, and ends with teams testing whose catapult hits the target.
Inside
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Year Levels
Years 3–6 + HPGE
Duration
60 or 90 minutes
Group Size
Up to 32
Price (incl GST)
$690 (60 min)
$21.56 per student
$790 (90 min)
$24.69 per student
Differentiated challenge cards matched to your class
Choose experiences to match your class interests
Predict, test, observe and explain
THE CRAZY SCIENTIST DIFFERENCE
Multiple Investigations. Learning Matched to Every Stage
Differentiated challenges and syllabus-connected learning across the workshop.
Explore the learning at your stage.
Stage 2 — Catapult Castle Challenge
Stage 2 cards challenge students to work out what sends a catapult's ammunition further and explain why it always comes down.
Relevant NSW Science & Technology outcomes (2024)
Every group works from a Stage 2 challenge card written for these outcomes.
✓ ST2-PQU-01 — Physical and living systems depend on energy (skills focus)
poses questions to create fair tests that investigate the effects of energy on living things and physical systems
✓ ST2-SCI-01 — The Sun is the centre of our solar system and provides our world with energy
Demonstrate that gravity is a force of attraction between objects and Earth
✓ ST2-DDT-01 — Design is a process of creating and innovating
Build, test and evaluate a designed model
See the Science in Action
LEARNING BEYOND THE WOW
What Students learn & How We Support Teachers
What Your Students Will Learn
Explain how levers work
Identify forces in a catapult
Fair-test a variable
Use results to improve a design
Differentiated challenges and syllabus-connected learning across the workshop.
Differentiated challenges and syllabus-connected learning across the workshop.
How we support teachers
Challenge cards for every stage, used by
students during the session.
Classroom follow-up experiments to keep the learning going
Risk assessment, Working With Children Check and public liability insurance details, sent before your visit
Thinking skills students practise
READY TO BOOK?
Workshop Requirements & Bookings
Everything You Need to Know
Up to 32 students per session
Group Size
60 or 90 minutes
Session Time
A classroom or hall with tables for 16 pairs and a clear strip of floor about 4 metres long for launching. Everything runs inside.
Space & Setup
All materials, equipment, safety glasses and stage challenge cards.
What we Provide
“Want something to take home? Ask about our take-home extras when you enquire.”
Enquire About This Workshop
30+ Years Teaching Science
Experienced science teacher designing activities that keep children engaged, involved and learning.
We Bring Everything
Experiments, equipment and materials come with us — you just provide the space and the kids.
Tailored to Your School
Activities are adjusted to suit your class’s stage
Fast Availability Reply
Tell us your preferred date and we’ll get back to you with availability, packages and suitable extras.
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