Fall STEM Activity: Candy Corn Catapult Challenge (FALL03) | Middle School Physical Science (Grades 6-8)

? FALL STEM ACTIVITY: CANDY CORN CATAPULT CHALLENGE (FALL03)

3-Page STEM Activity | Print-Ready PDF Format

Launch into ballistics physics, elastic potential energy, and projectile mechanics! The Candy Corn Catapult Challenge (FALL03) challenges middle school student teams to act as mechanical engineers, constructing a lever-action launcher using craft sticks, rubber bands, and a spoon to hit distance and accuracy targets using candy corn payloads.

Students explore elastic energy transfer, lever fulcrum advantage, projectile trajectory angles, average launch range math, and target precision!

? WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS 3-PAGE PACKET?

• ? Page 1: Teacher Guide & Lesson Plan: NGSS alignment (MS-PS2-2, MS-ETS1-2), target science concepts, setup guide, expected student outcomes, answer keys, and math troubleshooting tips.

• ? Page 2: Student Mission Card & Blueprint: Real-world mechanical engineering scenario hook. Clear material limits box (craft sticks, rubber bands, plastic spoon, tape, distance launch rule). Dedicated Catapult Frame & Lever Vector Schematic sketching zone.

• ? Page 3: Testing Log & Scientific Reflection: Structured Data Testing Table (fulcrum positioning, launch angle estimates, distance in cm/m across 3 trials). Applied Math Connection (calculate average launch distance across testing trials). Physics reflection questions.

? CORE STEM SKILLS COVERED:

• Mechanical Engineering & Lever Mechanics Physics

• Elastic Energy Conversion, Trajectory Angles & Launch Vectors

• Data Logging, Precision Metric Distance Measurement, and Average Math Calculations

• Fulcrum Placement and Energy Transfer Optimization

? WHY TEACHERS LOVE THIS RESOURCE:

• 3-Page Professional Layout: Includes a complete Page 1 Teacher Guide for seamless prep, keeping student lab sheets clean and ready to print!

• Low-Cost Materials: Uses simple craft sticks, rubber bands, plastic spoons, masking tape, and candy corn or mini erasers.

• High-Impact Physics Lab: Makes potential and kinetic energy equations tangible, visual, and highly competitive for Grades 6-8!

• Format: High-resolution, print-ready PDF format (3 Pages).

Target Grades: 6th, 7th, 8th / Middle School

Subject Area: Physical Science, Physics, Forces and Motion, Simple Machines, Fall / Halloween STEM Labs

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