Paint-Stick Pom-Pom Launcher
Paint-Stick Pom-Pom Launcher Days: 1 Mode: Individual Take-home: Measured lever launcher
Teaching & key ideas
Key concepts: Levers, fulcrum position, stored elastic/bending energy, launch distance, measurement.
Hook: Demonstrate the see-saw/cantilever launcher with a clearly marked fulcrum.
Test / evidence: Student launches a soft object in a controlled lane and records distance.
Variables to change: Fulcrum position; push-down distance; projectile mass.
Lesson flow
Lesson plan:
Day 1: Lever demo → assemble → launch with two-finger rule → record distance → move fulcrum and compare
Safety / cleanup:
Soft projectiles only; launch down marked lanes; two-finger push limit; safety glasses if needed.