DT capapult lever

DT Catapult Project – Three‑Lesson STEM Engineering Sequence
A complete KS2 Design & Technology catapult project that guides children through designing, making, and testing a working lever‑based catapult. This resource is built for high‑impact, low‑prep teaching and is packed with STEM, engineering, and forces & motion vocabulary to boost search visibility and curriculum alignment.

What’s Included
Key Vocabulary — lever, pivot, fulcrum, potential energy, kinetic energy, tension, accuracy, force, trajectory

Teacher Notebook Slides for all three lessons

Video Links to demonstrate levers, catapults, and energy transfer

Resource Lists for quick prep

Step‑by‑Step Build Guide with clear photos and an example model

Open‑Ended STEM Challenge focused on potential vs kinetic energy

Suggested STEM Sentences to support evaluation and reflection

Lesson Sequence
Lesson 1 — Design a Catapult with a Lever
Pupils explore mechanical systems, identifying how levers and fulcrums create movement. They sketch initial designs, considering force, energy storage, and material limitations.

Lesson 2 — Make a Catapult with a Lever
Using limited resources (20 elastic bands, 10 lollipop sticks, Blu Tack, and pom‑poms), children build their catapult. The restricted materials encourage problem‑solving, creative engineering, and iterative design thinking.

Lesson 3 — Test a Catapult with a Lever
Children test their designs using fair‑test principles, measuring distance, accuracy, and energy transfer. They evaluate performance using structured STEM sentences and propose improvements.***