ABSTRACT
Science topic Forces levers chapter type Comparative and fair testing Resources Elastic bands Lolly sticks Old rulers Paper Pencils Plastic spoons Sticky tape Tape measures Safety: Remind children to check that no one is in the way when launching their missiles. Overview In this chapter child investigates levers and forces to help them design a 'flinger' which can fire paper missiles. A lever is a simple machine. Using the outdoor area provides children with a large, safer space in which to work. In this lever flinger, the load is the paper ball and the fulcrum is the point at which the throwing arm pivots. Children design their flinger, applying understanding from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and communicating their ideas through drawings and prototypes. Children evaluate their flinger against their original ideas and criteria, and against those created in, for example, Roman times.
