The Venus fly trap is a fascinating plant that traps bugs in its petal-like jaws and eats them for food. Is there a different way to power the catapult with rubber bands? Don’t be afraid to let kids engage in friendly competition, just make sure no one take a LEGO to the eye. What changes can be made to the catapult that will affect how far an object is launched? Kids can experiment with the length of the lever arm, or the placement of the stopping rod. When the motor runs, the hold on the arm is released and the rubber bands launch the catapult, and the stopping rod enables the object to fly as far as possible. The rubber bands are part of the launching mechanism, which is kept in place by the motor. Also attached to the base are two rubber bands that the lever arm is pressed down on in tension when loaded, and a rod that stops the catapult arm after launched. There is a securely anchored base with a freely rotating rod in the middle, to which a long lever arm is attached. How heavy or large can you make the platform, and can you use the gears in any way to lift a heavier load? Don’t forget to give your LEGO man a hard hat before trying any of this! The catapultĮxactly as it sounds, the LEGO catapult is a simple machine for launching small objects as far as you can with a lot of fun, and a lot of learning. As the string is wound up and down, the platform moves up and down.Īre there other ways you can lift the platform? Maybe using a different kind of string, or a different driving mechanism will help (using the rubber bands somehow). The rod winds the black string from the kit around it when it turns, while the string follows an angled beam and is attached to a small platform. The WeDo Crane is powered by the motor that drives a long rod – like a crank shaft. It is also a very basic mechanical system that builds upon some of the provided WeDo activities.

The crane is a machine that is easy to identify with because it is frequently seen in real life in construction sites everywhere. Here are a few extra ideas that can inspire you and your students. Like with all LEGO kits, the possibilities are endless. The kit has 12 activities that introduce valuable science and engineering concepts like pulley setups and gear trains and ratios, and makes them approachable and interactive with sensors, motors, and software. The LEGO Education WeDo kit provides a fascinating opportunity in simple robotics and programming for young students.

Wedo robotics