Gummy Bear Launcher
Grade Level: K-2
Time: 2 or 3 45 minute periods
Summary: Groups of students will brainstorm, design, and build a marshmallow launcher.
Materials:
Design Handout
marshmallow, plastic spoon, small block, measuring tape, masking tape, straws,
clothes pins, craft sticks
Kindergarten Standards:
SKCS2. Students will have the computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data and
following scientific explanations.
a. Use whole numbers for counting, identifying, and describing things and experiences.
b. Make quantitative estimates of nonstandard measurements (blocks, counters) and check by
measuring.
SKCS3. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating objects in
scientific activities.
a. Use ordinary hand tools and instruments to construct, measure (for example: balance scales to
determine heavy/light, weather data, nonstandard units for length), and look at objects (for example:
magnifiers to look at rocks and soils).
b. Make something that can actually be used to perform a task, using paper, cardboard, wood, plastic,
metal, or existing objects. (For example: paper plate day and night sky models)
SKCS4. Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific and
technological matters.
a. Use a model—such as a toy or a picture—to describe a feature of the primary thing.
b. Describe changes in size, weight, color, or movement, and note which of their other qualities remains
the same. (For example, playing “Follow the Leader” and noting the changes.)
c. Compare very different sizes (large/small), ages (parent/baby), speeds (fast/slow), and weights
(heavy/light) of both manmade and natural things.
SKCS5. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.
a. Describe and compare things in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color, and motion.
b. Begin to draw pictures that portray features of the thing being described.
SKP2. Students will investigate different types of motion.
a. Sort objects into categories according to their motion. (straight, zigzag, round and round, back and
forth, fast and slow, and motionless)
b. Push, pull, and roll common objects and describe their motions.
MCC.K.G.1. Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative
positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, front of, behind, and next to.
MCC.K.MD.3. Classify objects into given categories; count the numbers of objects in each category and
sort the categories by count.
1st Grade Standards:
S1CS2. Students will have the computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data
and following scientific explanations.
a. Use whole numbers in ordering, counting, identifying, measuring, and describing
things and experiences.
b. Readily give the sums and differences of single-digit numbers in ordinary, practical
contexts and judge the reasonableness of the answer.
c. Give rough estimates of numerical answers to problems before doing them formally.
d. Make quantitative estimates of familiar lengths, weights, and time intervals, and
check them by measuring.
S1CS3. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating
objects in scientific activities.
a. Use ordinary hand tools and instruments to construct, measure, and look at objects.
b. Make something that can actually be used to perform a task, using paper, cardboard,
wood, plastic, metal, or existing objects.
c. Identify and practice accepted safety procedures in manipulating science materials
and equipment.
S1CS4. Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific
and technological matters.
a. Use a model—such as a toy or a picture—to describe a feature of the primary thing.
b. Describe changes in the size, weight, color, or movement of things, and note which of
their other qualities remain the same during a specific change.
c. Compare very different sizes, weights, ages (baby/adult), and speeds (fast/slow) of
both human made and natural things.
S1CS5. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.
a. Describe and compare things in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color,
and motion.
b. Draw pictures (grade level appropriate) that correctly portray features of the thing
being described.
c. Use simple pictographs and bar graphs to communicate data.
CCGPS.1.MD.1 Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a
third object.
CCGPS.1.MD.2 Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple
copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end; understand that the length measurement of an
object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps.
2nd Grade Standards
S2CS2. Students will have the computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data
and following scientific explanations.
a. Use whole numbers in ordering, counting, identifying, measuring, and describing
things and experiences.
b. Readily give the sums and differences of single-digit numbers in ordinary, practical
contexts and judge the reasonableness of the answer.
c. Give rough estimates of numerical answers to problems before doing them formally.
d. Make quantitative estimates of familiar lengths, weights, and time intervals, and
check them by measuring.
S2CS3. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating
objects in scientific activities.
a. Use ordinary hand tools and instruments to construct, measure, and look at objects.
b. Assemble, describe, take apart, and reassemble constructions using interlocking
blocks, erector sets and other things.
c. Make something that can actually be used to perform a task, using paper, cardboard,
wood, plastic, metal, or existing objects.
S2CS4. Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific
and technological matters.
a. Identify the parts of things, such as toys or tools, and identify what things can do
when put together that they could not do otherwise.
b. Use a model—such as a toy or a picture—to describe a feature of the primary thing.
c. Describe changes in the size, weight, color, or movement of things, and note which of
their other qualities remain the same during a specific change.
d. Compare very different sizes, weights, ages (baby/adult), and speeds (fast/slow) of
both human made and natural things.
S2CS5. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.
a. Describe and compare things in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color,
and motion.
b. Draw pictures (grade level appropriate) that correctly portray features of the thing
being described.
c. Use simple pictographs and bar graphs to communicate data.
S2P2. Students will identify sources of energy and how the energy is used.
a. Identify sources of light energy, heat energy, and energy of motion.
b. Describe how light, heat, and motion energy are used.
S2P3. Students will demonstrate changes in speed and direction using pushes and pulls.
a. Demonstrate how pushing and pulling an object affects the motion of the object.
b. Demonstrate the effects of changes of speed on an object.
MCC2.MD.1 Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers,
yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
MCC2.MD.3 Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.
Teacher Notes:
Make a variety of common materials available to students. You are not limited to the suggestions in the
materials list.
Activate students by asking them how objects fly. Point out that some living things fly and others do
not. In a similar way, some nonliving things fly and others don’t. Talk about the energy that is required
to make a nonliving object. Relate this idea to a slingshot, which makes a pebble or marble fly. What is
the source of energy in a slingshot? Ask students for other examples of nonliving, flying objects.
In this activity, students are asked to help a Gummy Bear fly. Gummy Bears are nonliving and not
designed for flying. However, with the right launcher and a little energy from students, they can do so.
When students are brainstorming their designs for a Gummy Bear launcher, tell them that there are
some limits or constraints that will guide their work. These constraints are:
Only the materials provided by the teacher can be used. (Point out to students that they do not
have to use all of the materials.)
Time is limited. The teacher will determine how much time students can spend on this activity.
In this activity, students are following the design process, although it is not explicitly described. This is
the process that engineers use to solve a problem. The steps of the engineering design process are:
Discuss the importance of the type of work students will be doing today, which is designing a new piece
of technology. Technology can very simply be described as anything that makes life easier or that
facilitates a task. For example, the washing machine is technology because it enables users to get their
clothes clean with little work. You might want to discuss this with students and ask them what kinds of
technology have been developed for these tasks:
Need
Technology used to meet the need
Measuring length
Ruler
Traveling
Car, bus, airplane
Carrying books
__________
Procedure:
1. Divide students into groups of 3 or 4.
Present the challenge to students:
A group of Gummy Bears wants to experience the joy of flying, and they need your help. Can you design
and build a device that will launch a Gummy Bear into the air so that it flies as far as possible? The
team with the Gummy Bear Launcher that send s the gummy bear the farthest is the winner.
2. Ask students to examine the materials available and think about how they could use those materials
to make a Gummy Bear Launcher. After students have a few minutes to think, let individuals share their
ideas with the group.
3. Let the group discuss the various designs and decide which launcher they want to build. Students
should sketch their final design for a launcher in Box A on the Design Sheet.
4. Have one member of the group pick up the materials needed to build this design for a launcher.
5. Let the group build its Gummy Bear Launcher.
6. Once the launcher is built, let students do a trial run to see if it works. Have them launch a gummy
bear three times. After each launch, ask students to estimate the distance the gummy bear traveled.
7. Measure the distance the bear traveled. (Optional: Record the measurement in Data Table 1 on the
Design Handout.) Compare student estimates to actual measurements.
8. Ask the group if there are any problems with their launcher or improvements they can make. Allow
time for students to discuss changes.
9. Let students make the necessary changes to the Gummy Bear Launcher and launch it again for three
trials. Have students estimate distances traveled before taking new measurements.
10. Have students sketch their completed launcher on the Design Sheet in Box B on the Design
Handout.
11. Discuss with students the differences in their 2-dimensional drawings and their 3-dimensional
launchers.
12. Once the launcher is rebuilt, let students do a trial run to see if it works. Have them launch a
Gummy Bear three times. After each launch, ask the students to estimate the distance the bear
traveled, then measure the distance and compare. (Optional: Record the measurement in Data Table 2
on the Design Handout.
13. Let each team demonstrate their finished project for the class.
14. Have a Gummy Bear Launcher contest and see which bear travels the farthest.
Extension:
15. Measure the distance each bear travels during the contest. Collect data on the classroom board.
16. Have students display the data in the bar graph.
17. Have students write a story about a gummy bear who wants to fly.
Name ______________________________
Design Handout
Box A – Design for Gummy Bear Launcher
Data Table 1 (Optional)
Launch
1st Launch
2nd Launch
3rd Launch
Distance Traveled
Box B – Final Design for Gummy Bear Launcher
Data Table 2 (Optional)
Launch
1st Launch
2nd Launch
3rd Launch
Distance Traveled
Extension
Gummy Bear Launching Competition
Class Data
Name of Team
Distance Traveled
Winner of the Gummy Bear Launcher contest:
______________________________________