This idea was born from a post on Pinterest by TheArdentTeacher. After digging a little deeper, this lesson is available for download at TeachersPayTeachers as the Army Men Launcher. Since I always check the pantry before shopping, I made modifications to the supplies. Each kit included:
1 ping pong ball 1 craft stick
1 small paper cup 1 piece of string, 6"
2 rubber bands (Clear tape, stapler, scissors available as needed)
Time and a target resulted in catapults, "flingers," and sling shots. I carefully avoided using any descriptive words in the instructions or questions so I wouldn't influence the kids' creativity. But I took an old sign holder to encourage students to shoot for accuracy.