ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHT: Popsicle stick catapults and Medieval literature

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Seniors in Ms. Lisa Webb’s English IV class brought simulated Medieval warfare to the West Campus hallways this week.

They’ve been studying literature of the Middle Ages, including Arthurian legend and Lancelot and Guinevere. They’ve read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Lady of Shalott and more.

“I still can’t believe somebody got their head chopped off and they’re still walking around,” student River Scroggins said of Sir Gawain.

To help bring the literature to life, students were assigned to make popsicle stick catapults.

“We began studying weaponry of the time, how catapults were used back then and how they are actually still used today,” Ms. Webb said. “We built catapults and shot marshmallows in the hallway. We used STEM skills to adjust our designs to get better distance and height.”

Senior students Cody Thompson (left) and Colin England were all smiles as they watched their marshmallow fly through the air of the West Campus hallway Wednesday afternoon.

Instructions to build the catapults were provided, but students quickly realized the task wasn’t as easy as it may sound.

“It was fun, but it was hard,” senior Cody Thompson said. “My spoon kept on breaking. The rubber band wouldn’t hold the spoon down. We had to use the hot glue.”

The original idea was to see which team’s catapults shot the farthest. That was accomplished before students engaged in what amounted to simulated total Medieval war.

Senior student Jerome Driver works to construct his popsicle stick catapult during Ms. Webb’s English IV class Wednesday.

“We had a war in the hallway,” student Colin England said. “We started off seeing how far they would go, and then it kind of turned into a war. We hit Ms. Webb a couple times.”

She didn’t mind.

“Some students are just awesome and enhanced their designs from basic to amazing,” Ms. Webb said. “It was an amazing cross-curricular activity that made us laugh and learn.”

Senior student Daymaria Bond (left) and Gabby Williamson proudly show off the catapults they made in Ms. Webb’s class Wednesday afternoon.

Student Daymaria Bond said it was fun and educational.

 “It helped us better understand that this is what they actually used to do in Medieval times to go to war,” she said. “We learned that catapults are still used today, like on aircraft carriers to launch planes.”

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