Mini T-Shirt Cannon

Lesson Details

Subjects *

Engineering, Unplugged

Age Ranges *

8-11

Fab Tools *

None, Recycled Material

Standards

Fab-Safety.1, Fab-Design.1

Author

Aidan Mullaney

Author

Aidan Mullaney

Other

Aidan Mullaney is the Instructional Manager for the GE/Celtics Brilliant Play Lab. His primary role with the Fab Foundation is developing and delivering curriculum for the middle school mobile lab. Aidan facilitates career-related activities with a focus on STEM in… Read More

Summary

Engineer a mini T-shirt cannon out of a toilet paper roll and rubber bands to shoot marshmallows at a target or into a crowd!

Safety note: This activity requires the use of scissors and other sharp objects; parental supervision is advised. Items created in connection with this video should not be pointed at eyes or face.

What You'll Need

The Instructions

Choose Materials for Cannon

Decide which materials to use for the T-shirt cannon. This lesson will use a toilet paper roll, plastic bottle cap, paper clip, and marshmallows.

Puncture Holes in Toilet Paper Roll

Create two small holes opposite of each other at one end of the roll with scissors or thumb tacks. SAFETY NOTE: use care when puncturing holes with sharp objects.

Create Two Holes in the Plastic Bottle Cap

Puncture two small holes in the plastic bottle cap with scissors or a precision screwdriver. SAFETY NOTE: use care when puncturing holes with sharp objects.