Trebuchet Unit Plan

Trebuchet Unit Plan
Technology 9/10
Vancouver Technical
2003
E. Silver, Vancouver Technical Page 2 20/07/2003
Index:
Rational Page 3
Objectives /Learning outcomes Page 3
Planning Grid 5
Ping-Pong Activity Page 6
Paper Trebuchet Activity Page 8
Main Differences Between Siege Machines Page 9
Siege Machines History Page 10
Levers Page 15
Trebuchet Design Page 17
Scoring Rubric Page 24
Ballista Overhead Page 26
Trebuchet Overhead Page 27
Catapult Overhead Page 28
Levers info Overhead Page 29
Lever Overhead Page 30
Trebuchet Release sequence Overhead Page 31
Release info Overhead Page 33
Quiz Page 34
Notes Page 36
Distance Overhead Page 37
Accuracy Overhead Page 38
Battle Overhead Page 39
Trebuchet Evaluation Key 40
Lesson plans/lectures 41
Sources 47
RATIONAL:
This unit was developed at the beginning of the U.S. lead Iraqi invasion/war. The
students where very interested in the subject of war and I wanted to try and find a
project that I could do in my technology 9/10 class that would approach some of
these issues. I choose the paper trebuchet project because the class was
scheduled in a non-shop environment and was therefore limited in tools and
equipment.
At first glance medieval siege engines may not seem related to modern warfare,
however, I wanted to discusses with the students that many of the modern
technologies that we take for granted every day came about because of
principles and theories discovered in military research throughout our history.
Second I wanted to get the students to take a stance on how they felt about using
technologies developed for military purposes in their everyday life. For example
how many students are aware of the fact that the World Wide Web (WWW) or
internet as we know it was original developed by the US military. Finally, I wanted
to introduce my students to some basic engineering principles and term
associated with levers.
OUTLINE OF CONTENT:
Students will be introduced to medieval siege engines, through lectures, a video,
construction, and testing. Students will learn a brief history and the main
differences between the following siege engines: Trebuchet, Catapult, and
Ballista. Class one levers will be discussed in relationship to the working of a
trebuchet and key terms such as lever, fulcrum, effort and load will be
highlighted. Issues around using military developed technologies will be
discussed.
OBJECTIVES / LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1. Students will learn about the differences between the following medieval
siege engines.
a. Trebuchet
b. Catapult
c. Ballista
2. Students will be able to identify a trebuchet and its main components.
3. Students will learn how a trebuchet works.
4. Students will construct a working paper scale model of a trebuchet.
5. Students will develop teamwork skills.
6. Students will design a logo and team name for their trebuchet.
7. Students will put their model trebuchets through tests. In these test the
students will make modifications to try and improve the accuracy and distance
of their trebuchets.
8. Students will demonstrate the working of a class one lever in relation to key
engineering terms: Fulcrum, load, and effort.
9. Students will be introduced to issues around technology development and

military applications.
PLANNING GRID:
Grade 8 to 10 Technology 7 - 11 80 minute classes
Topic & Time Objectives Activity Assessment Resources

and
Outcomes
Intro: Students will Ping Pong Marking rubrics Ping Pong
1 to 3 classes work in teams activity and observation construction
to solve a materials
design
problem.
History of Hook for Video Observation Secrets of lost
Trebuchet: trebuchet unit. empire: Medieval
50 min siege video
Discuss marking Students will Begin paper Marking rubrics Trebuchet
rubrics, hand out learn what trebuchet and observation construction
materials, assign they are project materials and
teams, and start required to do handouts.
construction: and how they
1 class will be
evaluated.
Three main Students will First lecture Marking rubrics Overhead and
differences in learn the main & and observation transparencies.
siege machine differences in General
design & siege construction
construction: machine
1 class design
Class 1 lever & Students will Second Marking rubrics Overhead and
construction: learn how a Lecture and observation transparencies.
1 class class 1 lever &
works and General
key construction
terminology
Three main Student will Third Marking rubrics Overhead and
factors that affect learn the Lecture and observation transparencies.
sling release three main &
timing: factors that General
1 class affect sling construction
release
timing.
Testing and Students will Distance, Marking rubrics Styrofoam castle
Styrofoam castle test their accuracy, and observation & projectiles
challenge: trebuchets for and battle
1-3 classes distance & test.
accuracy
Feel free to change the duration of any portion of this unit to suit 7 - 11 classes
your needs.
PING-PONG ACTIVITY
Design challenge:
Working in pairs, design, construction, and test a device for launching a single
ping-pong ball the furthest distance using only the materials and tools supplied in
class. All devices must rest on the ground and are not to be held down by human
force. Distance is measured from where the ping-pong contacts the ground first,
not to where it rolls. You cannot alter the ping-pong in any way.
Procedure:
1. Review the supplied materials and tools available for construction.
2. Review the design challenge, and discuss ideas.
3. Use pencil / pen and paper to illustrate ideas in rapid sketches. Explain
your ideas to your partner.
4. It is important that all ideas expressed be considered at this early stage.

Suspend judgment or criticism as often you can expand upon your
teammates ideas. This idea “hitch-hiking” is one technique often used by
designers.
5. Decide on your most promising concept and draw a large version of it so

that it fills an 81/2”x11” sheet of paper. Add notes to point out aspect of
construction.
6. Get teachers approval of design BEFORE starting construction.
7. Begin construction using your drawing as a guide.
8. Once construction has finished we will test your design for distance.
9. All work must be handed in!
10. Make sure block # and both team members name are on all your work.
11. Have Fun

EVALUATION KEY:
Following instructions. 5 Points

Teamwork, classroom attitude, and 10 Points
participation.
Design and construction. 15 points
Distance. 15 points
SUGGESTED MATERIALS:
o Scissors and razor blades
o Ruler
o Hot Glue
o Glue stick
o Tape
o Card board boxes
o Card board paper
o Welding rod
o Side cutters
o String
o Paper clip x 2
o Paper
General Suggestions:
• Decide on a set amount of cardboard for each team, or a max size.

• Have the students bring in their own cardboard.
• Mark the construction at the same time as testing so that you can
throw out the cardboard after.
PAPER TREBUCHET OUTLINE
DESIGN BRIEF:
Your task is to build a model of a mighty siege machine called a trebuchet that
will fling a projectile across a far distance. You are only allowed to use the
materials provided to build your trebuchet: Your projectile will be assigned in
class.
PROBLEM:
To design and construct a working model of a paper trebuchet that will be

evaluated for distance and accuracy.
RESOURCES:
o Paper cut outs of trebuchet parts

o Scissors & razor blades
o Ruler
o Scoring tools
o Glue
o Cloth
o String
o Coloring pens and pencil crayons
o Counter weight (students bring in small rocks)
o Projectile/missile to be assigned in class
PARAMETERS:
o You may not use any materials to construct the trebuchet besides the
ones supplied in class. However, you have to bring in your own small
rocks for the counter weight.
o Your team name and logo must appear on the trebuchet in color.
o Your trebuchet may only fire assigned projectiles.
o You must get permission from your teacher to fire your trebuchet.
o If anything is unclear just ask!
o Have fun building ☺
MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SIEGE MACHINES:

Dictionary definition. Catapult: A military machine used in siege warfare for
throwing missiles.
o There are several different technologies that fall into the "catapult" category.
They include the catapult, the ballista and the trebuchet.
o The catapult is the winched-down bucket that people normally think about
when they hear the word "catapult".
o A ballista is a very large crossbow.
o A trebuchet is a weighted beam that swings a sling carrying the projectile.
o Both catapults and ballista’s work by storing tension either in twisted ropes or
in a flexed piece of wood. In the same way an archery bow does, but on a
larger scale.
o A trebuchet tends to be easier to build because it consists simply of a pivoting
beam and a counterweight that rotates the beam through an arc.
Catapults can launch things a fair distance -- 500 to 1,000 feet (150 to 300
meters) is common. It is surprising how much energy they can store. The gears
are important, because they create a winch. The winch allows a person to put a
great deal of energy into the catapult over a period of time. Then all of the energy
releases at once, throwing the projectile.
A Ballista is an ancient military siege engine in the form of a crossbow. Typically
it was used to hurl large bolts, and had better accuracy than a catapult at the
expense of reduced range.
CATAPULT HISTORY:
Medieval Arms Race
War in medieval times was about the control of land. Garrisons of knights and
other soldiers who lived in castles controlled the land around their stone
fortresses. To conquer a territory, an attacking army would have to strike and
take these central strongholds.
To do so, they would launch a siege. Over the centuries, medieval armies
developed military strategies to fight a siege. Weapons of war also evolved, often
in response to the technological advances of the enemy. By the mid-12th
century, siege warfare had developed into a science, practiced by an engineer
corps called ingeniatores.
One of the earliest types of catapults, the arrow catapult, could shoot a large
number of arrows at once. The moving arm of the catapult was attached to a
thick rope. To pull back the arm, someone would twist a screw-like device that
the rope was attached to. The arm would hit several arrows lined up and shoot
them a great distance.
The Ballista and Trebuchet came later. The Ballista was propelled by creating
torsion by wrapping thick ropes around a stationary axle stick and the moving
arm of the catapult. This catapult was used to shoot large, weighty rocks at a
castle. The Ballista, however, had little accuracy.
The Trebuchet used heavy weights and a sling to propel objects. The ammunition
was loaded into the sling, which was attached to the arm of the catapult. The arm
was connected to a stationary rod, allowing it to swing freely. The weight was
attached to the side of the arm opposite to the sling.
These catapults were used in siege warfare to take over castles. The Ballista
hurled huge rocks while the Trebuchet often hurled dead animals into the castle
to spread disease.
The trebuchet was the dominant siege weapon in Europe from 850AD to
1350AD, lasting 100 years after the introduction of gunpowder. In England it was
called an Ingenium, and the technicians who worked on the weapon were
Ingeniators (Engineers). Larger versions were able to throw large stones, cows or
even shunned negotiators. Rotting flesh was also popular.
The trebuchet operates by harnessing the potential energy of a suspended
weight, and demonstrates many physical principals. There are multiple variables
in the design, which can be adjusted to optimize range and throw-weight.
Trebuchet was the first war machine to use biological warfare.
OFFENSE:
Direct Assault #1
A direct assault was the most dangerous way for attackers to try to take a castle.
Soldiers either scaled walls with ladders or overran castle walls breached by
tunnels, battering rams, or artillery.
Sometimes they attacked two or three spots around the castle at once to surprise
their foe or divide castle defenses, and sometimes they approached the wall
hidden within a trench or tunnel. Archers and crossbowmen would cover soldiers
while they tried to break a wall or storm over it.
Defenders, perched on the castle wall or in narrow windows called loopholes,

literally had the upper hand. Archers rained arrows down on attackers, while
soldiers pushed ladders off the wall with forked poles, dropped rocks or firepots
filled with burning tar, or poured scalding water, wine, or hot sand (which could
enter armor) down onto those below.
Attacking armies sometimes blockaded a castle instead. Though safer than

fighting, starving occupants out of a castle was not always straightforward.
Attacking armies, which often had hired mercenaries, were reluctant to wait out a
winter in northern climates without permanent housing. Castle dwellers kept
stockpiles of food and drilled water wells within the castle's walls. They also had
ally troops that could come to their defense, sometimes turning a battle's tide.
Siege Tower #2
Attackers sometimes built a siege tower to scale castle walls. Soldiers lay in wait
inside the structure as others wheeled it to the castle. Once there, the soldiers
lowered a drawbridge at the top of the tower onto the castle wall. Some towers
were almost 100 feet high, and in the siege of Kenilworth Castle, fully 200
archers and 11 catapults were crowded into a single tower.
Siege towers were difficult and time-consuming to build, however, and castle
defenders could burn them down with fire arrows or firepots (launched pots filled
with flaming liquids such as tar). Sometimes castle knights launched surprise
raids on a tower to destroy it during construction. To protect their siege engine,
attackers draped it with rawhides of mules or oxen.
Trebuchet #3
During peacetime, castle commanders used trebuchets to launch roses at ladies
during tournaments. But during a siege, these missile launchers were one of the
most fearsome weapons of medieval times.
Early trebuchets were powered by muscle, but later versions relied on a huge
counterweight that swung a long arm. When the counterweight was dropped, the
device launched a missile from a sling at the end of the arm.
Trebuchets could launch missiles hundreds of yards in large, lobbing arcs at or

even over a castle wall. The best trebuchets fired stone missiles weighing up to
400 pounds -- big enough to do serious damage to a castle wall. Attackers also
used them to launch dung or dead animals into the castle with the intention of
spreading disease. Sometimes they even shot out the severed heads of enemy
soldiers or even messengers who delivered unsatisfactory peace terms.
If a trebuchet was set up too close to a castle, archers would harass its builders
with arrows shot from bows or bolts from crossbows. Castle defenders also
would try to destroy rising trebuchets with catapults shot from the castle wall or
with sneak attacks to burn it down.
Battering Ram #4
Siege armies used a battering ram to break down a gatehouse door or even
smash a castle wall. To shield themselves from attack, they built a covered shed,
in which they hung a thick tree trunk on chains suspended from a beam above.
Carpenters tapered the trunk into a blunt point and capped it with iron. The slow
forward movement as the battering ram was wheeled toward the castle wall
earned it the nickname "tortoise." Soldiers swung the hanging trunk back and
forth, and the forward end of the trunk moved in and out of the shed like a
tortoise's head, battering its target.
Castle defenders tried to burn the shed down with flaming arrows, though
attackers responded by covering the shed with animal pelts or earth to make it
fireproof. Defenders sometimes dropped mattresses down to cushion the blows
or lowered grappling irons to grasp the trunk, preventing it from swinging.
Tunnel #5
Men called sappers sometimes dug tunnels to gain entrance to a castle and
thereby launch a sneak attack, but more often, these miners dug tunnels beneath
a castle wall to destabilize and topple it. They supported their tunnels with
timbers, which they then burned to collapse the tunnel -- and, hopefully, the wall
above.
To defend themselves, castle dwellers put out a bowl of water and watched for
ripples that might indicate digging. Sometimes the castle's garrison built counter-
tunnels; if the two tunnels met, fierce battles ensued underground.
DEFENSE:
Walls #6
At first castle walls were wooden, making them cheap and quick to build, but they
were vulnerable to arson. Stone walls followed, and with each generation they
grew thicker and taller. From the mid-13th century, many castles had concentric
rings of walls, one encircling the other. Caerphilly Castle is the earliest example
of this in Britain, and the largest castle ever built in Wales. Low outer walls
served as barriers against siege towers and battering rams. If attackers managed
to break through this outer ring of defense, castle defenders could retreat behind
high inner walls.
Corner towers stood out from the walls, giving defenders a better perspective on
enemy movements. Windows were rare; instead, slits called loopholes were built
for archers. Sometimes builders thickened walls low to the ground to protect
them from battering rams. Often, these walls sloped away at the base to redirect
objects dropped from the top of the castle wall, ricocheting them out at soldiers
on the ground.
Because they had walls to protect them, castle defenders would sometimes
hunker down and try to wait out their attackers. Those inside made sure they
could be self-sufficient when cut off from the outside world by a siege. They built
wells and kept livestock inside their walls, guaranteeing fresh water and fresh
meat during a siege. They also salted foods such as bacon and fish and stored
grains and beans by the barrel-full.
Castle garrisons also stockpiled weapons, for reinforcements often could not get
through. If a siege continued into winter, castle dwellers had more protection from
the elements than attackers, and if their rations held up, also more food to
sustain them.
Those besieged inside a castle often negotiated time frames for surrender with
the enemy. For example, a castle garrison might tell an attacking army that they
would surrender if reinforcements did not appear by a specified date. This would
save lives on both sides and avoid the steep financial costs of a siege as well.
Archers #7
Both attacking and defending armies had archers, though those shooting arrows
from the castle had a great advantage. First, castle archers were almost always
launching arrows from a higher position than castle attackers, which extended
their range and provided them with a good view of their human targets.
The castle wall also protected them well. Loopholes, the narrow slits that archers
shot through, were often splayed to the inside, allowing castle archers a wide
latitude of targets. The design enabled archers to hide off to the side of the
loopholes while reloading, giving them protection from the rare arrow that did find
its way in. Horizontally cut loopholes gave castle archers an even greater range.
The archer had three weapons to choose from. The most powerful was the
crossbow. Barbs on the head of a bolt, the stout arrow shot from a crossbow,
were often coated with beeswax to help them pierce armor. Crossbows took
longer to load than the simple bow or the longbow. A longbow archer could shoot
about 12 arrows in the time it took to launch a single bolt. Moreover, the longbow
could send arrows as far as 1,000 feet. But longbows took tremendous strength
to shoot and much practice to control.
Gatehouse #8
The gatehouse, the castle's entrance, was the early castle's most vulnerable
point. Later, military engineers bolstered it with impressive defenses. A
drawbridge could be pulled back, lifted, or pivoted like a see saw, while
portcullises -- iron-covered wooden grills that moved up and down in front of the
gatehouse door -- provided additional protection. Castle dwellers could also slide
wooden beams behind the doors to reinforce them.
If attackers broke down the outer door and entered the gate's passageway, they
ran the risk of being trapped. Sometimes defenders would drop a portcullis
behind them. Roofs above gate passages often had so-called "murder holes"
through which castle soldiers could drop burning oil, hot sand (able to enter
armor), or scalding water onto enemy soldiers. Loopholes in the walls of the gate
passage also gave defending archers -- only feet away from trapped attackers --
a deadly advantage.
Moat #9
Moats surrounding castles protected them from siege towers and battering rams,
war machines that were only effective when wheeled to the wall. It also made
digging tunnels underneath the wall far more challenging. To get across a moat,
the attacking army sometimes filled the moat with rocks and soil or built portable
wooden bridges.
ABOUT LEVERS:
When describing levers you need these four terms: lever, fulcrum, effort, and
load. The lever itself is long and stiff. The fulcrum is the resisting point where the
lever turns or pivots. Effort is the force you apply and load is what you move.
When you apply effort, the lever pivots around the fulcrum moving the load.
The job the lever must do determines how the load, effort, and fulcrum are
arranged. This arrangement determines the class of lever. Look at the following
illustrations:
A trebuchet is a Class 1 lever. The counterweight provides the effort. The

load is the lighter boulder or missile. Between them on the machine
carriage is an axle that serves as the fulcrum.
Once students understand the three different classes of levers, they will
recognize them all around. Here's a quick method to classify levers.
a. Find the fulcrum. If it's in the middle, it's a Class 1. On the end, it's a Class
2 or 3.
b. To determine whether it's 2 or 3, find the load. If it's in the middle, it's a
Class 2. On the end, it's a Class 3.
Ask students to identify the class of lever for the following:

• A claw hammer pulling a nail (Answer: Class 1. A hammer pivots on the
middle of its head.)
• A wheel barrow (Answer: Class 2. The wheel is the fulcrum and the
barrow is the load.)
• An oar rowing a boat (Answer: Class 1. The oarlock is the fulcrum.)
• A paddle paddling a canoe (Answer: Class 3. The top hand is the fulcrum
and the blade is the load.)
• A bottle opener (Answer: Class 2. The fulcrum is on the end and the load
is in the middle.)
TREBUCHET DESIGN:
Let's get started and look at what happens after you've put on your helmet,
moved well off to the side of the trebuchet and pulled the rope tied to the trigger
mechanism...
Figure 1.
This diagram shows a trebuchet shortly after the trigger has been released. The
shot is in the sling and is beginning to slide backwards along a launch trough.
The trough is put there to guide the sling and prevent it from getting caught up in
the trebuchet's framework. In the early part of the launch all the shot's motion is
horizontal and this speed will contribute to the rate at which the sling is going to
be whipped around the end of the treb's beam later. The trebuchet is designed so
that the beam is pulled down as nearly vertical as is practical. This gives two
benefits: 1. The weight has the longest distance to fall this way and 2. The first
movement of the beam gives the most horizontal pull to the sling. The sling has
to be picked up by the beam, so it can't be too long. (You wouldn't want the treb
to be standing with its beam in the air and the shot still in the trough) Generally,
this means a sling length something less than the beam's throwing arm length,
although some medieval illustrations show longer slings.
Figure 2
Here the trebuchet beam has rotated and of course the end holding the sling has
risen. The shot has been pulled down the trough and is now speeding
backwards, but it has also been lifted up and clear.
Now, any weight which is tied by a length of rope to the end of a rotating beam is
going to swing out - the so-called centrifugal force (okay, it's actually just inertia
in action, but you get the picture). Our shot's motion has this effect plus the
speed it has already acquired. The result is that the sling will rotate around the
end of the beam.
Figure 3.
If your trebuchet's release mechanism is the usual ring over a prong or hook, it is
going to release the sling as soon as the angle between the sling ropes and the
arm is straight enough for the ring to slip off the prong.
You can adjust when the sling releases in a number of ways:
By setting the angle of the prong - a more hooked prong will hold the sling loop
longer than a straighter one.
I.e. a prong less hooked or in line with beam = earlier release = higher
trajectory
... a prong more hooked or forward-pointing = later release = flatter
trajectory
By changing the length of the cords that hold the sling pouch..
If the sling is rotating around the end of the beam slowly, the beam will
have time to swing through a bigger arc before the sling catches up to it. If
the sling is rotating quickly, the release angle will happen earlier.
A shorter sling will rotate faster than a long sling.
i.e. short sling cords = fast sling rotation = earlier release = higher
trajectory
... long sling cords = slow sling rotation = later release = flatter trajectory
By choosing the size of your shot..
Another thing that influences when a sling releases is the force on it - a
heavier projectile tends to pull the loop off the prong earlier than a lighter
projectile does.
i.e. heavy projectile = earlier release = higher trajectory

.. light projectile = later release = flatter trajectory
Figure 4.
Finally, the follow-through ... A bit disappointing, really. It's not as much as you
might imagine.
If you had the weight fixed rigidly to the end of your treb's beam (like Huw
Kennedy's huge piano and car throwing beast in Britain) you would have a simple
pendulum and it might well oscillate majestically until it eventually came to a stop.
The design shown in figures 1 to 4 uses a free-swinging weight and the
interfering motions pull up the beam in a series of jerks and starts.
(Note that this is more noticeable in a small model than a large machine.)
A Note about Weight-Bucket size:

Why doesn't making a trebuchet half as big make it half as heavy and powerful?
Why can't a toy-sized trebuchet have a weight bucket in the same proportion to
the machine as a big one?
• It's simply mathematics... if you make a box twice as big in size - twice as
long, twice as wide and twice as deep - you actually make its volume
eight times larger. (volume = length x breadth x depth for a box with right-
angled corners).That means it can hold eight times as much heavy earth
and stones...
Going in the opposite direction, if you make a model trebuchet half the size, then
its box will only hold 1/8th the weight unless you either make it much bigger than
it looked on the large machine or fill it with something heavier than soil and rock.
This is why model trebuchets often have over-sized buckets or are filled with lead
(or both).
Wheels/No wheels:
When modern engineers first examined medieval drawings of trebuchets, they
couldn't help but notice that they often had wheels.
Their first assumption was that the wheels were added to roll the weapon around
the landscape and to help aim it, which was probably true in smaller machines.
As modern engineers began to reconstruct these monster machines, however,
they came to realize that they were too heavy to roll on medieval roads, much
less battlefields.
They also noticed something else: These rolling behemoths fire appreciably
farther than their stuck-in-the-mud cousins. Modern engineers suspect that their
medieval counterparts may have observed the same thing and stayed with the
wheeled design as they built the machines larger.
Why is a trebuchet that rolls forward and back again more stable and powerful
than its cousin? Well, one of the design flaws of the wheel-less trebuchet is its
tendency to rear up into the air as its arm begins to spin and then slam back
down. This monstrous lurch can destroy the trebuchet rather than the castle wall.
Rolling wheels prevent the crushing lurch. Instead, energy is more smoothly
channeled into the trebuchet's arm and missile.
Wheels add power as the trebuchet rolls forward. Like a pitcher who leans toward
home plate as he hurls, the forward motion adds velocity to the pitched weight.
The rolling back and forth of the wheeled counterweight also allows it to fall in a
straighter line, the most efficient way for a counterweight to respond to the force
of gravity.
The straight-falling counterweight is more powerful because a straight falling

counterweight results in a higher velocity at the sling end at the moment of
release. A higher velocity results in a farther throw.
SLING LENGTH:
When the sling was added to the trebuchet it gave the tossed projectile more
velocity. This meant the trebuchet could send a lighter projectile farther, providing
more distance between those who fired the machines and deadly enemy archers
at the castle.
Here's how it works. The sling lies on a track at the base of the trebuchet. As the
arm of the trebuchet begins to move, the sling drags the ball before lifting it into
the air. This gives the swinging arm time to pick up speed.
The sling is an extension of the beam's

reach. At the time it is launched, the sling is
actually moving faster than the beam,
creating a whipping motion. A faster flung
stone will deliver a stronger punch to the
wall. With the extra velocity (which can be
converted into a longer throw), the trebuchet
can also be moved back to a safer distance
from the castle wall.
There's an important catch, however. If a sling is used to extend the range of a

trebuchet, a lighter ball must be used to reach the wall. The problem with a lighter
ball is that it might not have the oomph necessary to destroy the wall.
PROJECTILE WIEGHT:
Provided with the same amount of energy, lighter balls launched from a trebuchet
will fly farther than heavier ones. This makes sense in our everyday experience:
Using the same arm, you can throw a baseball quite a bit farther than you can a
bowling ball, for example.
However, the ball's weight affects more than the distance it will fly. A lighter ball
traveling at the same velocity as a heavier ball will land with less force. That's
why some of the lighter stone balls launched, hit the mark, yet bounce off
harmlessly. The stone's mass is not great enough to break through the sturdy
castle wall.
With too heavy a ball, you may suffer the same fate as you wished to inflict upon
your enemy: The ball could fly straight up and back down. That's because your
trebuchet cannot provide enough energy to counteract the pull of gravity that
holds your heavy ball down.
There is danger, as well, in erring in the direction of too light a ball. Too light a
ball might not be able to accept all the energy that the trebuchet's swinging arm
can deliver. Where does the energy go? It may go into the trebuchet's axle pivot,
its base, or into its scaffolding, destroying your trebuchet rather than the enemy
castle's wall.
DISTANCE:
How far from the castle you situate your trebuchet matters for a few reasons. The
closer the trebuchet, the more likely you are to hit your target. However, the
opposite is also true, which is that the closer you are, the more likely it is that
enemy soldiers will hit you--with an arrow.
The farther away your trebuchet, the farther you'll have to send your missile. And
the farther your missile must travel, the longer the force of gravity will be pulling
on its flight. To counteract gravity's steady pull, you must convey more energy to
the ball. A few adjustments to your trebuchet will do this, including:
• Adding wheels to your trebuchet.

• Lengthening the sling.
• Using a hinged counterweight.
There is another solution, which is to reduce the weight of your ball as you move
it farther away. A lighter ball will travel farther because there is less mass to
move. However, a problem arises when this principle is taken too far. A lighter
ball will hit with a weaker force than a heavier one. The result could be a stone
dud that bounces harmlessly off the castle wall.
COUNTER WEIGHT:
One of the key design improvements that medieval engineers made in the
trebuchet was in the design of its counterweight.
Even the earliest military technicians understood the potential of "the seesaw
effect" of a lever. As gravity pulls a heavier weight down on one side of the
seesaw, the lighter weight on the other side of the seesaw's fulcrum is lifted. If
the object on one side falls with great force, the one on the other side might
become airborne.
When military designers tweaked the point of the axle on the lever arm (creating
one arm longer than the other) and raised the axle high above the ground, they
had built their first functioning trebuchet.
But how did these military people maximize the downward pull of the short arm?
The answer: They added literally tons of weight. During the siege against the
Scots castle of Stirling, Edward I of England sent orders out to strip all of the
church roofs in the entire surrounding area of lead. These gathered sheets of
lead were believed to have been melted down and then attached to the
counterweight of the trebuchet. The lead attached to the NOVA-built, fixed-weight
trebuchet weighed a hefty six-and-one-half tons.
The most efficient way for any counterweight to respond to the force of gravity is
by falling in a straight line. It's the same reason that a free-falling stone dropped
from an altitude of 3,000 feet will hit the ground with greater force than a rock that
is rolled down the side of a 3,000-foot mountain. In a fixed-weight trebuchet, the
weight must fall in an arc, following the arc at the end of the lever arm.
The hinged counterweight, however, is free to follow a straighter descent to the

ground, providing the trebuchet--and eventually the launched stone ball--with an
even more devastating power.
SCORING RUBRIC:
Student Criteria Rating Achieved

Participation
Exemplary Student on task at all times. Works 10

well with teammate and classmates.
Cleans up work area.
Competent Student on task 95% of the time. 8

Works ok with teammate and
classmates. Cleans up work area.
Satisfactory Student on task 90% of the time. 6

Nearly Satisfactory Student on task 70% of the time. 4

Not Satisfactory Student not on task, and does not 2

work well with teammate and
classmates.
No attempt made Student does not participate at all. 0
Construction Criteria Rating Achieved
Exemplary Trebuchet built to high standards. 10

Clean crisp corners. No excess glue.
Team name and logo prominently
displayed in color.
Competent Trebuchet built to high standards. 8

Majority of corners clean and crisp.
Little excess glue. Team name and
logo prominently displayed in color.
Satisfactory Trebuchet built to good standards. 6

Most corners clean and crisp. Some
excess glue. Team name and logo
prominently displayed in color.
Nearly Satisfactory Trebuchet built to low standards. 4

Corners not clean and crisp. Excess
glue. Team name and logo
prominently displayed in color.
Fails to complete Student does not complete 2

trebuchet.
No attempt made Student does not help with 0

construction.
Trebuchet Testing Criteria Rating Achieved
Distance Trebuchet testing will be evaluated 15

on distance and accuracy. The team
with the farthest distance will receive
20 points and all other teams will be
Accuracy 15
scaled from the winning distance.
The same will be for accuracy.
BALLISTA
• Ballista is a very large crossbow used to hurl

large bolts. It had better accuracy than a
catapult at the expense of reduced range.
Why would reduced range be a
disadvantage?
• Both catapults and ballista’s work by storing
tension either in twisted ropes or in a flexed
piece of wood. It is like an archery bow, but
on a larger scale. How is this different from a
trebuchet?
COUNTER WEIGHT TREBUCHET WITH

TREADMILL POWERED WINCH
• The trebuchet was one of the earliest siege

machines designed.
• A trebuchet is a weighted beam that swings a
sling carrying a projectile through an arc.
• It was the most accurate siege machine and
could throw projectiles the farthest.
• A Trebuchet is a class 1 lever. The counter
weight provides the effort, the load is the lighter
projectile, and the axle serves as the fulcrum.
CATAPULT:
• A catapult is a winched-down bucket that works by

storing tension either in twisted ropes or in a
flexed piece of wood.
• What empire do you think used catapults the most?
Hint: look at the picture.
• How are catapults used today?
Hint: Aircraft carriers.
ABOUT LEVERS:
When describing levers you need these four terms:

lever, fulcrum, effort, and load. The lever itself is long
and stiff. The fulcrum is the resisting point where the
lever turns or pivots. Effort is the force you apply and
load is what you move. When you apply effort, the
lever pivots around the fulcrum moving the load.
The job the lever must do determines how the load,

effort, and fulcrum are arranged. This arrangement
determines the class of lever. Look at the following
illustrations:
A trebuchet is a Class 1 lever. The counterweight
provides the effort. The load is the lighter boulder or
missile. Between them on the machine carriage is an
axle that serves as the fulcrum.
Find the fulcrum. If it's in the middle, it's a Class 1. On

the end, it's a Class 2 or 3.
To determine whether it's 2 or 3, find the load. If it's in
the middle, it's a Class 2. On the end, it's a Class 3.
RELEASE MECHANISM:
If your trebuchet's release mechanism is the usual ring over

a prong or hook, it is going to release the sling as soon as
the angle between the sling ropes and the arm is straight
enough for the ring to slip off the prong.
You can adjust when the sling releases in a number of ways:
By setting the angle of the prong - a more hooked prong

will hold the sling loop longer than a straighter one.
• A prong less hooked or in line with beam = earlier release
= higher trajectory.
• A prong more hooked or forward pointing = later release =
flatter trajectory.
By changing the length of the cords that hold the sling

pouch..
If the sling is rotating around the end of the beam slowly, the
beam will have time to swing through a bigger arc before the
sling catches up to it. If the sling is rotating quickly, the
release angle will happen earlier.
• A shorter sling will rotate faster than a long sling.

Short sling cords = fast sling rotation = earlier release =
higher trajectory.
• Long sling cords = slow sling rotation = later release =
flatter trajectory.
By choosing the size of your projectile.

Another thing that influences when a sling releases is the
force on it - a heavier projectile tends to pull the loop off the
prong earlier than a lighter projectile does.
• Heavy projectile = earlier release = higher trajectory.

• Light projectile = later release = flatter trajectory.
NAME___________BLOCK___________
TREBUCHET QUIZ
1. What is the main difference between a catapult and a

trebuchet?
2. This empire used catapults the most.

a) Roman
b) Chinese
c) Egyptian
d) USA
3. What class of lever is a trebuchet?
4. Place the correct corresponding words in the lever diagram

below: Load, effort, and fulcrum.
5. What function does the launch trough perform on a trebuchet?
6. Which catapult was the most accurate?
7. The trebuchet was the earliest type of catapult? True / false
8. How are catapults used today?

a) Extreme sports.
b) Naval Warfare.
c) Attacking Buildings.
d) All of the above.
9. There are three main things you can adjust to change when the
sling releases. 1:By setting the angle of the prong, 2:By
changing the length of the cords that hold the sling pouch, 3: By
choosing the size and weight of your projectile. Explain how two
of these changes affect sling release.
Notes:
I recommend using gumballs as projectiles, as they are relatively inexpensive

and light. If you use a heavier counter weight then you can use chocolate balls.
• Testing distance: Measure out the distance of your classroom or a hall and
then place tape at 1 or 2 foot intervals. Record students 3 attempts and
average or total.
• Testing accuracy: Set up thin Styrofoam blocks on desks or the floor.

Students get 3 tries to hit a Styrofoam block. Blocks close to the trebuchet are
worth fewer points then Styrofoam blocks further away.
• Battle: Split the class into 2 groups and give every trebuchet team a
Styrofoam block. The groups then face each other in 2 rows on each side.
Place the Styrofoam block in front of each trebuchet; if the Styrofoam block is
hit then that team is eliminated.
*Suggested set up, feel free to modify as needed.



TREBUCHET EVALUATION KEY
Following instructions 5 points

Team work, Effort and Participation 5 points
Construction 10 points
Distance 15 points
Accuracy 15 points
Teamwork,
Following Total:
Students Effort, & Construction Distance Accuracy
instructions 50
Participation
1
10
11
12
13
14
15
LECTURE ONE:
The main differences in design of the Ballista, Catapult, and

Trebuchet:
1. Introduction:
Most people know only one type of catapult. This lesson is intended to
showcase the fact that there are three siege machines that fall under this
category.
2. Objectives:
The goal of this section is to introduce students to the three main catapults
and their design differences.
The students will demonstrate the ability to:

• Identify Ballista, Catapult, and Trebuchet siege machines.
• Identify differences in design between the Ballista, Catapult, and
Trebuchet.
3. Lesson Strategy:
I will use overhead pictures of the different siege machines and models to
show the students the main design differences between the Ballista,
Catapult, and Trebuchet.
4. Instructional Materials:
• Lesson plan.
• Overheads
• Model Trebuchet.
5. Tools and materials:

• None
6. Procedure:
a. Show model of Trebuchet (hook)
i. Fire a projectile
ii. Name parts of Trebuchet during firing.
b. Show Trebuchet Overhead
i. Go over nomenclature
ii. Mechanical principles
• Weighted beam etc.
c. Show Ballista Overhead
• Stored tension etc.
d. Show Catapult Overhead
• Stored tension etc.
7. Special safety & care:

a. Remind students that they are not to fire unauthorized projectiles in their
trebuchets like rocks etc.
8. Integration:
a. Social issues
i. War
ii. Deforestation
iii. Economics
b. Engineering.
i. Physics
ii. Math
9. Social Context:
Stress the profound effect that the siege machines had on the medieval way of life.
10. New Terms:

a. Trebuchet
b. Ballista
c. Catapult
d. Tension
e. Beam
f. Lever
g. Fulcrum
h. Effort
i. Force
11. Questions:
• What is the main difference in the force used between the Trebuchet and
the Catapult? (weighted beam VS stored tension)
12. Summary:
This unit explores the Trebuchet, Catapult, and Ballista and covers the main
differences in appearance, design and forces used.
LECTURE TWO:
Class 1 lever & construction:

1. Introduction:
People use levers and the principles behind leverage in their daily life
without every really thinking about levers. This unit is intended to expose
students to the three main classes of levers and some of the principles
behind how a lever is classified. Furthermore, the students will be shown
why a Trebuchet is a class one lever.
2. Objectives:
The goal of this section is to introduce students to the classification of
levers and the principles behind that classification.
• Identify a class one, two, and three lever.
• Identify forces involved in lever classification like lever, fulcrum,
effort, and load.
3. Lesson Strategy:
I will use overhead pictures of levers to show the students the main
differences between a class one and three lever. I will demonstrate how a
Trebuchet is a class one lever.
• Lesson plan.
• Overheads

• None
6. Procedure:
a. Show Levers Overhead
• Lever
• Fulcrum
• Effort
• Load
b. Class one lever
i. examples
c. Class two lever
i. Examples
d. Class three lever
i. examples
7. Integration:
e. Engineering.
i. Physics
ii. Math
8. Social Context:
The understanding of levers allows us to better navigate our world and manipulate
it in ways that benefit use
9. New Terms:
f. Beam
g. Lever
h. Fulcrum
i. Effort
j. Force
10. Questions:
• What are some examples of class one, two, and three levers from everyday
life?
11. Summary:
This unit explores the classification of levers and the terminology associated with
them. It also links the concept of a class one lever with the design of a Trebuchet.
LECTURE THREE:
Three main factors that affect sling release timing:

1. Introduction:
The three main factors that affect sling release timing and consequently
the trajectory of the projectile of a Trebuchet will be discussed.
2. Objectives:
The goal of this section is to introduce students to the main factors that
affect sling release timing so that they can test these principles on their
model Trebuchets to produce the best possible test results for distance and
accuracy.

• Identify how changes to the angle of the prong, sling length, and
projectile weight affect Trebuchet range.
3. Lesson Strategy:
Demonstrate with the Trebuchet model how changes to the angle of the
prong, sling length, and projectile weight affect Trebuchet range.
• Lesson plan.
• Info overheads

• None
6. Procedure:
k. Show Trebuchet Info overhead
l. Show model of Trebuchet
i. Fire a projectile changing the angle of the prong, sling length, and
projectile weight.
7. Special safety & care:

m. Remind students to be careful with the weight of their projectile as they
could damage their Trebuchet.
8. Integration:
n. Engineering.
i. Physics
ii. Math
9. New Terms:
o. Sling
p. Prong
q. Projectile
10. Questions:
• What happens to the trajectory of the projectile if you:
1. Bend the prong forward?
2. Bend the prong backward?
3. Shorten the sling length?
4. Lengthen the sling length?
5. Increase the projectile weight?
6. Decrease the projectile weight?
11. Summary:
This unit explores how you can change the trajectory of a Trebuchet by altering the angle
of the prong, length of the sling, and weight of the projectile.
SOURCES:
Thanks to Ron Carniello at Vancouver Technical Secondary for his input and
help with the development of this unit plan.
Paper trebuchet design can be downloaded from the following site.

http://www.fryerskits.com/trebuchet/pics/trebuchetcard.pdf
http://www.howstuffworks.com/question127.htm/printable
http://science.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=question127.htm&url=http:/
/members.iinet.net.au/~rmine/middel3.html
http://science.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=question127.htm&url=http:/
/www.middelaldercentret.dk/warengines.htm
http://nfo.edu/trebuche.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/builds.html
http://members.iinet.net.au/~rmine/howtreb.html
(video)
Secrets of Lost Empires: Medieval Siege
PBS Airdate: February 1, 2000
http://whs.wsd.wednet.edu/Sci/Lorenson/Catapult/catapultmain.html
(catapult lesson plan)

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Trebuchet Unit Plan

OBJECTIVES / LEARNING OUTCOMES:

9. Students will be introduced to issues around technology development and

Grade 8 to 10 Technology 7 - 11 80 minute classes

Topic & Time Objectives Activity Assessment Resources

1. Review the supplied materials and tools available for construction.

2. Review the design challenge, and discuss ideas.

4. It is important that all ideas expressed be considered at this early stage.

5. Decide on your most promising concept and draw a large version of it so

6. Get teachers approval of design BEFORE starting construction.

7. Begin construction using your drawing as a guide.

9. All work must be handed in!

11. Have Fun

Following instructions. 5 Points

• Decide on a set amount of cardboard for each team, or a max size.

PAPER TREBUCHET OUTLINE

To design and construct a working model of a paper trebuchet that will be

o Paper cut outs of trebuchet parts

MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SIEGE MACHINES:

Defenders, perched on the castle wall or in narrow windows called loopholes,

Attacking armies sometimes blockaded a castle instead. Though safer than

Trebuchets could launch missiles hundreds of yards in large, lobbing arcs at or

A trebuchet is a Class 1 lever. The counterweight provides the effort. The

Ask students to identify the class of lever for the following:

i.e. heavy projectile = earlier release = higher trajectory

A Note about Weight-Bucket size:

The straight-falling counterweight is more powerful because a straight falling

The sling is an extension of the beam's

There's an important catch, however. If a sling is used to extend the range of a

• Adding wheels to your trebuchet.

The hinged counterweight, however, is free to follow a straighter descent to the

Student Criteria Rating Achieved

Exemplary Student on task at all times. Works 10

Competent Student on task 95% of the time. 8

Satisfactory Student on task 90% of the time. 6

Nearly Satisfactory Student on task 70% of the time. 4

Not Satisfactory Student not on task, and does not 2

No attempt made Student does not participate at all. 0

Construction Criteria Rating Achieved

Exemplary Trebuchet built to high standards. 10

Competent Trebuchet built to high standards. 8

Satisfactory Trebuchet built to good standards. 6

Nearly Satisfactory Trebuchet built to low standards. 4

Fails to complete Student does not complete 2

No attempt made Student does not help with 0

Trebuchet Testing Criteria Rating Achieved

Distance Trebuchet testing will be evaluated 15

• Ballista is a very large crossbow used to hurl

COUNTER WEIGHT TREBUCHET WITH

• The trebuchet was one of the earliest siege

• A catapult is a winched-down bucket that works by

When describing levers you need these four terms:

The job the lever must do determines how the load,

Find the fulcrum. If it's in the middle, it's a Class 1. On

If your trebuchet's release mechanism is the usual ring over

By setting the angle of the prong - a more hooked prong

By changing the length of the cords that hold the sling

• A shorter sling will rotate faster than a long sling.

By choosing the size of your projectile.

• Heavy projectile = earlier release = higher trajectory.

1. What is the main difference between a catapult and a

2. This empire used catapults the most.

4. Place the correct corresponding words in the lever diagram