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Ancient War Camp Preview Video

This winter, Dr. Sparks Jr. Scientist Club will take your kids on a full day journey back in time. We will explore the science behind ancient warfare and the evolution of weapons like crossbows and catapults. This full day, whole-English winter camp is available in communities around Taiwan. Spend the day using English to build machines, collect data, test theories, conduct experiments, and have a whole lot of fun! 

  In Dr. Sparks Science Camp – Ancient Warfare, we will look at the science behind some of the weapons that were able to take down great castles. We will explore how they used horsehair to create a weapon that could turn a tree into a missile. We will experiment with how they calculated trajectory to launch huge stones over city walls. And they did all of this without computers or even smartphones! Each child will spend the day using English while they make 2 amazing experiments that they can take home. This camp is not a day of learning English. Instead, it’s a day filled with fun experiments that encourage your kids to start using English and thinking in English. It’s through the curiosity that our experiments encourage that we help turn on your child’s English thinking.

  The boys and girls will do experiments with Dr. Sparks learning how science created ancient weapons that could bring down castle walls. Crossbows were a weapon that used tension and elasticity to fire a weapon straight ahead from far away. Catapults used similar ideas but changed the design so that larger items could be shot at a higher trajectory.

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Crossbows / Ballista

Make a DIY  ballista to take home.

Explore how ballistae used tension from twisting horse’s hair to fire.

Assemble and fire a ¼ size ballista

Catapults

Make a DIY catapult to take home 

Catapult golf – Control the trajectory of your stones to land in the target. 

Assemble and fire a large catapult

War

Use blocks to build your city wall and protect your king.

Use ballistae and catapults to destroy your enemy’s walls and capture their king.

Scientific Principles

Using tension to propel an item.

Compare tension and elasticity.

Changing angles to change trajectory.

Changing projectile weight to change trajectory.

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