During the July 15 activities at Catasauqua Borough’s summer camp, Bryan Klass opened his class in STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

Students manufactured catapults from available dollar store materials. The task was to build the catapult with enough leverage to send a projectile a respectable distance.

While there were various styles, the construction was easy enough to change, and each student experimented with options after searching the Internet for details.

The projectiles were a whole different matter. Marshmallows do not fly well, the students learned, and foamy pieces of plastic did not cut the mustard either. Pencil erasers worked best - as long as they hit the range at the right angle.

The other lesson learned is catapults send projectiles high and long, so the firing range needed to be moved to the gymnasium.

There were practical lessons as well, such as knowing where the end of the tape roll is by wrapping a paper clip around it. This was dubbed the “Gia-clip” by campers.