Medieval Living

Continuing with the homeschool theme . . . here is a easy example of how studies of the Medieval era can be used to teach contemporary subjects: the physics of the trebuchet. On the Library ThinkQuest site is a very nicely written piece about the physics involved in the operation of a trebuchet. Included are mathematical formulae for velocity, acceleration of gravity, and velocity over time just to name a few. The study of a trebuchet also involves applications in engineering and design. The website www.slinging.org shows a basic diagram of a trebuchet. Building one from scratch might be a little beyond the skills of the average homeschool parent; however, there are numerous kits available. More indepth plans are also available, but so far I haven’t found any free plans which are of sufficient detail. If you know of a source, please let me know.