Introduction: Free Halloween Black Cat-A-Pult Papercraft

By
About: I am a Graphic Designer by trade and a passionate crafter, tinkerer, and inventor at heart

Happy Halloween from all of us at Instructables!!

We're excited to introduce you to the 2021 Free Halloween Papercraft! Say hello the Black CAT-a-pult, complete with little paper candy corns to launch at your friends, family or any monsters lurking in dark corners.

This compact papercraft is easy to assemble and is a great activity to get you in the Halloween spirit. Get your family, friends, or students involved too!

If this little tail-whipping, projectile-hurling kitty isn’t exciting enough on its own, Instructables is also running a fun Halloween Photo Challenge & Giveaway!

• ENTER THE #HalloweenCatapult I MADE IT CHALLENGE

Post a photo of your Black CAT-a-pult papercraft or Tinkercad Halloween background (here on this Instructable as an "I Made It" --or-- on Twitter, or Instagram), and we’ll send you an Instructables giveaway pack! Find all the details of how to participate in Step 7.

• TEACHERS AND PARENTS •

For more details on how to extend this project for additional learning check out further resources in Step 8. Topics include simple & compound/complex machines, force, energy, and parabolas (Algebra)!

Supplies

  • Printed Papercraft (Download the PDF attached below)
  • Scissors

Optional Supplies:

  • X-acto style hobby knife - For more precise cuts
  • Cutting mat - To protect the hobby knife from cutting surfaces
  • Ruler + Butter knife - For scoring the fold lines
  • Tape/glue - This papercraft assembles with no adhesives, but you can add a little tape/glue to make it sturdier!

Paper Options:

  1. Cardstock: Use for a stronger more robust papercraft.
  2. Regular printer/copy paper: regular printer/copy paper is 100% ok to use, but will require a little bit more patience and care when assembling your papercraft so that you don't accidentally squash or rip it.

Attachments

Step 1: Print and Cut

Print out the Black CAT-a-pult pattern at 100%. Once it's printed, cut along the outer edge of all of the papercraft pieces.

Special cuts - Take extra care to cut along the "special cuts" indicated in the photo above in PINK.

Optional Scoring: Scoring your fold lines can make assembling a papercraft so much easier. You can use the smooth side of a butter knife to score these lines, with a ruler placed parallel to the fold line to use as a guide. Don't press TOO hard with the butter knife or you may rip the paper.

Step 2: Fold the Body

  • Fold the cat's body in half lengthwise so that the paper is doubled up.
  • Fold the body so that it resembles the image above. (Neck upwards, back and legs downwards)
  • Fold the large white box located between the cat paws upwards, so that it can tuck in under the cat's chin.
  • Fold and tuck the small white box at the base of cat's head underneath the bottom of the papercraft.
  • DO NOT ADD ANY TAPE OR GLUE YET!

Step 3: Fold the Cat-a-pulting Tail

  • Lay the paper down flat, colored side facing upwards
  • Fold diagonally along the indicated line.
  • Unfold and lay the paper down flat, white side facing upwards.
  • Fold one edge over, along the indicated line.
  • Repeat with other adjacent edge along other indicated line.
  • Unfold the corner, pinch, and lay flat so that it makes a 'shark fin'.
  • Fold both edges towards the center diagonal crease you made earlier.
  • Repeat, folding both edges towards the center diagonal crease again.
  • Fold the tail in half where indicated with a small horizontal line.
  • Then fold both sides over to make a 'taco' around the 'shark fin'.
  • Pinching the base, grab the 'shark fin', and pull/rotate it so that it is at an approximate 45 degree angle.

Step 4: Make Candy Corn Projectiles

  • Hold paper such that colored side is facing downwards.
  • Fold corner over to create a right angle triangle, with colored side of paper showing.
  • Fold triangle downwards, then across the hypotenuse, then downwards....Repeating until you reach the end of the paper strip.
  • Fold the final piece into a right triangle - from the bottom - and tuck into the little pocket.

Step 5: Assembling Your Black CAT-a-pult

  • Lay your CAT-a-pult tail flat, and facing upwards. (You should see the 'shark fin' if it is facing the right way)
  • Open the cat body and from the inside - slip the 'shark fin' into the smaller slot at the top of the cat's back.
  • Slip the bottom of the CAT-a-pult tail into the larger slot at the base of the cat's back. Fold the little triangle underneath the belly of the cat.
  • Reassemble the cat's body. (You may place a small piece of tape/glue on the small white box at the base of the head to secure it underneath the bottom of the papercraft)
  • Open the 'shark fin' to create the bowl of your CAT-a-pult. ( This is where you'll place the candy corn launcher - or other things you want to launch)
  • Bend and adjust the tail to create your CAT-a-pult launcher.

Step 6: Start Launching

  • Place candy corn launcher in CAT-a-pult tail bowl.
  • Stabilize your CAT-a-pult by placing your fingers along the inner belly on the larger white box.
  • Aim, and flick the tail downward to launch!

Step 7: Instructables Giveaway

Here's how to participate:

  • Build your Instructables Black CAT-a-pult Papercraft or use the Tinkercad model below and create a Halloween background for your Black CAT-a-pult in Tinkercad.
  • Post a photo (or the Tinkercad file) of your Black CAT-a-pult in all its glory by clicking the yellow "I Made It" button at the bottom of this project,
  • Alternatively, you can enter by sharing your creation on Instagram and/or Twitter, and tagging @instructables and #HalloweenCatapult. *note: You’ll have to follow us on each platform so we can DM you.
  • We must receive submissions and iterations of this project by November 5th, 2021 (11:59pm Pacific Time) to be eligible for this offering.

Instructables staff will feature the best recreations of this papercraft project on our Twitter and Instagram Stories (and tag you, of course).

If you're going to create a Tinkercad Halloween background, you can use the Tinkercad model above to get started!! New to Tinkercad ? Take these starter lessons and learn how to design with Tinkercad.

Step 8: Extended Learning

Topics:

Simple & compound (or complex) machines, force, energy, and parabolas (Algebra)

Catapults can be built through a multitude of methods and with a wide array of materials. This enables them to be used in a range of PBL topics and learning goals depending on the need. Below are a few examples of how Catapults can be used to reinforce curriculum goals.

Younger Students:

When explaining simple machines to younger learners, catapults create a fun interactive demonstration for a lever. Dive deeper into catapults to learn how to incorporate ramps, wheels, or pulleys to make a compound machine. Regent University provides an excellent lesson plan filled with amazing background information.

Check out this old episode of Bill Nye to learn a lot more about simple machines: Video Clip

Science Max delves into the elastic force present in Catapults that use rubber bands: Video Clip

Older Students: 

Catapults give an amazing real-world demonstration of parabolas, and students can use math to predict the trajectory of launched objects. Compare calculations to data collected from use, and have students discuss their findings.

Find more about solving for the trajectory of a projectile : Video Clip

Engineering Design:

This paper catapult has a detachable arm which provides an opportunity for students to design and engineer a better launching mechanism. They can take what they learn from that to build another catapult from scratch. Investigate the student designed launching mechanisms and see if they work better or worse in different materials.

Gamify:

Once everyone or every group has a catapult, set up targets around the room, and see who can get the most points: Video Clip