These wooden kits help students build working replicas of two of the most infamous and powerful “medieval siege engines” – the catapult and the trebuchet. These weapons once smashed castle and fortress walls and changed the course of kingdoms, and now students can use their destructive powers to have fun and learn about history. The kits are designed by a science educator and are based on historic designs (the trebuchet is based on the Warwolf of the 13^th century and the catapult from ones used during the middle ages). The kits use only wood, rope, leather and wooden dowels, not screws or nails to join the pieces together. All pieces are pre-cut and drilled and only require wood or white glue to aid in assembly. The instructions are detailed and easy to follow and also include some educational notes about the machines. When assembled, the catapult stands 6”H x 5”W x 10”L and can shoot a ball of soft modeling clay over 15 feet when properly tuned. The mighty trebuchet is 9”H x 18”W x 26”L and is capable of hurling a ball of clay over 20 feet. Modeling clay is included in the kits so builders will have ammo readily available. Constructing the machines takes an hour or two and safety instructions are included. The durable machines are made from light-colored wood that could be painted or left plain. These working models are tons of fun to build and use. Rachel