SEISMIC
SHAKE-UP!
CHALLENGE SHEET
For more great activities:
pbskids.org/designsquad
YOUR CHALLENGE
Design a structure that can survive an
earthquake—then put it to the test!
MATERIALS
Structure (per person)
•20–30 wooden or plastic coffee stirrers
(5–6 in long, or about 14 cm)
DEFINE THE NEED
FI
E
RI
N
O F
G
R
Hundreds of millions of people live
in places around the world where
earthquakes are common. Most of
the destruction earthquakes cause
is the result of collapsing structures,
like skyscrapers, hospitals, and
bridges. That’s why earthquake
engineering is so important. By
designing buildings and other
structures that can withstand the
violent shaking of an earthquake,
engineers save lives.
•¼ lb (100+ grams) modeling clay
(about half the size of a fist); non-hardening Plasticine® preferred
Pac i f i c O c ea n
•manila file folder or thin piece of
cardboard (8½ x 11 in or A4), as the
base of your structure
•ruler
Shake Table
•2 pieces sturdy cardboard (about 8½ x 11 in or A4)
About 90% of all earthquakes take place along
the Ring of Fire—a zone stretching around the
rim of the Pacific Ocean.
BRAINSTORM & DESIGN
Using coffee stirrers and clay, can you design a
structure that’s stable and sturdy enough to survive an
earthquake’s vibrations? It must be at least 8 inches
tall. Sketch your ideas on a piece of paper.
BUILD
Build your structure directly on top of the file folder, fixing the base of it to the surface of the folder. Use the ruler to make sure it’s the minimum height.
Build a shake table, which is a device engineers use to
simulate the back-and-forth shaking of an earthquake.
1.Wrap the rubber bands around the width of both pieces of cardboard. Space them about 4 inches apart.
•2 thick rubber bands
•2 tennis balls
•2 large binder clips
•ruler or paint stirrer to make a handle
•masking tape
SEISMIC
SHAKE-UP!
CONTINUED
2.Slide the two tennis balls in between the pieces of cardboard, and position them underneath each rubber band. 3.Tape the ruler (or paint stirrer) under the top piece of cardboard to make a handle. TEST, EVALUATE, & REDESIGN
•Test your structure using the shake table. Attach the file folder with your
structure on top of it to the table with the binder clips.
•Use one hand to hold the bottom of the shake table against a surface, pull
the handle with the other, and let go! Earthquake!
•How did your structure hold up during the seismic shake-up? If it wobbled,
swayed, tipped over, or collapsed, it’s time to redesign. You want your
structure to be as strong and stable as possible.
•Success? Take it to the next level and build an even taller structure!
Problem-Solving Tips
What if your structure . . .
•tips over? Maybe your base is too small. Make it wider and sturdier.
•collapses? Add triangular shapes. Triangles are stronger than
squares or rectangles because all three sides of a triangle carry
some of the load (weight).
•wobbles? Try cross-braces. Turn squares into triangles by adding diagonal supports that go from one corner of the square
to the other.
ENGINEERING AND INVENTION IN ACTION
Tokyo Sky Tree is the tallest tower in the world (634 m; 2,080 ft). It’s also located
right in the heart of an earthquake zone. So its engineers and architects needed to
build a tower with the latest anti-earthquake technology. One way they did this was by
standing the tower on a triangular, pyramid-shaped base. Another was by including
massive dampers—shock absorbers that cushion the building during an earthquake.
In March 2011, while still under construction, the tower was put to the test when
a tremendous 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck Tokyo. Sky Tree’s earthquakeresistant features worked beautifully—there was no structural damage and none of
the construction workers caught in the building during the quake were injured.
Tokyo Sky Tree
STUDENT HANDOUT FUNDERBLOCK
DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL is produced
by WGBH Boston
MAJOR FUNDING
PROJECT FUNDING
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
TM/© 2015 WGBH Educational Foundation
SEISMIC
SHAKE-UP!
LEADER NOTES
YOUR CHALLENGE
Design a structure that can survive an
earthquake—then put it to the test!
In this activity, kids (1) think about the need for earthquake-resistant
structures around the world, (2) determine what it takes to make a
structure that’s strong and sturdy enough to withstand an earthquake,
and (3) test the structure they’ve built on a shake table, a device
engineers use to simulate the shaking of an earthquake. 1. PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME
•Read these leader notes and the challenge sheet.
•Try the activity yourself so you’ll know what
to expect and where kids may need help.
•Build the shake table. See assembly
instructions on the challenge sheet. When
finished, tape the Seismic Shake-Up sign
to the top of it.
Set up two separate areas where the activity will take place:
For more great activities:
pbskids.org/designsquad
FOR SMALL GROUPS
OR A LARGE EVENT
This activity works with small and large
groups. It can be done in as little as
15 minutes, uses low-cost materials,
and appeals to younger and older kids.
MATERIALS
(50 participants)
•1 box of 1,000 wooden or plastic
5- or 6-in (about 14-cm) coffee stirrers
•10 lbs (5 kg) modeling clay (enough
so that each participant has half
a handful of clay); non-hardening
Plasticine® preferred
•50 thin (8½ x 11 in or A4) pieces of
cardboard (or 25 manila folders
cut in half)
•4 or 5 rulers
•5 shake tables (see activity sheet
for assembly instructions)
•5 Seismic Shake-Up signs
•5 Testing Zone signs
•A construction area where kids will build their structures. •A testing area for using the shake table. Display the Testing Zone sign here.
2. INTRODUCE THE CHALLENGE
Pass out the challenge sheets and ask kids what they know about earthquakes
and the damage they cause.
FI
RI
E
•Explain that the two major causes of earthquake damage are (1) the intensity
of the shaking ground and (2) the quality of the buildings and structures.
O F
R
•Tell them that hundreds of millions of people live in places around the world
where earthquakes are common. Point to the map of the Ring of Fire on their
challenge sheets and explain that 90% of all earthquakes take place on land
around the rim of the Pacific Ocean.
N
G
Pac ifi c O c ea n
Sometimes moderate earthquakes cause lots of destruction; other times a
massive earthquake causes only minor damage—it depends on whether the
buildings in the earthquake zone are well designed. That’s why earthquake
engineering is so important. While we can’t control earthquakes, we
can build better structures that can survive the violent seismic shaking.
Engineers all over the world are inventing new ways to design skyscrapers,
hospitals, schools, and bridges that can withstand earthquakes—saving lives
and preventing billions of dollars in damage. But earthquake-safe buildings
are expensive—many poorer countries don’t have the financial resources to
build them.
SEISMIC LEADER NOTES
SHAKE-UP!
CONTINUED
•Tell kids: You’re going to build structures that can survive an earthquake.
How will you know if your building is sturdy and safe? You’ll test it, the
same way engineers do, using a shake table. Demonstrate how the shake
table works. Tell them: It makes the same back-and-forth motion as an
earthquake. Engineers use large shake tables to test out models of the
structures they want to build.
3. BRAINSTORM & DESIGN
Show kids the coffee stirrers and clay and ask them to think about how they
could use these materials to build a structure. Tell them it has to be at least 8
inches tall. Ask: How will you make a sturdy frame that won’t collapse when
you shake it? Sketch your ideas on a piece of paper.
4. BUILD
Pass out the materials and have kids build their structures directly on top of a
file folder. (When they test, they’ll attach the file folder to the shake table with
binder clips.)
If kids run into problems, rather than offering them solutions right away,
encourage them to think about why their structures are unstable, and ways
they can add more support.
What if KIDS’ structureS . . .
•tip over? Have them focus on building a sturdy base before
adding height to their structure. A wide, firmly anchored
base works best. Make sure each part of the base is
connected to one or more other parts.
•collapse? In general, the more triangles kids use to build,
the stronger their structures will be. Triangles are stronger
than rectangles and squares because all three sides of the
triangle carry some of the load (weight).
•wobble? The taller the structure, the more likely it is
to wobble. Have kids check that all parts are securely
fastened together or suggest they add cross-braces for even
more stability. Adding diagonal supports that reach from
one corner of a square to the other turns the square into
triangles, making it a stronger shape.
SEISMIC LEADER NOTES
SHAKE-UP!
CONTINUED
5. TEST
Have kids test their structures using the shake table.
•Attach the file folder with the structure on top to the shake
table with binder clips.
•Hold the bottom of the shake table against a surface. Have
kids pull the handle and then let it go. What happens?
•As they test, ask:
♦What did testing help you understand about your
structure?
♦What are the strengths of your design?
What are the weaknesses?
♦How safe would you feel if you were inside your
structure during an earthquake?
♦What could you do to make your structure even
better at withstanding an earthquake?
Explain that testing is one of the most important parts of
engineering—it’s the way to find out what parts of a design
need improvement.
Ready for Testing!
Many kids will not want to test until they feel they have built a perfect structure.
Encourage them to test throughout the building process—the more they test, the
more they’ll learn about their structure and how to make it safer.
6. EVALUATE & REDESIGN
If kids’ structures wobbled, swayed, tipped over, or collapsed, it’s time to
redesign. If their structures held up well on the shake table, challenge
them to build an even taller structure!
7. DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENED
Have kids talk about their designs and how they solved any problems
that came up.
STUDENT
HANDOUT
FUNDERBLOCK
•What do
you think
is the best feature
of your design? Why?
•What were some of the ways you made your structure strong and stable?
•Why was testing your structure
important?
DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL is produced
by WGBH Boston
MAJOR FUNDING
PROJECT FUNDING
•If you had more time, what design changes would you add to make your
structure even more stable?
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
TM/© 2015 WGBH Educational Foundation
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
LEADER NOTES HANDOUT FUNDERBLOCK
CONNECT WITH US
DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL is produced
by WGBH Boston
MAJOR FUNDING
PROJECT FUNDING
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
TM/© 2015 WGBH Educational Foundation
MAJOR FUNDING
PROJECT FUNDING
DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL is produced
by WGBH Boston
MAJOR FUNDING
TM/© 2015 WGBH Educational Foundation
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
TM/© 2015 WGBH Educational Foundation
PROJECT FUNDING
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
CONNECT WITH US
LEADER NOTES HANDOUT FUNDERBLOCK
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL is produced
by WGBH Boston
STUDENT HANDOUT FUNDERBLOCK
I
E
S ISM C
SHA KE -U P!
MAJOR FUNDING
PROJECT FUNDING
DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL is produced
by WGBH Boston
MAJOR FUNDING
TM/© 2015 WGBH Educational Foundation
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
TM/© 2015 WGBH Educational Foundation
PROJECT FUNDING
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
CONNECT WITH US
LEADER NOTES HANDOUT FUNDERBLOCK
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
The DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL: 1422236. Any opinions, findings, and
Major Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Project funding is provided by The Lemelson Foundation.
DESIGN SQUAD GLOBAL is produced
by WGBH Boston
STUDENT HANDOUT FUNDERBLOCK
TESTING
ZONE