STEM Challenge - Project Seismic Catastrophe - Design an Earthquake Proof Home

Engage your students with this week-long STEM challenge.

The Challenge:

Have you ever thought about how buildings in California have to be designed and built differently than buildings in other parts of the country? To construct a building to withstand an earthquake requires more planning and engineering to ensure it doesn't come crashing down during this type of catastrophic event. Your challenge is to build an earthquake-proof building at least five stories tall. What are the current engineering trends and designs? What are you going to have to research to make your building withstand heavy vibrations? The BIG ONE is coming! Are you prepared?

What's Included

• The 21st-century problem includes a video challenge which outlines the activity in a fun and easy to understand way.

• The slideshow presentation (PPT) allows the teacher to facilitate the pacing throughout the project.

• The teacher lesson plans include TEKS and NGSS standards alignment, and step-by-step directions on what the teacher and students should be doing along the way.

• The student notebook will guide the student through the activity. The questions will challenge students to learn new information, reflect on learned information, and provide the students a framework for the entire project.

• Each lesson is written using the Launch process. Students are going to be brainstorming with their peers and reflecting on failures and opportunities. At the end of each project, we’ve asked the students to share their ideas with the world. This holds students accountable. They will put forth the best effort knowing other students could critique the project.

What Supplies Do I Need

Each product contains a list of suggested supplies for the project. We were very cautious about choosing inexpensive items. This project has a suggested supply list that includes:

· Cardboard

· Glue

· Toilet paper/paper towel tubes

· Pipe cleaners

· Scissors

· Paper

· Tape

· Paperclips

· Rubber bands

· Toothpicks

· Modeling clay or Play-Doh

· Small boxes

· Craft sticks

· Foam board pieces

· Bubble wrap

· Styrofoam packing pieces

The supply list is dynamic and can be adjusted to your situation.

NGSS and TEKS Standards

Supports these Next Generation Science Standards:

MS-ESS3-2

Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.

MS-ETS1-1

Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.

MS-ETS1-2

Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

MS-ETS1-3

Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.

MS-ETS1-4

Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.

Supports this Texas TEKS:

8.9B

Relate plate tectonics to the formation of crustal features. (This lesson could be an extension to earthquakes.)

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STEM Challenge Bundle 20% off

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