Seismic Sensations! Structures Standing Tall!

Students will work together to create a skyscraper using different types of materials. This activity aims to see how the shaking movements of the ground, called seismic waves, affect the skyscraper. To do this, the students will place their skyscraper on a table that can shake like an earthquake. By observing what happens to their building during the shaking, the students will learn how seismic waves can affect structures on Earth, such as skyscrapers. After completing the first activity, students can improve and modify their skyscrapers based on their collected data. They will analyze the results from the shake table experiment and think about how their skyscrapers responded to the seismic waves. Using this information, students brainstorm ideas to strengthen and stabilize their buildings. They might consider using different materials or changing the design to withstand better shaking. Once they have come up with their ideas, they will redesign their skyscrapers and build them again. Through this process, the students will learn the importance of how engineers continuously improve their designs to create safer and more resilient structures.