Having learned that we live in an earthquake zone, we set to work designing an earthquake proof building. Working in groups of two to three, we came up with ideas and designs, made plans with a limited $30 budget, went shopping, constructed our buildings, tested, made modifications, and retested. We then had an expert in the field come visit our classroom!
ENGINEERING:
The design stage: the Navigators get their whole bodies into their discussions of how to engineer a building that is earthquake proof.
This home had a flag pole. When tested, it withstood the shaking except for the pole.
MATH:
The planning stage: What do we need to buy, how much does it cost, and do we have enough?
$8 Cardboard $3 Tape $3 Paper Plate $5 Index Cards $4 Aluminum foil $2 Construction paper $2 Pipe cleaner $4 Water Bottle $2 Paper Clips $3 Toilet paper tube $6 Paper towel tube $6 Craft sticks $3 Straws $3 Paper Cup $2 Glue $5 Cotton Balls $1 Pencil $3 Yarn $3 Toothpicks
DOING MORE MATH AND SCIENCE:
Learning about powers of ten and the Richter Scale
SELF EVALUATING:
LEARNING FROM AN EXPERT:
One of the Navigators' moms is a structural engineer and does this for a living! She came in and showed us the science of making a building earthquake resistant. A perfect way to end our STEM project.
We learned many things about making an earthquake proof building:
- A broad foundation is helpful.
- Others have good ideas.
- You can spend $30 really fast.
- If you buy something and it doesn't work, sometimes you can't return it.
- Don't spend all your money right way.
- The half-off sale was a great surprise!
- Pencil erasers work well for support and for cushioning.
- The $8 cardboard was worth the investment.
- Tape is our friend.
- Not much can withstand "the big one" (We can make very "big ones," ones that are off the Richter Scale!)
And in the process we also learned
- Engineering
- Collaboration
- Planning
- Budgeting
- Good business practices
- Counting money
- Receiving change
- Division (half-off sale)
- The powers of 10
- Determination
- Problem solving
- Learning from mistakes
- The science of seismology
- And more!
STEM checklist:
- SCIENCE: geology, seismology
- TECHNOLOGY: We discovered the technology of earthquake proofing at this website: http://imaginationstationtoledo.org/educator/activities/can-you-build-an-earthquake-proof-building
- ENGINEERING: the planning and construction of the building, testing
- MATH: staying within the $30 budget, counting money, making change, adding, multiplying, division, powers of ten
STEM MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!
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