Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
Earthquake Tower Investigation: An Engineering Lesson
Kari Hudson and Cindy Villalpando
7/18/14
INFORMATION ABOUT THE LESSON
Grade Level and Subject Area
8th Grade Earth Science
Time Frame
Five days of 78 minutes to build a tower and one more additional days to test towers with a simulated earthquake experience and
weight test.
Objectives: Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
To create a tower made out of the materials provided. The tower must withstand a 30 second "earthquake" as well as a load test of
up to 150 lbs. All towers will be built on a Styrofoam base, be 45 cm tall, and have a base measurement of 22.5 cm x 22.5 cm. In
completing the activity, each team will be evaluated based upon the building requirements and which team constructed the "best"
earthquake-proof structure by withstanding the simulated earthquake and the maximum weight load amount.
Next Generation Science Standards
MS-ETS1 Engineering Design
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 the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an
optimal design can be achieved.
HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that
can be solved through engineering.
MS-ESS3 Earth and Human Activity
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.
4-ESS3-2. Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans.
Standards for Technological Literacy
4C1: Students will think and work creatively to develop innovative solutions to problems and opportunities.
4C1.a.2.e: Explain how human needs and desires drive innovation.
4C1.a.8.h: Design a product or service that could fulfill a human need or desire.
4C1.b.5.m: Explain how multiple people and perspectives can develop better ideas than an individual.
4C1.b.8.h: Work as part of a team to design a product or service that could fulfill a human need or desire.
4C2.a: Develop effective resolutions for a given problem, decision or opportunity using available information.
4C2.a.7.m: Identify problems that became worse due to poorly thought out or poorly informed solutions.
4C2.b: Develop and implement a resolution for a new situation using personal knowledge and experience.
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
Partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stout
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Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
4C2.b.4.m: Analyze a problem to determine how it relates to existing knowledge.
4C2.b.6.h: Use existing knowledge to develop a resolution for a new situation, problem or opportunity.
4C3: Students will communicate and collaborate with others to accomplish tasks and develop solutions to problems and opportunities.
4C3.a.5.m: Conduct a shared dialogue with others on a common problem or task.
Common Core State Standards in Mathematics
MP.4 Model with mathematics. (4-ESS1-1),(4-ESS2-1)(4-ESS3-2)
Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec. Within a
single system of measurement, express measurements in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit. (4-ESS1-1),(4-ESS2-1)
Common Core State Standards in English and Language Arts
ENG1.a.3.e: Discuss the design process is a purposeful method of planning practical solutions to problems.
ENG1.a.4.e: Requirements for a design include such factors as the desired elements and features of a product or system or the limits
that are placed on the design.
ENG1.a.9.h: Examine how the design needs to continually be evaluated and the ideas of the design must be redefined and
improved.
ENG2.a.5.m: Discuss the engineering design process involves defining a problem, generating ideas, selecting a solution, testing the
solution(s), making the item, evaluating it and presenting the results.
ENG2.b.1.e: Expressing ideas to others, verbally and through sketches and models, is an important part of the design process.
ENG4.b.2.e: Build or construct an object using the design process.
ENG4.c: Evaluate completed solutions and provide feedback.
ENG4.c.1.e: Discuss the process of designing involves presenting some possible solutions in visual form and then selecting the best
solution(s) from many.
ENG4.c.7.h: Evaluate the design solution using conceptual, physical and mathematical models at various intervals of the design
process in order to check for proper design and to note areas where improvements are needed.
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; (4-ESS1-1),(4-ESS2-1)
Prior Learning
This engineering activity takes place at the end of the earthquake unit. Prior to this lesson, students have: developed an
understanding to the various layers that make up the Earth, identified the P, S, and L seismic waves and their characteristics,
discovered why edges of plates are more vulnerable to earthquakes, identified where in the world devastating earthquakes are
more likely to happen, interpreted both the Mercalli and Richter scales, explored earthquake data on the USGS.gov website,
analyzed seismic risk maps, interpreted data from travel-time graphs, calculated the arrival times of P and S waves, interpreted
seismograph data, explored ways in which to stay safe during an earthquake and located epicenters along with understanding
earthquake-related vocabulary.
Materials
•
Up to 200 craft sticks
•
Up to 200 toothpicks
•
Titebond glue (2 oz)
•
Material for the base (Styrofoam)
•
Side cutter pliers (for cutting craft sticks)
•
Clothespins for holding structure while gluing
•
Newspaper to cover work area
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
Partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stout
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Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
•
Q-tips to apply glue to wood
LESSON IMPLEMENTATION
Objective: Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
Experiment with, design, and test structures that can withstand earthquakes. It will be determined which team can
construct the "best" earthquake-proof structure.
Pre-Assessment
Ask students the following questions regarding engineering:
1.
2.
3.
What do you think engineers and architects build into their structures to minimize the damage caused by
earthquakes? - What factors do they consider? (List at least two)
If an earthquake was to occur, what type of Earth material would you not want to be standing on or have
your home built on? Why?
If you could chose 2 types of material to use in the building of your tower, what two materials would you
select and why? Durability? Cost Effective? etc.
Procedures
Time
5 days of
78 minute
class
periods
Instructional Strategies/Learning Tasks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Introduction to the lesson: show a video on the construction of towers
along with a brief discussion on triangles and why their shape is so
important in the building of towers.
This is a great time to bring in the engineering design process. The
one that we are implementing is very similar to the Middle School
Boston Model. This design process is clearly observed on the
classroom wall and the instructor explains the importance of this
model with this engineering activity (if the instructor has not
previously used this model with any other investigations).
Students will begin to ask or identify at this point (steps 4 and 5 are
covered).
Assign seven working groups (3-4 students) that will take on the role
of architects that will design a structure to withstand an earthquake.
After handing out the investigation, the instructor and students will
read through all directions carefully making note of the measurement
restrictions such as: buildings must be 45 cm tall, buildings must have
3 stories and each story must be 15 cm high.
Even though students are working in groups, the students are given
20 minutes to write down any ideas or sketches that they each have
and then they are brought back to their group to each share their
ideas while everyone in the group listens to their ideas so that each
student has the opportunity to be heard and is involved in the
imagine/plan process.
As groups’ share their plans, the instructor will walk around the room
taking note of the collaboration process –is everyone listening, is
everyone being respectful? One person in the group is adding each
person’s ideas to a separate chart where everyone’s ideas will be
incorporated.
Time is allowed for every group to compile their ideas and come up
Purpose
Design an
“earthquakeproof” structure to
withstand a 30
second
earthquake
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
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Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
with a design for their tower.
After the design is created, the students must draw a diagram of the
building on graph paper (this is their blueprint). All diagrams must
be drawn to scale. All designs must be approved by the instructor.
10. Now it is time to actually start constructing the building. Students
need to constantly revisit the hints presented to them along with
analyzing the various support structures: sample trusses, horizontal
and vertical supports, wall supports, corner bracing and cross beams.
11. After the students have completed the building portion of this
investigation, they will use a specially designed “Shake, Rattle and
Roll Board” to test whether the structure they have designed might
actually withstand an “earthquake.”
12. The tower must withstand a 30 second "earthquake" as well as a
load test (refer to the grading rubric which is explained in the
summative assessment).
9.
*** Besides the anticipation and excitement of actually testing these
towers in the classroom, students are also given classroom awards for: the
most respectful group, the group that started out the roughest but turned
it around and came in strong, the most appealing tower, and of course
the tower that received the highest score.
Formative Assessment
The instructor will continually walk around the classroom observing collaborative work on the designing of the towers
while asking students if they have made any modifications to their project and if so, why they made those changes.
Are they working well as a group? Are all ideas being heard and respected?
Closure
After the students have had an opportunity to individually answer the reflection questions (located at the end of this
lesson), the instructor will ask the following questions to the entire class:
•
•
•
•
Why did group B’s structure withstand the quake the best?
Did communication play a role in the development of the tower?
Did anything happen that you did not think would happen (what shocked you)?
If you could redesign your tower what would you do different and which part of the Boston Engineering
Design Model does that fall under?
Summative Assessment
Students will be provided with a description of the grading rubric for the completed tower. Students will be graded
on the following criteria based on the rubric: (100 points total)
•
Blue print- Completed and approved by an instructor (9 total points)
•
Base Measurements- Meets requirements of 22.5 x 22.5 cm (deduction of 3 points for every +/- .5 cm)
(21 total points)
•
Wall heights with 3 stories and a floor for each story- Meets requirements of 15 cm high per level with
a floor (deduction of 3 points for every +/- .5 cm and/or no floors) (21 total points)
•
Overall Height- Meets requirements of 45 cm tall (deduction of 3 points for every +/- .5 cm) (21 points
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
Partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stout
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Science Learning Community: Science and Engineering Lesson Plans
•
total)
Materials- Does not exceed specified amount of materials (deduction of 3 points for +/- materials) (21
total points)
•
Weight Ranking- 7 points (1st place); 6 points (2nd place); 5 points (3rd place); 4 points (4th place); 3
points (5th place); 2 points (6th place); 1 point (7th place)
Reflection:
After the shaking has been completed, students will answer the following questions:
a. Which structure withstood the quake better? Why?
b. What part of the structures sustained the most damage?
c. Where were the breaks (if any) in the structures?
d. Explain how you might consider the "four factors" when building a structure in an earthquake zone. How heavy or
tall should a structure be? What shape and what kind of materials?
e. What kind of building would you not want to build in an earthquake zone?
f. How would you improve your structure if you were to build it again?
Sources Sited:
http://files.asme.org/asmeorg/Events/Contests/1157.pdf
http://public.sd38.bc.ca/sdweb/lis/856/FOV4-0002C419/ToweringToothpickDisaster
http://www.hatborohorsham.org/cms/lib2/PA01000027/Centricity/Domain/409/Towering%20toothpick%20disast
er%20student.pdf
http://www.adamsfhs.com/uploads/2/7/6/3/27634393/_towering_toothpick_disaster_lab_act
ivity_scoring_rubric.pdf
http://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1056&context=jiae
“Integrating Engineering and Science in your Classroom.” Edited by Eric Brunsell 2012
Funded by an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title IIb Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality Grant in
Partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stout
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