Activity (Hands-On)Grades 6 - 8
Build an Earthquake City
The damage left behind on a building after an earthquakeCopyright Claudio Núñez. Wikimedia Commons. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2010_Chile_earthquake_-_Building_destroyed_in_Concepci%C3%B3n.jpg
Students build miniature model cities using sugar, bouillon and gelatin cubes. The cities are put through simulated earthquakes to see which cube structures withstand the shaking movements the best.
In many areas of the world, earthquakes cause buildings to fall and many lives to be lost. Civil engineers design structures to be able to withstand the force of earthquakes. To do this, they must understand how the movement of the Earth affects structures, and what types of materials are best to use in earthquake zone construction.
- The effect of earthquakes on structures.
- The importance of strong buildings to prevent destruction by earthquakes.
- How the epicenter of an earthquake affects buildings.
- Different materials used in the construction of buildings.