Earthquake

Essential Question
How do earthquakes affect man-made environments like cities and towns? How can we prevent catastrophes from earthquakes?

Objectives

 * Earthquake 2.png construction and geometry principles to create a sturdy model building
 * Predict the effect of earthquakes on built environments, cities, and buildings.

Introduction & Student Background
What is an earthquake? Where does it come from and how does it sta

rt? Earthquakes are more dangerous in cities and urban areas than in rural & natural areas, because of a greater number of buildings that could fall over. Skyscrapers are particularly dangerous because a greater number of stories/levels are more unsteady in earthquakes.

In this activity, students will build a ‘house’ made out of toothpicks and silly putty or clay and use an earthquake simulator machine to see which structure is the sturdiest.

Vocabulary
Richter scale: a scale that is used to rate the amount of energy an earthquake emits.

plate tectonics: a theory that builds off continental drift by stating that the Earth's crust consists of plates that shift. Plate tectonics is responsible for earthquakes.

epicenter: the point on the Earth's surface above the focus, where the earthquake originates.

aftershock: a smaller earthquake that occurs after the main, larger earthquake

Materials

 * Jello and/or seismic shaker
 * Food Tray/Large tupperware
 * Toothpicks
 * Marshmallows OR clay
 * Bowls
 * Paper Plates
 * Map

PREP
meters for the building
 * 1) Set up seismic shaker
 * 2) OPTION ONE: Make multiple trays of jello (approximately 3-6) the night before
 * 3) OPTION TWO: Use a seismic shaker from a local junior high or high school.
 * 4) Set up a model/example of the building
 * 5) Put toothpicks and clay in bowls on the table
 * 6) Set para
 * 1) Number of Stories/Levels (2-3)
 * 2) Number of Toothpicks (Total, per level/story)

ACTIVITY

 * 1) Have students identify earthquake prone areas on the map.
 * 2) Geology: How do tectonic plates cause earthquakes?
 * 3) Clarify the parameters/requirements of the building.
 * 4) Let students construct the building.
 * 5) Have one student at a time put their building on the seismic shaker/Jello. If on seismic shaker, make a loop of duct tape to stick the plate to the seismic shaker area. If on Jello, remove from the paper plate and place directly on Jell-O tray instead.

How it fits to Standard

 * Answer questions by explaining observations of the natural world.
 * Use simple tools and materials to solve problems in creative ways.
 * Develop a solution to a problem by using a simplified technological design process. Investigate the use of tools.

Follow-Up

 * What methods are most useful for preventing buildings from falling during an earthquake?
 * Which types of buildings lasted the longest?