Designing an earthquake-resistant building

Contributors to the iSTEM (Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) department share ideas and activities that stimulate student interest in the integrated fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in K–grade 6 classrooms. This article is a comprehensive Earthquake Engineering activity that includes the Designing an earthquake-resistant building problem. The task was implemented in sixth-grade classes (10–11-year-olds). Students applied engineering design processes and their understanding of cross-bracing, tapered geometry, and base isolation to create numerous structures, which they tested on a “shaker table.