San Jose State University
San Jose State University: Buildings in Earthquakes [Ppt]
Explains the physics of building movement during an earthquake through a discussion of force, mass, acceleration, frequency, and period. Then looks at the factors that affect a building's resilience versus the damage it could sustain.
Museum of Science
Ei E: Shake Things Up: Engineering Journal [Pdf]
A 34-page student journal of worksheets to accompany a lesson unit on designing buildings that will withstand an earthquake. [SEE: http://eie.org/sites/default/files/es_educator_guide_2014_10_09.pdf] First, they work on simple...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Why Do Buildings Fall in Earthquakes?
Explains what happens during an earthquake to cause buildings to fall down, and what features give buildings a better chance of surviving one. Includes a video, background information and links, a multiple-choice quiz, and a discussion...
Other
Jacaranda: Atlas of Discovery: Design an Earthquake Proof House [Pdf]
A worksheet challenging students to build three models of houses using different materials, and test them to see if they can withstand the vibrations of a simulated earthquake.
Ruth Patrick Science Education Center
Ruth Patrick Science Education Center: Shaking It Up With Earthquake Engineering
Students will learn basic information about earthquakes and their impact. They then follow the engineering design process as they construct earthquake-resistant buildings using toothpicks and marshmallows. The buildings are tested using...
Other
Shake Proof Science: Engineering Earthquake Safe Structures [Pdf]
Lesson covering earthquake basics and designing structures that can withstand earthquakes. Young scholars are tasked with building earthquake-proof structures using marshmallows, spaghetti, and the option of bamboo skewers. These are...
Other
Inside Science: Building an Earthquake Resistant Home
Engineers at Stanford University have designed a building that sits on a seismic isolator and is earthquake-resistant. When an actual house was tested on a shake table with a powerful earthquake simulation, the structure itself was...