PBS
Nova Teachers: The Day the Earth Shook: Classroom Activity
Challenge your students to design a building that will withstand an earthquake. Using materials like 3x5 cards and paperclips, students design three different buildings and test their effectiveness.
Scientific American
Scientific American: Earthquake Proof Engineering for Skyscrapers
Learners construct a shake table, then build towers of different heights using Lego blocks, and test their stability on this platform. Next, they test towers with different sized bases, and towers made using different materials.
University of Wisconsin
Scien Count Ers: Earthquake Proof Buildings
This instructional activity looks at how the forces of an earthquake impact on buildings, and different ways to make buildings earthquake-proof. Includes student worksheet and tectonic plates map.