Liberty Science Center 8^th Grade:

Design an earthquake-proof city

Site: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ

Grade Level(s): 8th grade earth science

Learning Standards: Physical science S1b, Earth and Space Science Concepts S3a, S3b, Scientific Connections and applications S4d.

Time Requirements:

Approximately 1 hour Preparation time and 4-5 hours Class time.

Approximately 2 hours at the site

Topics covered by this lesson:

Pre-Visit:

Read news stories of all these quakes

Plate tectonics basics: layers of the earth, convection, density, movement of plates

Discuss quake discussion/seismography

S & P waves

Materials Required: news clippings, maps, glove, fault models, maps of tectonic plates, slinkies (1 per pair of students), milk crates and playing cards (cards to build card houses on top of upside down milk crates)

Visit:

Use LSC Discovery Challenge “Design a structure to withstand an earthquake” self-contained exploration (see attached)

Post Visit:

Assessment: Design and build a 50 cm (18 in.) tall structure that can withstand a “quake.”1 Draw and write how the structure deals with the force of the quake and the structure’s own inertia.

Extensions and Suggested Homework Assignments: Take the role of city planners in one of the earthquake cities above (or another that you researched) and write suggestions for the mayor of the city. Must use time period appropriate technology. You must address minimizing human injury and property damage.

Possible questions that may be brought up:

Teacher reflections:

What constitutes an quake for the purposes of testing the structures?

How should the lessons be scaffolded?

What should the guidelines be for the buildings?

Would it be appropriate to use SimCity or some other software to model city planning?

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