Earthquake Proof Tower Challenge Activity

Why Teachers Love This Challenge:

✅ Hands-On & Interactive – Students apply engineering principles and critical thinking in a fun, real-world scenario.
✅ NGSS-Aligned – Perfect for middle and high school science classes, STEM clubs, or engineering units.
✅ Teamwork & Collaboration – Encourages students to work together to brainstorm, design, and improve their projects.
✅ Critical Thinking & Problem Solving – After each test, students analyze weaknesses and reinforce their designs for a better outcome.
✅ Competitive & Engaging – The challenge format adds excitement while developing important STEM skills!

How It Works:

1. Brainstorm & Design – Students sketch and plan their tower designs.
2. Build – Using materials like spaghetti noodles, marshmallows, and index cards, they construct their quake-resistant structures.
3. Simulate Earthquake – The towers are tested with hardcover books to simulate earthquake tremors.
4. Analyze & Improve – After the first test, students analyze the weak points of their design, reinforce them, and retest.
5. Final Report & Class Discussion – Students summarize their engineering process and connect their designs to real-world earthquake engineering principles.

What’s Included:

• Student Activity – A detailed guide to the challenge and step-by-step instructions.
• Teacher Guide – Helpful tips for facilitating the activity and connecting it to core concepts.

Required Materials:

• Dry spaghetti noodles (or plastic straws)
• Mini marshmallows (or small clay pieces)
• Index cards
• Rubber bands
• Cardstock paper
• Pennies (or other small objects for weight)
• Hardcover books (for simulating earthquake tremors)
• Rulers

Why Students Will Love It:

• Real-World Application – Students tackle a real-world problem and see how engineering design plays a crucial role in disaster preparedness.
• Fun & Competitive – A thrilling challenge that promotes teamwork, critical thinking, and hands-on learning.

This STEM challenge is the perfect way to get students thinking critically, collaborating, and designing solutions for real-world problems. Bring the Earthquake Proof Tower Challenge into your classroom today and watch your students develop engineering, physics, and problem-solving skills in an exciting, competitive format!