Design Challenge: Can your building survive the earthquake Shake Table?
The Great Shake Table Challenge:
Students in Mrs. Hobb’s seventh grade science class spent the past week working on an engaging Design Challenge. Working in small teams, students were tasked with building a structure that could survive the movement of a shake table simulation.
But there was a twist…
Every team had a budget of just 200 points to spend on materials. Straws, cardboard, connectors, and supports all came at a cost, forcing students to think strategically about every design decision.
Before building, teams sketched detailed plans and calculated how they would use their materials. Their structures had to meet strict requirements: stand between 30 and 40 centimeters tall, support weighted sandbags or metal fillers on each level, remain secured to the shake table, and stay intact for the duration.
As students created their designs, real engineering concepts quickly came into play. Some teams focused on flexibility and balance, while others experimented with reinforced bases and weight distribution. A few groups incorporated a tune mass dampener, a real system used in skyscrapers, to reduce movement during earthquakes.
Students then presented their structures and explained the science behind their engineering choices to their classmates.
“While the engineering and design aspects of the earthquake Shake Table Challenge were exciting, the true success of the project was found in the students’ communication skills,” shared Mrs. Hobbs. “Students had to listen carefully to one another, defend their ideas with evidence, and work together to solve problems in real time as they designed their structures. Equally important was their ability to confidently explain their thinking to the class before testing, demonstrating that effective communication is just as critical as technical skill in any engineering challenge.”
This hands-on challenge combined science, creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication – giving students a real-world look at engineering in action.
