Quake Proof Worksheet
4th Grade Science Fair Earthquake Engineering
Quake-Proof Tower Challenge
Investigate: Which tower design stays standing the longest on the shake table?
Engineer Name
Date
Team Name
Tower Nickname
1
Earthquake Detective: Background Research
Learn Before You Build
Before designing our tower, let's explore how real engineers protect buildings from earthquakes!
1. What happens to the ground and tall buildings during an earthquake?
2. Why do engineers add diagonal braces (triangles) to building frames?
3. How does an earthquake simulator (shake table) help scientists test scale models?
2
The 8 Building Materials Menu
Each team tests a different material combo!
Check with your teacher to see which material your group will build with:
1 Light & Sticky
Toothpicks & Mini Marshmallows
Flexible joints; lightweight struts
2 Brittle Rods
Dry Spaghetti & Playdough
Rigid pieces; heavy clay joints
3 Sturdy & Elastic
Craft Sticks & Rubber Bands
Springy connections; strong wood
4 Bendable
Plastic Straws & Pipe Cleaners
Hollow tubes; wired twist joints
5 Folded Sheet
Index Cards & Paper Clips
Folded columns; friction clamps
6 Thin Timber
Coffee Stirrers & Modeling Clay
Slim wooden beams; weighted bases
7 Interlocking
Plastic Bricks (LEGO)
Solid snap studs; heavy rigidity
8 Pivoting Joint
Cardboard & Brass Fasteners
Heavy cardboard strips; metal pins
Other Variables Groups Can Test
Tower Heights: 15 cm, 25 cm, 35 cm, or 45 cm tall
Base Shapes: Square base, Triangle base, or Wide Pyramid
Simulator Settings: Settings 1 to 5 (Gentle to Severe Quake)
Turn to Page 2 to set up your team's testable question and test all 5 settings! Page 1 of 2
3
Lock In Your Team's Variables
Fair Test Challenge
Our Material (1-8)
Target Height
Bracing Style
Simulator Range
Settings 1 – 5
4
Our Testable Science Fair Question
A 4th-grade testable question clearly states what you change and what you measure with a stopwatch!
"How will building a ______ cm tower made of [our material] affect how many seconds it stays standing as the simulator increases from Setting 1 to Setting 5?"
Write your official team research question below:
5
Our Team's Hypothesis (Prediction)
We predict our tower will survive up to Setting:
and stay standing the longest because:
6
Shake Table Testing & Stopwatch Log (Settings 1 – 5)
Test each setting: Start timer on shake, stop when tower tilts past 45°!
| Trial / Setting | Simulator Intensity | Time Lasted (Seconds) | Observations (Swayed, Bent, Snapped, Collapsed) |
|---|
| Trial 1: Setting 1 | Gentle Vibration (Low) | | |
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| Trial 2: Setting 2 | Light Tremor |
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| Trial 3: Setting 3 | Moderate Sway |
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| Trial 4: Setting 4 | Heavy Quake |
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| Trial 5: Setting 5 | Severe Mega-Quake (Max) |
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Fair Test Check: Same shake table Same base tape Settings 1 to 5 tested
Max Setting Reached:
Total Time:
sec
Team Leader Signature
Teacher Inspector Approval
Settings 1–5 Complete!
Page 2 of 2
