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Earthquake Recovery Architects

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Grades 6-875-90 minSource: Creative Dad Company

Teams test model buildings on a simple shake table, then plan which damaged community services — hospital, water, power — get rebuilt first with limited funds.

Budget levels

Amazon prices checked Oct 9-10, 2026 and may change

Materials links go to Amazon. Prices are estimates and may change. As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases.

Quick Start

Digital downloads only.

$0 to buy. Printing noted separately.

Student time: one class period, one day.

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one class period on a single day.

Scale back: Fit it into a shorter period, use fewer effects, or run a demo instead of a build.

Scale up: Add one extra effect, or spread the share-out across another day.

Ambiance video

Ambiance video coming soon from Creative Dad Studio

  • Earthquake data table and map handoutPrintinguse what you have
  • index cardsBorrow or school hasuse what you have
  • tapeBorrow or school hasuse what you have
  • decision matrix worksheetPrintinguse what you have

Full Experience

Required materials for the class.

$12.82 per class (class of about 30, 6 groups).

Student time: one day.

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one school day.

Scale back: Fit the build into one period with fewer effects.

Scale up: Spread the work across days, or add more effects.

  • box lid with marbles or rubber bands for shake tableRequired1 x 90 marbles90 marbles$5.99Amazon
  • straws or spaghettiRequired1 x 100 straws100 straws$1.84Amazon
  • craft sticksRequired1 x 100 sticks100 sticks$4.99Amazon

Total Transformation

The bigger kit, with every optional item included.

$12.82 per class (class of about 30, 6 groups).

Student time: one day (one session, one-day event).

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one session, a one-day event.

Scale back: Shorten the event, or run a demo for a smaller audience.

Scale up: Spread the build and the event across days, or invite a bigger audience.

Choose your version

Every level teaches the same core idea — pick the one that fits your time, budget, and energy today.

Student time: 45 min, one class periodTeacher prep / build-ahead: 15 min$0 to buy. Printing noted separately.One table or a clear section of floorBeginner-friendly

Setup

Print or hand-copy the essential prompt for Earthquake Recovery Architects, then set out only paper, pencils, and the common or recycled items needed for one test. Use a tabletop representation whenever the original version mentions a room, specialized device, or digital tool; the learning comes from the decisions and evidence, not elaborate scenery.

Activity

  1. Study real earthquake damage photos and predict which building shapes will hold up best on a shake test.
  2. Build a small model structure and a simple hand-shaken shake-table test rig.
  3. Shake-test the structure, find it collapses or leans at a weaker-than-expected point, and reinforce that section in a redesign.
  4. Present a recovery plan ranking which community services get rebuilt first and why, given a limited budget.

Ambiance video

Ambiance video coming soon from Creative Dad Studio

Done when: The group has completed Earthquake Recovery Architects when it can present a recovery plan ranking which community services get rebuilt first and why, given a limited budget and point to the observation, measurement, comparison, or trial that supports its conclusion.

Materials

shoebox or tray, rubber bands, marshmallows or clay, wooden craft sticks, weights; Earthquake data table and map handout; box lid with marbles or rubber bands for shake table; straws or spaghetti; index cards; tape; decision matrix worksheet

Shown for the Quick Start version — switch tabs above to see what changes.

Materials links go to Amazon. Prices are estimates and may change.

As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases.

Steps

  1. Analyze a table and map of past earthquakes in a region (location, magnitude, year). Tally quakes by zone and magnitude and make a graph.
  2. Write a forecast: which zone is most likely to have a damaging quake and about how strong, citing the data.
  3. Study real earthquake damage photos and predict which building features will hold up best.
  4. Write criteria and constraints before building: survives shake level 6 with no collapse, material cost under 10 craft sticks plus 1 index card, built in under 15 minutes, base no wider than 15 cm.
  5. Build two structures with different mitigation features (for example cross-bracing versus a wide base on a rubber-band isolator) plus a plain control.
  6. Shake-test each on a hand-shaken table at increasing levels (number of shakes in 10 seconds). Record the level where damage begins.
  7. Score each design in a weighted decision matrix against every criterion and constraint, using shake-test data, and mark any design that breaks a constraint.
  8. Write a recovery plan that ranks which services get rebuilt first and recommends which mitigation feature to require in the forecast high-risk zone.

Standards mapped

  • NGSS · MS-ESS3-2

    Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.

  • NGSS · MS-ETS1-2

    Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.