Final Project

    As a final activity for this project, students will design and build structures capable of remaining stable during an earthquake on the least stable substrate.
Students will be given a budget with which to buy specific materials.  Their towers must be at least 25cm high and have a volume of at least 200cm³.
 

Student Budget:                              $120.00 Material/Price List   Materials Price/Unit Oak Tag(12x9) $75.00/Sheet Aluminum Foil(8.5x11) $75.00/Sheet Construction Paper(12x9) $50.00/Sheet Pipe Cleaner (6") $30.00/each Popsicle sticks $25.00/each Drinking Straws(non-flexible) $20.00/each Paper Clips(small) $15.00/each Toothpicks $15.00/each Tape(Transparent) $5.00/cm Project Description There are four parts to this project: Part I - Individual Design Part II - Team Proposal Part III - Team Structure (1) Part IV - Team Structure (2)

-Describe the project including specifications of height and volume.
-Give students a copy of materials/price list.  Make sure students are aware of the existence of a budget but do not give them a dollar amount at
  this point!!   Not having a buget will give the students the opportunity to modify their proposal based upon cost--an experience often encountered in the "real
  world".
-Students will independently design a proposal for a structure following the guidelines above (We plan to assign this as homework).  These structures will be shared
    with their group and the teacher will check for quality of work (see Assessment Strategies).

-Give students budget.
-Students will operate in the same teams as in Phase I of this project.
-Each team of students must then come up with one proposal operating within the given budget.  These proposals must include a scale drawing (blueprint), a list of
  materials used, the cost of these materials and a convincing oral presentation discussing why their building is the best structure.  These proposals will be shared with
  the class and the teacher will check for quality of work (see Assessment Strategies).

-Give each team of students $120.00 to spend on materials (you can use play money).
-Students will build their structures according to their blueprints, buying and using materials provided by the teacher.
-Teacher will check designs against the Team Proposal (see Assessment Strategies).

-Team structures will be tested, one at a time, for stability using the same apparatus as in Phase I.
-Structures will be tested once at 15^o, 30^o, 45^o, 60^o, 75^o and 90^o until the structure falls.
-The blueprints for the structure(s) remaining upright at the greatest angles will be submitted for publication at this web site.
-Teacher will assess the quality of the Team Structures (see Assessment Strategies).
 
 

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