Back to School STEM Activity: Straw Tower Earthquake Challenge (BTS12) | Middle School Engineering Lab (Grades 6-8)

?️ BACK TO SCHOOL STEM ACTIVITY: STRAW TOWER EARTHQUAKE CHALLENGE (BTS12)

2-Page Printable STEM Packet | Print-Ready PDF Format

Test structural stability and earthquake engineering under simulated seismic conditions! The Straw Tower Earthquake Challenge (BTS12) challenges middle school student teams to build a free-standing tower at least 30 cm tall using only straws and tape that can survive a 10-second earthquake shake test.

Students learn about seismic forces, triangular cross-bracing, center of mass, and height-to-base aspect ratios while engineering earthquake-resistant structures!

? WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS 2-PAGE PACKET?

• ? Page 1: Student Mission Card & Blueprint: Real-world earthquake engineering and seismic hazard scenario. Clear material constraints box (20 straws, 50 cm tape, 30 cm minimum height, unattached base, 10-second shake survivability). Dedicated Seismic Tower & Cross-Bracing Blueprint sketching zone for planning triangular trusses and base geometry.

• ? Page 2: Testing Log & Scientific Reflection: Structured Data Testing Table (track base geometry, tower height in cm, and shake test survival across 3 prototype tests). Applied Math Connection (calculate height-to-base aspect ratios: Height / Base Width). Engineering reflection questions analyzing triangulation, center of mass, and flexibility.

? CORE STEM SKILLS COVERED:

• Earthquake Engineering, Lateral Shear Forces & Seismic Stability

• Triangular Cross-Bracing, Base Geometry & Center of Mass

• Data Logging, Aspect Ratio Calculations, and Height Measurement (cm)

• Iterative Prototyping and Failure Analysis

? WHY TEACHERS LOVE THIS RESOURCE:

• High-Energy Hands-On Testing: Students love watching their towers endure the 10-second shake test!

• Low-Cost Materials: Uses simple plastic drinking straws and masking tape.

• Clean 2-Page Layout: Keeps student blueprints, aspect ratio math, and reflections organized on a single front-and-back printable sheet.

• Format: High-resolution, print-ready PDF format (2 Pages).

Target Grades: 6th, 7th, 8th / Middle School

Subject Area: Physical Science, Earth Science, Earthquake Engineering, Civil Engineering, Back to School Activities

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