Use computational thinking to understand earthquakes

In this lesson, core earth science ideas are integrated with important 21st century technical skills.  Emphasis is placed on combining science, engineering, and technology to gather and visualize earthquake data critical for making informed decisions about human safety.

In this lesson, Microsoft partners with the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) and KQED to investigate seismic activity.  

Student activities 

• Take on the role of electrical, mechanical and software engineers and data scientists. 
• Build a traverse wave model.
• Build a seismograph using inexpensive materials. 
• Use data generated from student built seismographs to compare and contrast seismic events. 
• Record ideas and findings in a student journal. 

Live data visualization using Excel 

• Access and download the free Excel Data Streamer add-in.  
• Use a custom Excel workbook to visualize live data from student-built instruments. 

Using computational thinking to

understand earthquakes 

Time to complete lesson 

Four 50-minute class periods

Learning objectives 

• Students compare the motion and speed of s-waves and p-waves using models.
• Students build and calibrate a seismograph using instructions. 
• Students compare and contrast varying intensities of seismic activity with their seismographs using data visualized with digital tools.  

21st  century technical skills used: 

• Mechanical engineering 
• Electrical engineering 
• Software engineering 
• Data science   

Scope and Sequence

See the Detailed Lesson Timeline for a more in-depth look at the lesson.

Part 1: Prior knowledge and vocabulary

• Students are introduced to the context of the lesson which places them in the role of geologists and engineers studying and collecting data about the seismic activity of a region that is being considered for development. Students answer questions related to lesson learning objectives as a pre-assessment.  Students are also introduced to the project’s working vocabulary.

Part 2: Analog data

• Students are introduced to two different types of earthquake waves—p-waves and s-waves.
• Students build a model of a transverse wave (s-wave) using instructions and model a longitudinal wave (p-wave) with a slinky. Then they compare the motion and speed of their p-wave and s-wave models.

Part 3: Digital data

• Students build instruments that can measure seismic waves called seismographs. Then students connect their seismographs to Excel using a microcontroller for data visualization of simulated seismic activity.

Part 4: Reflections

• Students finish the student journal. Students complete and discuss the reflection questions.

Science and Engineering Processes

• This lesson engages students in the engineer’s design process and the scientific method.
• Use the templates located in the Science and Engineering Processes page in the Student Section to guide your students through these practices.
• There are ideas to get you started written on the templates. Students are also encouraged to generate their own ideas.

We encourage teachers to hack this project! This is a suggested scope and sequence only. Please use our materials in a way that best supports your unique students and desired learning outcomes.

Opportunities to go deeper

Some ideas for extending this lesson can be found on the Lesson extensions page.

The lesson materials in this notebook integrate core earth science ideas with important 21st century technical  skills.  Emphasis is placed on combining science, engineering and technology to gather and visualize data used to reduce  the impact of earthquakes on high-rise buildings.  

In this lesson, Microsoft partners with the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) and KQED  to investigate seismic  activity.  

Student activities 

• Take on the role of electrical, mechanical and software engineers and data scientists. 
• Use big data to analyze historical earthquake events around the world.
• Construct a model high-rise building and earthquake simulator using inexpensive materials. 
• Incorporate a tuned mass damper mechanism into the model to examine its influence on decreasing damage due to earthquakes. 
• Record ideas and findings in a student journal. 

Live data visualization using Excel 

• Access and download the free Excel Data Streamer add-in. 
• Use a custom Excel workbook to visualize and analyze live data from student-built models. 

Time to complete lesson 

Four 50-minute class periods 

Learning objectives 

• Students can graph a large earthquake data set on a world map and identify areas of concentrated seismic activity.
• Students build and calibrate a model skyscraper equipped with a tuned mass damper using instructions. 
• Students determine the ideal placement of a tuned mass damper for reducing damage to a model skyscraper by analyzing data visualized with digital tools. 

21st century technical skills used: 

• Mechanical engineering 
• Electrical engineering 
• Software engineering 
• Data science 

Standards

• See Standards page in Lesson Overview section

Scope and sequence

See the Detailed Lesson Timeline for a more in depth look at the lesson.

Part 1: Prior knowledge and vocabulary

• Students are introduced to the context of the lesson which places them in the role of engineers implementing technology into high rise buildings that helps reduce damage due to earthquakes. Students answer questions related to lesson learning objectives as a pre-assessment.  Students engage in a big data exercise where they graph earthquake data on a world map. Students are also introduced to the project’s working vocabulary.

Part 2: Analog data

• Students collaborate to build a model skyscraper with an adjustable tuned mass damper (TMD) Students use the model to examine the influence of adjusting the TMD on reducing damage during a simulated earthquake event.

Part 3: Digital data

• Students equip their model skyscraper with a sensor and connect to Excel for live data visualization. Students record accelerogram data in Excel. They use their graphs to compare the frequency and amplitude of waves related to their skyscraper shaking during simulated earthquake events and testing different configurations of the skyscraper’s TMD.

Part 4: Reflection

• Students  finalize any unfinished components of the student journal. Students complete and discuss the reflection questions in the Student Journal.

Science and Engineering Practices

• The concepts and materials in this lesson provide opportunities to engage your students in the engineer’s design process and testing of ideas using the scientific method.
• Use the templates located on the dropdown menu of the Science and Engineering page in the Student Section to guide your students through these practices.
• There are ideas to get you started written on the templates. Students are also encouraged to generate their own ideas.