Shaking and Strong Structures

Overview

Students investigate how shaking affects buildings and how movement beneath Earth’s surface can be modelled. The lesson uses gentle, predictable demonstrations and avoids frightening detail; students are reminded that earthquakes cannot be predicted by observing these models.

Learning intentions

• WALT describe an earthquake as the shaking of the ground.
• WALT use a model to investigate how buildings respond to shaking.
• WALT make a prediction, observe carefully, and record what happens.
• WALT explain that movement beneath Earth’s surface can cause the ground to shake.

Success criteria

• I can describe an earthquake using the words ground and shaking.
• I can make and share a sensible prediction.
• I can record what I observe in a drawing, words, or labelled symbols.
• I can explain one way to make a block building more stable.

Curriculum links

• Physical Science — material properties and uses: students observe how blocks and other materials respond to movement and consider how materials are used for buildings.
• Biological Science — habitats: students practise simple cause-and-effect language, such as “When the tray shakes, the building may fall.”
• Geography — practices: earthquake building design: an age-appropriate introduction to how design can help buildings withstand earthquakes.
• Te Mātaiaho capabilities: thinking, managing self, and participating and contributing through prediction, safe investigation, and respectful discussion.

Lesson structure (50 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Calm hook and prior knowledge. Teacher opens the earthquake hook and learning intention slides and shows a picture of a toy building on a tray, asking, “What might happen if the ground moved gently?” Students think-pair-share, then contribute ideas. Explain that an earthquake is a shaking of the ground caused by movement beneath Earth’s surface. Clarify that scientists can study earthquakes but cannot predict exactly when one will happen.

2. 5–10 min · Safe and respectful discussion. Teacher explains that some people may have felt an earthquake, while others have not, and nobody has to share a personal experience. Establish discussion rules: listen, do not interrupt, use calm words, and talk about models rather than frightening stories. Introduce earthquake, ground, shake, movement, surface, stable, structure, and predict. Students practise the sentence, “I predict the building will ___ because ___.” Use the traffic-light check-in cards for students to privately show whether they feel ready to continue; reassure students that a red card means they may observe instead.

3. 10–17 min · Teacher demonstration. Teacher places a small block structure on a tray and moves the tray slowly from side to side, then compares a wide-based structure with a tall, narrow one. Refer to the demonstration and prediction slides and model recording one observation on the earthquake investigation sheet. Ask: “Which building moved more? Which stayed standing? What did the tray represent?” Students make an individual prediction by drawing or completing a sentence.

4. 17–32 min · Investigation 1: shaking buildings. Teacher forms five groups of five and gives each group a tray, blocks, and a worksheet. Students build a small structure, draw it, then gently move the tray side to side using the same slow movement each time. They observe and record whether it stayed standing, leaned, or fell. Groups may rebuild with a wider base, fewer blocks, or a lower shape and test again. Teacher circulates, asking, “What did you change? What stayed the same? What evidence supports your idea?” Students must keep hands below face level and stop immediately on the signal.

5. 32–41 min · Investigation 2: movement beneath the surface. Teacher demonstrates a clear container or shallow tray filled with jelly, sand, or soft clay. Slowly press or slide one section beneath the surface to show that movement below can make the surface ripple, crack, or change shape. Students work in groups to observe the teacher model or use a small supervised portion of material, making gentle movements only. They record a labelled drawing and complete: “When movement happens beneath the surface, the surface can ___.” Link to the Earth’s-surface model and observation prompt slides.

6. 41–47 min · Share and explain. Teacher brings students together and invites groups to share one observation, not a dramatic story. Create a class cause-and-effect statement: “When the ground shakes, a structure may move because ___.” Discuss that models show one idea and are not exact copies of Earth. Students use their worksheet drawing or gesture to explain one design choice that helped a structure stay standing.

7. 47–50 min · Exit check and reset. Teacher displays the recap and exit-question slide and asks students to answer orally, draw, or write: “What is an earthquake?” and “What helped your building stay up?” Students show their response, pack away materials safely, and complete a final traffic-light check-in if needed.

Resources

• the earthquake investigation slide deck
• the earthquake investigation sheet
• the traffic-light check-in cards
• Five shallow trays
• Wooden or plastic building blocks
• Five pencils and sets of crayons
• Clear container or shallow tray
• Jelly, damp sand, or soft modelling clay
• Cloths or paper towels
• Visual timer and stop signal
• Handwashing access

Assessment

• Listen for accurate use of ground, shaking, movement, and surface during questioning and group talk.
• Check predictions, labelled observations, and whether students identify a relationship between tray movement and building response.
• Use the final oral, drawn, or written response to assess whether students can describe an earthquake and explain one stabilising building feature.

Differentiation

• Support learners with picture vocabulary, gestures, a completed example, and sentence starters: “I noticed ___” and “The building stayed up when ___.” Allow drawing, pointing, or oral recording.
• Provide a quiet observer role, extra adult support, or a smaller individual tray for students who are anxious about shaking or sensitive to noise and movement.
• Pair EAL learners with a supportive peer and rehearse key words before the investigation; accept home-language discussion where helpful.
• Extend confident learners by asking them to design two structures, change only one feature, and explain which test gives the fairest comparison.

Extension

• In a later session, groups could design a structure for a particular material and test whether a wide base, low height, or stronger connections make a difference.
• Students could investigate safe actions people learn for earthquakes with a teacher, whānau, or approved school emergency plan, without suggesting that anyone can predict an earthquake.