Representation:

In Science, we were faced with a project where we had to design a building that could withstand the effects of an earthquake. The earthquake was simulated by a 10 second shaking of the table our building was sitting on. Our building was made out of spaghetti and we used the blu tack to stick it together. Other materials we could use were scissors, a knife and a ruler. The building must have had a minimum height of 60cm and the base couldn’t exceed a 30*30 area. We were hoping to build a structure that fit those parameters as it showed we worked as a team in order to overcome challenges we were faced with.

Our first design (pictured below) was quite poor as we didn’t really think about how it would connect together and stay upright. When we tried to build the design, it didn’t even stand up so we knew it definitely wouldn’t withstand the earthquake simulation.

Our final design (pictured below) was very effective after we made the necessary adjustments. It was very stable during the simulation and was still standing after the 10 seconds.

Communicating:

I think that the engineering process to design and build our structure was very helpful and we benefited from it a lot. At first, we went over the task in detail, making sure that all of our team knew what we had to do so that we had the best chance of succeeding. After that, we started on our research where we found out the best designs and shapes to implement on our building that would withstand the earthquake. Using this research, we drew our first design with specific measurements and calculated the amount of spaghetti and blu-tac needed. Then, we built our first design but found that it was very unstable so we made a few major adjustments. Once we created this new prototype, it was time to test it out by simulating the earthquake. While the earthquake was happening, we observed our building to see how stable it was and if there were any small adjustments we would have to make. After, we discussed what we saw, evaluated how we thought it responded and decided to add some cross bracing that would serve as extra support for the corners.

I also believe that there were a few changes that we could make to the engineering process. If we had more time, I think that we should’ve have added a bit more testing but also different types of testing. This means we can see if our building will stand up to any type or severity of shaking and earthquakes. We can also do further testing on the different parts of the building to see if every aspect of our design is stable. We can do this by putting extra pressure on a specific part rather than the whole building where some other parts can carry the load. This would improve the outcome of our building because we would be able to find out if we have a building that is stable all over with each part of it carrying an equal amount of pressure.

Teamwork:

A major component of our success in this challenge was our ability to work as a team and this was shown through the roles of each team member.

Myself: Reporter- Made sure that we had everything together and done on time.

Matthew: Equipment manager- Made sure we had all the equipment in the class and ready to go. Main builder of the tower.

Ben: Project manager- The leader of the group, made sure everyone knew what they were doing.

Scarlett: Spokesperson- Talked to others and found out more information.

During the creation of our building, we had many problems that we had to address and figure out. To solve these problems, we met together and discussed it in a respectful manner so we could come up with a solution. Ben took charge of these conversations as he was the project manager and made sure everyone was happy with the adjustments we were going to make.

Reflecting on our group, I think that everyone had strengths that they brought to the team. When we combined these different strengths together, we had a full complete team that was ready to tackle the challenge ahead. Ben brought intelligence and good mathematical skills to calculate the measurements of our design. He was also a leader for the group who kept everyone on task. Matthew is very good with his hands so he was the main builder of the design and we relied on him to do any challenging tasks or make adjustments when the building might fall over. Scarlett was quite particular which meant she really examined the design to make sure all the spaghetti was stuck together and helped put it together. I was quite involved with the creating of the building and proposed any adjustments that we could make.

All in all, I think that this challenge was an effective way to build on our creative, teamwork and leadership skills whilst learning a bit out earthquakes and the designs that can withstand them.