EP1 Classroom: Building a First Earthquake Simulator

The EP1 classroom engaged students in hands-on exploration by challenging them to construct their own earthquake simulator. The project addressed fundamental questions: What is an earthquake? Why do buildings shake or collapse? How can structures become more stable?

Construction & Programming

Students built a platform using simple materials such as straws, connectors, and cardboard to simulate seismic movement. They then employed Micro:bit programming to create different levels and patterns of vibration. Small buildings were constructed atop the platform to observe structural responses during simulated earthquakes.

Key Observations

Testing revealed significant differences in structural performance — some buildings "collapsed very quickly, while others remained surprisingly stable." This prompted deeper investigation into the causes of these variations.

Design Improvements

Students refined their designs through iterative processes by:

• Reinforcing structures
• Changing connection methods
• Adjusting the center of gravity
• Adding additional support

Core Philosophy

Through experimentation and redesign cycles, students discovered that:

"Stability is not based on luck — it is the result of thoughtful design and structural engineering."

MGA emphasizes that learning involves identifying problems and discovering solutions through experimentation rather than simply obtaining correct answers initially.