Frank Devereaux and Dan Argentar built a shake table for their 6th grade class at Meridian Middle School in Buffalo Grove, IL.  Dan has created a great web site with all of the details of their unit on tectonics and earthquakes.  As the finale of this unit groups of students test their newly designed and constructed school structures on shake table, with their fellow students and parents looking on.  Here are some of his pictures from 2000 and 2001.  Click on each thumbnail photo below for a larger version.

The equipment and crankshaft all seem to be lined up and in working order!”

A little glue, some spare wood and fresh paint... We have our catastrophe scenery.

Student imagination at maximum capacity.

 
Will this structure survive the ‘Big Quake’ ????

Test the table the night before - Just to make sure it works!!!

The students present their seismically designed structures to the parents.
"Look Mom, we made this without your help, and it can withstand 8.0 on the 
Richter scale!"

Look at all our Surviving Structures!!!!! Can We get a job doing this???? 
Back to the Buffalo Grove Earthquake Project web site.