In trimester 1, all Rio Vista 6th grade students will be engaged in a Project Based Learning experience aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). After studying plate tectonics and earthquakes, students are challenged to work as teams to create the tallest building to withstand a large magnitude earthquake simulation. Teams compete in class competitions as well as grade level competitions. This project incorporates science, technology, engineering and mathematical problem solving (STEM).

Students will explore:

*  factors that affect the durability of buildings during earthquakes

*  causes of earthquakes (fault/boundary types and location)

*  variations in causes, magnitudes and resulting damage of earthquakes

*  how earthquakes are measured