Disaster proof building STEM project

This term primary and secondary classes have been taking part in a STEM (Science Engineering, Technology and Maths) project to build a Disaster proof house. The culmination of the project was when each class exhibited models of houses they had designed and put the models to the test to check they could withstand simulated disasters.

Pupils first investigated different types of natural disasters including typhoon, flood, tsunami and earthquake. They then had to think about buildings and what adaptations would be needed to withstand these disasters. They then designed a building with this adaptations in mind and built a model to represent their ideas.

There were many innovative designs including houses on stilts to sit above flood water and sturdy earthquake-proof houses.  Everyone had the opportunity to go around and look at the different designs and each class nominated projects that they thought fitted the brief particularly well. Pupils were interested in the different designs and looked at every model on display as if they were in a museum or art gallery.

Next came the most important part of any STEM project, which is the testing phase! Several pupils were brave enough to bring their models to be tested and either put them in a tray of water or tried them on the earthquake simulator. Some pupils went one step further by creating waves in the water tray to make sure that their models could resist a tsunami. The most exciting  test was watching Burnham Class’s innovative tower block with offset floors withstand vigorous shaking from on the earthquake simulator.

All classes were given a certificate for their efforts and everyone agreed the STEM project had been really interesting to research and was an excellent challenge.