2008–2009 K-12 Outreach Program

The 2008-2009 K-12 outreach program at UC Berkeley was widely successful. The program involved 13 bay area schools, 22 classrooms and 838 students.

PEER K-12 outreach programThe individual program for each classroom consisted of three activities. First was an in-class presentation where the program instructor Justin Hollenback (UC Berkeley master’s student) taught the students about earthquake science and engineering including: basic information about earthquakes including plate tectonics and earthquake fault types, discussion about professions that address the effects of earthquakes on our communities and buildings, and teaching key building systems and components that help buildings resist earthquake shaking safely. Second was a design activity where the students were given model kits to construct their own earthquake-resistant building structures. Third was a field trip the PEER Laboratories at the Richmond Field Station which included tours of the nees@berkeley hybrid simulation laboratory and the Earthquake Simulator Laboratory. After the laboratory tour the students were given the opportunity to test their building models on an earthquake simulator to see how well they performed under earthquake shaking.

PARTICIPATE IN THE 2009-2010 PROGRAM

The following shows the list of schools that participated in the 2008-2009 Program:

  • New Highland Academy, Oakland, 6th Grade, 1 class of 23 students (December)
  • Ascend, Oakland, 6th Grade, 2 classes of 24 students (December)
  • Impact Academy, Hayward, Grades 9 & 10, 3 classes of ~20 students (January)
  • Allendale Elementary School, Oakland, 5th Grade, 2 classes of 25 students (January)
  • Archway School, Oakland, 4th Grade, 1 class of 10 students (January)
  • Lincoln Elementary School, Oakland, 3rd Grade, 1 class of 23 students (February)
  • Glenview Elementary, Oakland, 1st Grade, 2 classes of 19 students (February)
  • Parker Elementary, Oakland, 2nd Grade, 2 classes of 23 students (February)
  • Fruitvale Elementary, Oakland, 5th Grade, 1 class of 23 students (extra?) (February)
  • Hoover Elementary, Oakland, 5th Grade, 2 classes of 22 students (March)
  • Jr. Science and Humanities Symposium high school, 1 session of 22 students (March)
  • Webster Academy, Oakland, 5th Grade, 1 class of 31 students (April)
  • American Indian Public Charter School II, Oakland, 7th Grade, 1 class of 27 students (May)
  • Washington Elementary School, San Leandro, 5th Grade, 1 class of 31 students (May)
  • National Student Leadership Conference, high school students from various schools, 3 sessions of 100 students (June & July)
  • East Bay Academy for Young Scientists, middle school students from various schools, 1 session of 16 students (July).
  • STEM Academy, 7th-9th grade students from various schools in Emeryville, 1 session of 40 students (July)
PEER K-12 Outreach Program
"I want to learn about earthquake engineering."
- Glenview Elementary School
PEER K-12 Outreach Program
"I learned that if you put braces on your building then it will not
fall down." - Glenview Elementary School
PEER K-12 Outreach Program
"Always go under a table when an earthquake happens."
- Webster Academy
PEER K-12 Outreach Program
We would be happy to come to the lab again"
- Lincoln Elementary School
PEER K-12 Outreach Program
"We learned a lot of stuff. We saw things crush and the shaking
table in the big one." - Webster Academy
PEER K-12 Outreach Program
"It was a cool field trip." - Webster Academy
PEER K-12 Outreach Program
"I learned that when earthquakes come a building could move
like a boat." - Webster Academy
PEER K-12 Outreach Program
"I learned we should work together and work as a team."
- Glenview Elementary School