2013-2014 K-12 Outreach Program

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The nees@berkeley laboratory and Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) at UC Berkeley are offering an updated educational program for 4th grade classroms in the 2013-2014 school year that:

  • utilizes new hands-on, collaborative learning experiences and a design challenge that teaches students the engineering design process for an earthquake resistant building.

  • includes two 90-minute classroom visits by UC Berkeley Engineering Student Instructors who lead the learning experience by providing instruction, demonstrations, and materials for the hands-on activities.

  • integrates engineering skill development as described in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

  • offers an optional field trip to the earthquake engineering laboratory at UC Berkeley’s Richmond Field Station to see engineering in action (bus provided)

  • provides materials and lesson plans to support independent teaching of this unit in the future

The NGSS for fourth grade specifically suggests designing earthquake resistant buildings as a way to meet standard 4-ESS3-2: Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural earth processes on humans. This new program will enable you to meet this and other standards in the NGSS as well as supporting the current California State Science Standards for fourth grade.

Participating classes will have two in-class learning experiences and an optional field trip to UC Berkeley Earthquake Engineering Laboratories in Richmond:

Learning Experience #1: (90 minutes in classroom)

  • – Introduction to Earthquake Engineering and related vocabulary
  • – Discussion of building elements
  • – Hands-on Design Element Testing in six design teams
  • – Sharing of unique data and conclusions

Learning Experience #2: (90 minutes in classroom)

  • – Design Challenge: Design, Construction, Testing, and Analysis
  • – Presentation of Test Results by six design teams
  • – Design Decision Discussion
  • – Communication of Classroom Design Solution

Field Trip: (90 minutes at labs plus travel time)

  • – Tour of Earthquake Engineering Laboratories at UC Berkeley's Richmond Field Station
  • – Viewing videos of laboratory tests
  • – Make-Your-Own-Earthquake jumping activity
  • – Small Shaking Table Demonstration (if available)

Available dates for the 2013-2014 school year:

To schedule this program for your 4th grade classroom, choose one of the ten schedule blocks available below. Each block consists of the two 90-minute classroom Learning Experiences followed by an optional field trip to the earthquake engineering laboratories.  To schedule your school, please email our Earthquake Engineering Program Coordinator at labounty3029@berkeley.edu with your block choice. 

SPRING 2014

Block One

Learning Experience 1
Wednesday February 12, 8:30am-10:00am
Learning Experience 2
Wednesday February 19, 8:30am-10:00am
Field Trip
Friday February 28, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Two - ASCEND Elementary, Oakland

Learning Experience 1
Friday February 14, 1:00pm-2:30pm
Learning Experience 2
Wednesday February 26, 8:30am-10:00am
Field Trip
Friday March 7, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Three - ASCEND Elementary, Oakland

Learning Experience 1
Friday February 21, 1:00pm-2:30pm
Learning Experience 2
Wednesday March 5, 8:30am-10:00am
Field Trip
Friday March 7, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Four - King Elementary, Richmond

Learning Experience 1
Friday February 28, 8:30am-10:00am
Learning Experience 2
Friday March 7, 1:00pm-2:30pm
Field Trip
Friday March 21, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Five - King Elementary, Richmond

Learning Experience 1
Wednesday March 12, 8:30am-10:00am
Learning Experience 2
Wednesday March 19, 8:30am-10:00am
Field Trip
Monday March 24, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Six - Sobrante Park Elementary, Oakland

Learning Experience 1
Friday March 14, 1:00pm-2:30pm
Learning Experience 2
Friday March 21, 1:00pm-2:30pm
Field Trip
Friday April 4, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Seven

Learning Experience 1
Wednesday April 2, 8:30am-10:00am
Learning Experience 2
Wednesday April 9, 8:30am-10:00am
Field Trip
Friday April 18, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Eight - International Community, Oakland

Learning Experience 1
Friday April 4, 1:00pm-2:30pm
Learning Experience 2
Friday April 11, 1:00pm-2:30pm
Field Trip
Friday April 25, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Nine - John Muir Elementary, Berkeley

Learning Experience 1
Wednesday April 16, 9:00am-10:15am
Learning Experience 2
Wednesday April 23, 9:00am-10:15am
Field Trip
Friday May 2, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Ten - Lafayette Elementary, Oakland

Learning Experience 1
Friday April 18, 1:00pm-2:30pm
Learning Experience 2
Friday April 25, 1:00pm-2:30pm
Field Trip
Friday May 9, 9:30am-11:00am

There is funding available to support bus travel to the field trip, if requested by the teacher.

Other important and useful information is in the following documents:

FALL 2013

Block One - Chabot Elementary

Learning Experience 1
Thursday November 7, 1:30pm-3:00pm
Learning Experience 2
Thursday November 14, 1:30pm-3:00pm
Field Trip
Friday November 22, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Two - Cragmont Elementary, Berkeley

Learning Experience 1
Tuesday November 19, 10:30am-12:00pm
Learning Experience 2
Tuesday November 26, 10:30am-12:00pm
Field Trip
Friday December 6, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Three - Chabot Elementary

Learning Experience 1
Thursday November 21, 1:30pm-3:00pm
Learning Experience 2
Thursday December 5, 1:30pm-3:00pm
Field Trip
Friday December 13, 9:30am-11:00am

Block Four

Learning Experience 1
Tuesday December 3, 10:30am-12:00pm
Learning Experience 2
Tuesday December 10, 10:30am-12:00pm
Field Trip
Friday December 13, 12:00pm-1:30pm