This is a project developed in Shanghai, China during June, 2010. The goal was to teach kids how to behavior in the case of earthquake in an interactive way.

1. The Quake Cube
Isadora, Karen, Lulu, Stephanie, Sun
“Ea rt h q ua k es do n’t k il l pe op le - b ui ldings do.”

2. Concept:
The quake cube is a 3D
puzzle used as a portable,
interactive educational
activity to teach children how
to arrange their home safely
target: children at the
elementary school

3. Context:
When the
earthquake
happens, many
children may be
alone in their
house, and knowing
how to react to
prepare and react to
earthquakes may
save many lives.

4. Precedents:

5. Materials we used:
Foam-board
Knives
rulers
Tapes
Paper
Color pencils

6. Advantages:
Low-cost production
easy to handle and versatile
kids can make it under the
supervision of a teacher
since no glue was used, all pieces can be
disassembled and rearranged again and again
for more than one student at the same time

7. Process:
3 pieces together form the base of the puzzle,
All the other pieces can be arranged into different
furnitures

8. Process:
Due to its structural flexibility, the puzzle can turn into
different rooms and features, according to the purpose
of the classes. Right now we’ve developed:
bedroom living room kitchen

9. Process:
The kids arrange the pieces
into furniture and while
they do it, teachers should
explain basic principles of
preparedness
When the model is done, is
time to the teacher to
explain how the kid should
proceed in case of
earthquake

10. Process:
The earthquake
scenario can also
be simulated in
order to the kids
to understand the
safe zones better
(in this case,
under the table)

11. Process:
by physically touching
and arranging the pieces,
younger kids will have a
better understanding of
how to prep their homes
for an earthquake
an additional mock earthquake safety kit is also
included so that children can have a visual to look
at rather than a list

12. Principles to be taught:
store heavy objects on lower shelves and
breakable objects in cabinets with latched doors,
bolt bookcases and shelves to the walls to
prevent them from falling over
don’t hang heavy pictures or mirrors above
where people sleep or sit,
anchor heavy appliances and furniture,
keep an earthquake emergency kit close.
where to hide in case of an earthquake.

13. Results:
children will be able to work on their creativity, by
developing and placing furniture, and also their
strategy and logic
will understand basic principles of safeness and
home security
and in case they forget anything, will always be
able to play again and remember

14. Next Steps:
create a complete modular structure of furniture
and model base to foster even more the flexibility
of the puzzle
develop better pieces
incorporate feedback into
project development