Earthquakes occur across the globe, and their efforts can be felt by people regardless of location. However, a moderate earthquake in Pakistan or Turkey may cause much greater damage than a stronger earthquake in Tokyo. It is imperative to help students understand why this disparity exists—often due to both natural and human influences. Students often ask, “Why don’t all the tall buildings fall down when there are earthquakes?” Through this activity, sixth-grade students began to understand the engineering challenges of building earthquake-resistant buildings and how scientists meet that challenge.