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. (Contains 3 figures and 5 online resources.)