Students will launch the earthquake project by connecting with real community members, surface prior knowledge using a KWL chart, and conduct firsthand user research through interviews. They will gather quotes and observations from firefighters, city leaders, and family members to create an evidence-based empathy map that will guide their problem definition in the next phase.

Students will analyze their earthquake interview research, identify patterns across users, and craft a clear, evidence-based "How Might We" problem statement that will guide solution design in the next phase.

Students will generate a wide range of earthquake solution ideas grounded in real user interviews, then evaluate and select the strongest concepts using evidence from empathy maps and survey data before sketching testable solution blueprints.

Students will build, test, and revise low- to medium-fidelity prototypes of their earthquake solutions using real user feedback from classmates and community partners. They will document at least two iterations, connect design changes to interview evidence, and prepare a refined prototype with an iteration log for final testing and presentation.

Students will validate their refined earthquake solutions with new users, document feedback-driven revisions, and present their design journey at the Earthquake Fair to families, firefighters, city leaders, and the school community.