While some disasters involving engineered structures are due to events in nature (e.g., tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes), others may be caused by inadequate materials, design flaws, and poor maintenance. These catastrophes result in the loss of human lives and cost billions of dollars. In the set of lessons described here, students design a tower, select building materials, determine building costs, and identify safety concerns. Working in groups with defined roles, students are actively engaged in project development, implementation, and evaluation. (Contains 6 figures.)