While students started working on Rube Goldberg project, I noticed a conflict in one of the student teams. Some students wanted to use simple machines, while others wanted a more complex and creative design. To help them resolve this, I suggested they work together to find a solution. I encouraged them to start by sharing their needs and what they wanted from the project. This open discussion helped them see that they all cared about making the machine both functional and creative. By listening to each other, they were able to respect different ideas. They brainstormed ways to combine their approaches and decided on a design that included both creative elements and simple machines. I watched as they divided the work based on everyone’s strengths and checked in with each other to make sure everyone was happy with the plan. In the end, they created a Rube Goldberg machine that was both impressive and worked well. It was also great to see the students learn important teamwork skills while turning a challenge into a successful project.
