Our middle school students came back to school on Thursday to a surprise: no classes for two days! Instead, they would work in teams (assigned) to create their own ten-step Rube Goldberg "machines." They would all end their machines with the popping of a balloon. Cheers went up around the auditorium followed by a steady hum of middle school voices as they headed out to begin their adventure.
I greeted my two groups in the commons area and provided them with the
instructions. The immediately began to plan, explore the materials, and
test out ideas.
For two days the kids did not go to class (except for music at the end of the day). Instead they learned on the job. They learned about teamwork, planning, revision, and overcoming frustration in a fruitful way. They found that they were having fun AND learning.
My favorite question of the two days: Will we do this again next year?
See a successful run here!
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