I decided to have a few of my advanced groups (each in different class periods) work together to build a scaled-down house model. These model kits come with pre-fabricated lumber correct to size for the job, and large poster size papers with a 1 to 1 scaled layout of each wall to be built. So, to build a wall, all the groups needed to do was lay the pre-fab balsa wood on top of the layouts and cut the wood to the correct size. No measuring with a tape, or converting different scales... Sounds easy right? For the most part it was.
What went wrong was the collaboration between periods. I assigned each period's groups a different wall so to not confuse anyone. When your specific wall was complete, I would assign a new wall until all the walls were complete. But what happened when we ran out of walls to start and there were just a handful of walls left to finish? I thought I could let each period work on the remaining walls to try and finish up the house. However, that did not work.
I never heard to much whining from teenage guys. "2nd period built this wall wrong." "Why did 3rd period take apart our wall?" Big disaster! The remaining handful of walls took as long as all the others combined!
But we did finally complete the house model, and it was built correctly. Next time I will adjust my strategy and not mix the period's work. Too much freedom was given for this assignment.
I wonder why you choose to use one house model to be completed by different class periods. Was it money? I think you have already learned that the cost to have several models would be worth having each period have their own model. Also you did not mention any written work to go along with this project or how you evaluated it. Did you use a rubric, were there any terms or information that could be researched to extend this project? You mentioned you gave to much freedom. Maybe if you had planned out steps and how they will be evaluated it would keep them more focused. If you didn't do any of those things I think you could and turn it into a great project based learning activity. It sounds like it would be alot of fun to build a model house and the book work to go with it wouldn't seem so bad.
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