Collaborative design and concensus

My students looked at information on coral reefs, and local fish, and what our coral looks like, and learned about runoff and non-point source pollution.  We talked about what makes good, healthy reefs, and what makes unhealthy or dying reefs.  We talked about the motto: "In the Virgin Islands, the coral reefs are closer than you think."  We talked about how our school is across the street from the garbage dump, and how that impacts the reefs.

Then the students drew their ideas on paper, and added color.  Some drew only healthy reefs.  Some drew only sick reefs.  Some drew both, showing the difference.  We had many many designs. 

But one design in particular stood out.  It wasn't the best DRAWN design - but it definitely was the best conceived design.  It showed one hill, cut in half - on one side, the hill was green and covered with plants, the reef was healthy, there were many sea creatures; on the other side, the hill was denuded, bulldozers were mowing down trees, the reef was covered with runoff and was sick and dying.

I talked with all of my students, and showed everyone the designs.  We discussed how this one design showed the idea of what makes a healthy reef, and what kills the reef.  We talked about the idea of using this concept, and each person would add something from their design - sea creatures, or trucks and bulldozers, or whatever.  We could play to each individuals strengths.

Everyone agreed that this was a good idea.  We had a design!