Keeping Everyone Happy - Problem Solving to Make a Design of the North Pole

Day 2:

So, yesterday my class started to design their layouts for the North Pole using the requirements of the elves.  The students were having a great time, and everything seemed quite straight forward and easy. But wait - nothing easy lasts forever in this classroom!!!!

So, today we added the requirements of the reindeer.  Many of the student partner groups simply got a new piece of paper and started a whole new design.  Really?  You think it's just that easy?

Oh no, no!!!  There is one North Pole community and all elements must be incorporated into one design.  The elves and the reindeer coexist together, and there are many things they enjoy doing together, but they also need their own unique spaces.  Everyone needs to be able to get around easily, but all requirements need to be incorporated into the design.  Ahhh...you are going to have to think a little harder and do some problem solving!  Darn it anyway!

I just love when those puzzled looks suddenly disappear - and the light bulb goes on!  What a fun day of problem solving and discovery!

• Hey, we can group things into categories! 
• Some things should not be in the town square, but should be on the outskirts of town!
• The reindeer are much larger than the elves, we need to incorporate that into our design!

It is so much fun watching the students discover their "Ah Ha's!"  And just wait until tomorrow when Santa & Mrs. Clause add a whole huge list of requirements of their own!  This is revision on an entirely new level!  

How to keep everyone happy?  This is problem solving at its finest!