If You Build It, They Will Learn, was a project at Riverdale Elementary School that encouraged students to work collaboratively to build a Rube Goldberg type of machine. Using research, collaboration, engineering practices, physics concepts, design, testing, data collection, refining, and writing and communication skills students worked to solve a problem using a series of simple machines to accomplish a task. Students then used digital storytelling practices to share their team approach and to show the evidence of their design process, testing, and redesign process as well as the final outcome of their project. This project demonstrated for students a direct application of the laws of physics and engineering and design practices to a hands on experience that is meaningful to the students.