5 Ways to Use Lego in the Classroom

Lego bricks are one of the most popular toys among children and adults. The sets are fun, challenging, and thought-provoking. From building Bugatti vehicles to creating maps on a base plate, there is so much that children can make with Lego.

If you're looking to introduce Lego into your teaching strategy, here are five ways to use Lego in the classroom for a better teaching experience.

1. Math

Math is one of the most challenging subjects for children, from simple preschool counting activities to high school algebra and geometry. Innovative teachers have incorporated Lego sets into their math sessions to help learners grasp concepts easily. Here are different ways in which you can use Lego to teach math.

Counting

Basic counting becomes easy when learners can put a visual image to the number they are counting. Use different colored Lego to teach children basic calculations such as addition and subtraction.

Fractions

You can use Lego sets with different colors to illustrate fractions to learners. For example, if you stick four green blocks together to make a whole number, then remove one green block and insert a red block into the set, the red block represents a quarter of the whole set.

Patterns and Shapes

Use Lego sets to make patterns and shapes like triangles, squares, rectangles, circles, hexagons, etc.

2. English

English language and literature teachers can use Lego to inspire creativity in children and help them remember storylines, characters, actions, and scenes in novels and learning videos. From using blocks to create words and key concepts after a unit to creating heroes and villains from stories, there is so much fun you can have helping children learn.

Written and Oral Literature

Use Lego sets to recreate story scenes, such as an exchange between characters, heroes, and villains, and ask the learners to write a description for the scene.

Letter and Word Building

Teach preschool kids how to create the letters of the alphabet, then string them together to create words.

Story Creativity

Create random Lego characters, hand them to learners and ask them to write a fantasy story about the character.

3. Science

When a learner can't comprehend a subject, a familiar explanation can simplify the concept and help them understand. Use Lego bricks and base plates to motivate your students to learn Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

Physics

Attach magnets to Lego bricks and use them to teach learners about magnetism, attraction, and repulsion. Moreover, you can use different colored Lego to explain nuclear physics, such as the relationship between protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Chemistry

Chemistry is a colorful subject, from the different elements on the periodic table to chemical reactions. Use Lego bricks to create fun and easy-to-comprehend periodic tables, chemical symbols, molecules, crystals, etc.

Biology

Use Lego bricks to construct a circulatory system to demonstrate how the mammalian heart works. Additionally, you can create an animal habitat using blue bricks for the sea and green bricks for the forest and teach them about biodiversity.

4. Construction and Design

Lego was made for the creative mind. You can use Lego sets to create anything you can think of, from popular political statutes, landmarks, classical architectural structures, vehicle models, etc. Here are some design and construction ideas to teach using Lego.

Architectural Designs

Use Lego sets to recreate popular structures like the National Museum of Natural History, White House, Empire State building, etc.

Construction Structures

Help learners use Lego to construct national and local bridges, roads, railway lines, amusement parks, etc.

Creative Designs

Ask your learners to create random miniature designs using Lego. These can be inspired by a novel, book, cartoons, movie scenes, current events, etc. Moreover, learners can create furniture pieces, decorations, household objects, or anything they can think of.

5. Geography and History

Do your learners have a hard time recalling geographical and historical aspects? How about incorporating playful Lego sets to recreate structures, shapes, physical forms, and scenes to make learning memorable? Here are examples of using Lego to teach geography and history.

Geography

Let the learners use bricks and base plates to create local and world maps, continents, states, water bodies, mountains, etc.

History

Help learners remember historical concepts by recreating famous historical scenes like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Pompeii, and the Siege of Jerusalem.

Final Thoughts

Using Lego in the classroom is a great way to interact and expand your student's learning. Lego offers a unique learning method that will stick with your students.

Written by Steve Ndar
Education World Contributor
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