Grades 4-9
29 activities—229 pages

What student doesn’t like to play with LEGO® pieces? Brick Layers II uses the intrinsic motivation for working with LEGO® materials to entice students into developing a conceptual understanding of the mechanics of simple machines and structural design.

For example, in “Balance Beam,” students will build a simple lever and use it as a balance beam. They will discover that to achieve balance, the product of the force and distance on one side must equal the force multiplied by the distance on the other side. As they hang a paper cup off one end, increasing the force, they learn they need to increase the length of the resistance arm on the other side to achieve balance.

Models made with LEGO Dacta® elements provide consistent, reproducible data allowing the methods and processes of science to be practiced. Accurate quantification means that mathematics is easily integrated into the lessons. Students will make models of inclined planes, levers, wheels and axles, gears, cycloids, and stable structures.

Students will often have so much fun working with the LEGO® pieces that they do not realize they are also enhancing their understandings in number, algebraic thinking, and geometry. Teachers will notice, though, and enjoy the clear instructions and lessons learned in each exploration.