LEGO ® s for Science
By Emily Einhorn and Anna Liebowitz
“ LEGO ® is not a toy. Rather, it’ s a tool that empowers the child to actually imagine and create their own world, and then to inhabit that world through play.”
Mr. Bjarke Ingels, LEGO ® Architect
In Fifth and Sixth Grade science this year we are using LEGO ® s and LEGO ® robotics to create solutions to real-world problems and better understand the physical world around us.
From the start of the school year to Thanksgiving, Fifth Grade boys used LEGO ® s to better understand simple and compound machines. They constructed their own simple machines using LEGO ® s and determined the ways in which these tools help humans do work. Starting with basics such as wheels, levers, and pulleys, boys were able to see how these designers. While every group had the exact same supplies, no two bats were exactly alike. After making their creations, the boys thought critically about what could be done to improve their designs and what parts were the most successful.
At the end of our machines unit, all of the boys created wind turbines and explored the best way to generate energy from wind. They were able to change the distance from the source and number of turbine blades to determine the optimal scenario for generating renewable wind energy. All students summarized their findings in a lab to communicate what they learned. They thought about what they would do if they had unlimited supplies and time, and how they could create the best design possible.
While reflecting on the unit, one student said that his“ favorite part was building and testing out the wind turbine,
“ LEGO ® s offer boys a chance to take risks with low stakes; if a design does not work out, you can always take it apart and build again.”
seemingly“ simple” tools allowed humans to make work feel easier. Then, each group of boys had the chance to put several simple machines together into more complex compound machines that are able to solve real-world problems, such as lifting objects or telling time. By examining the most basic unit of machinery, boys were able to figure out how complex tools work and carry out their needed function.
During one exploration, the boys applied their knowledge of levers, gears, and wheels to create a working miniature street sweeper. They thought about what ratio of gears would allow a street sweeper to best clean the street, accounting for both speed and ease of motion. One student wrote that he enjoyed building the street sweeper because“ I liked seeing all of the cogs and gears moving around to make it sweep.”
Right before Halloween, the boys were challenged to use their knowledge of machines to create a functional LEGO ® bat. Every design had to have eyes, wings that flap, and be easily held by the because I enjoy collecting data and it was satisfying to see our hard work pay off.”
Another student said that he liked“ making modifications to the wind turbine. I liked it because it was fun exploring how to make more energy.”
During our robotics unit, boys applied their knowledge of machines to robotics and coding. They created robots that can solve a variety of challenges, such as moving without wheels or sorting objects. Each group worked at their own pace to solve problems with solutions using both coding and construction.
This skill-building sets the foundation for our new Sixth Grade unit, Designing a Planetary Rover. After their planetarium presentation at the Hayden Planetarium before Spring Break, Sixth Grade boys will be asked to apply their knowledge of planetary science to create a Mars rover that can solve real-world tasks, such as dropping off supplies or moving objects on the planet. Using their knowledge of astronomy, they will build their coding
16 • Saint David’ s Magazine