Arizona STEM

Acceleration Project

Break It Down to Build It Up:

Using Large Building Bricks to Practice Computational Thinking

Break it Down to Build it Up:

Using Large Building Bricks to Practice Computational Thinking

​

A K-6th Grade

STEM Lesson

Shari Burtenshaw

April 2023

Notes for Teachers

• Context: This lesson takes place in a STEM special area classroom of 30 minute sessions.
• Students may work in small groups of 2-4.
• An emphasis on communicating ideas clearly, giving proper directions.
• We learn from not getting the second build to match the first.
• Facilitate student reflection on what was difficult/easy. How to make it easier for students to match their builds.

​

List of Materials:

• Privacy divider to

divide tables in half

• 3 matching building bricks for each side of the privacy divider *
• Have plenty of sets of bricks ready for adding during the lesson. Each table will add 3 more sets.
• Optional: Document camera for demonstration

Standards

Computer Science Standards: Each grade level has a standard in computer science which works on algebraic or computational thinking.*

​

1st grade: 1.AP.A.1 Model daily processes by following algorithms (sets of step-by-step instructions) to complete tasks.

​

5th grade: 5.AP.M.1 Decompose problems into manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process.

​

Science and Engineering Practices:

​

• develop and use models
• use mathematical and computational thinking
• obtain, evaluate and communicate information

ELA:

​

6. SL.4: Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Mathematical Practice:

​

2.MP.6 Attend to precision.

Mathematically proficient students clearly communicate to others using appropriate mathematical terminology, and craft explanations that convey their reasoning. When making mathematical arguments about a solution, strategy, or conjecture, they describe mathematical relationships and connect their words clearly to their representations. Mathematically proficient students understand meanings of symbols used in mathematics, calculate accurately and efficiently, label quantities appropriately, and record their work clearly and concisely.

Objective(s):

Today we will learn to listen to others to re-create what others have built.

​

Today we will describe our build to others so they can replicate our build.

​

Today we will collaborate and communicate effectively with our peers to complete an engineering design challenge.

​

Today students will be able to find a common vocabulary to describe their builds to make the building process easier.

​

Today students will be able to identify bricks by size, color, and shape.

​

Today students will be able to use descriptive words like on top of, next to, or under.

Agenda (30 minutes)

​

Demonstrate blind build with a student as your partner. (3-5 mins)

​

Assign one half of table to be the first builders (describe their build to the other side of the table) (1 min)

​

​

Let students work. They can switch roles as they finish one role. There is no set time limit for each role.

​

Blind Build Demonstration

​

Have a student use 3 bricks to build a model. Have them build behind a privacy folder so the teacher cannot see but also projected so the rest of the class can see.*

​

Student can describe what they are doing as they build or after.

​

Student describes the build and teacher tries to build the same model.

​

After teacher is done, both participants hold up their model to see if they are the same.**

​

When builds are different we can talk about what we could have said to be more clear, emphasizing number of pegs covered, if the top brick covers the bottom brick entirely, etc.This also leads to discussion on the order of bricks and being as specific as we can which leads to more complete coding when we get to coding on electronics.

​

Instructions

1. In a group of 2-4, put together the 3 bricks given in any way you would like.
2. Describe how you built your structure to the other people in your group. Be as detailed as possible to have your builds look the same.
3. After they are done building, check your builds to see if they are the same.
4. Switch roles.
5. Teacher will walk around with more bricks as you build.

Constraints:

• May not look over the divider.
• May use any type of directions to help the other team build with their bricks.
• Listening side of the divider may ask questions of the talking side to help clarify placement of bricks.

• ​

How do we assess our work?

​

​

• Are the builds the same?
• What could the first group say differently or more specifically, that would aide in the placement of bricks?
• Are students learning to work together, learning to be more specific in their language?
• Are students learning that the order they describe their build should be the easiest way to build it? Are they using good position descriptions like: on top of, under, next to?
• Are they learning perseverance when their build is not the same as what was described?
• Have students agreed on common language to help aide in the success of their builds?

​

​

Differentiation

One way to differentiate in this lesson is to allow students a quick look at the build to help them understand what the other group is trying to say.

​

Also, you could stop the class half-way through the lesson and show them some ways the bricks could be put together and agree on common vocabulary for everyone to use. This will help aid in success of the builds matching.

​

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Students who are successful receive more bricks as the lesson progresses. Each brick should be different, but as an extension, the bricks handed out could be the same color but a different size, forcing the students get more descriptive as they work.