As a primary teacher I am always looking for ways in which to enhance students mathematical learning and understanding. Educational theories, research and practise stress the importance of manipulatives in maths education.  The Primary Years Programme is based on the idea that active, authentic involvement enhances student learning. The Mathematics guidelines focus on students learning through constructing, transferring, understanding and applying meaning. These stands all stress the importance of using manipulatives. 

Lego is a versatile manipulative, which can be used to stimulate and support many mathematical activities. It has the added bonus of being readily available and attractive to students of all ages.  Lego activities can be used with individuals, groups or the whole class and can range from teacher led to student-devised activities.

Younger students enjoy activities such as sorting bricks by colour, size or type. Students construct columns to model addition, subtraction and multiplication facts. Patterns can be extended, generated and shared. Below I describe in more detail a Grade 5 student initiated problem solving activity. 

Students were asked to think of, plan, explain and then carry out an activity, which would allow them to demonstrate their understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills.

Students spent half an hour planning their activity and after discussions with the teacher, a small group were ready to put their plan into action. They had decided to use lego and would build a house within a certain budget.  A budget of £2000 was agreed and the students decided to demonstrate their number skills by allocating each raised circle on a lego brick the value of 19 pence. They became architects and construction workers and using lego they constructed a fine mansion.  However, the final calculations revealed they were well over budget.  There followed, in-depth discussions about how to solve this problem.  They revised their ideas, the plan was adapted and students took on specific tasks. This time the group began by organising bricks according to their size and cost.  More calculations took place and when finally £2000 worth of materials were collected only then did building commence. The group constructed a modest house within budget.

Throughout this three hour problem solving activity students:

• Applied and extended their maths knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers and decimals
• They used patterns and relationships to analyze the problem situations upon which they are working.
• They made and evaluated their own and each other’s ideas.
• They used models, facts, properties and relationships to explain their thinking.
• They justified their answers and the processes by which they arrived at solutions.
• They worked together to solve problems, which arose from working in a group.

From a teachers point of view, this activity was worthwhile for a number of reasons.

• The use of lego stimulated all students, they remained focused until the completion of the task.
• Problem solving discussions were in depth, the students used the language of mathematics to communicate effectively.
• Students who were normally reserved in their ideas and opinions were motivated to discuss and justify their thinking as part of the group.
• Students applied many areas of their mathematical knowledge within a real life situation.