Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to apply arithmetic skills to solve mathematical problems using Legos.

Materials and Prep

• Legos (various sizes and colors)
• Pen and paper
• Calculator (optional)

Prior knowledge required: Basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills.

Activities

1. Building with Legos: Start by building a tower using Legos of different sizes. Count the number of bricks used for the tower and record it on paper.

2. Addition and Subtraction: Take apart a few bricks from the tower and record the number of bricks removed. Ask yourself how many bricks are left and write down the subtraction equation. Solve the equation to find the answer.

3. Multiplication: Build a rectangular Lego structure using a specific number of bricks for each side. Count the total number of bricks used and write it down. Then, write a multiplication equation to represent the structure's dimensions. Solve the equation to find the total number of bricks.

4. Division: Create a Lego structure with a specific number of bricks. Divide the total number of bricks by the number of sides to find out how many bricks are on each side. Write down the division equation and solve it to find the answer.

Fifth Grade Talking Points

• "Arithmetic is an important skill that helps us solve problems involving numbers."
• "Legos can be a fun tool to practice arithmetic because we can use them to visually represent mathematical concepts."
• "Addition is combining numbers to find the total. We can add the number of bricks used to build a tower."
• "Subtraction is taking away numbers to find the difference. We can subtract the number of bricks removed from the tower to find out how many are left."
• "Multiplication is repeated addition. We can use multiplication to find the total number of bricks in a rectangular Lego structure."
• "Division is splitting a number into equal parts. We can divide the total number of bricks in a Lego structure to find out how many are on each side."