Objective

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

Materials and Prep

• Lego bricks (various sizes and colors)
• Pen and paper
• Mathematical operations reference sheet (optional)

No prior knowledge or preparation is required for this lesson.

Activities

1. Building Number Towers:

   • Start by selecting a random number of Lego bricks.
   • Arrange the bricks to create a tower, with each brick representing a digit of a number.
   • Write down the number you have built.
   • Repeat the process with different numbers of bricks, creating multiple towers.
   • Compare the numbers you have built and identify the largest and smallest numbers.

2. Lego Addition and Subtraction:

   • Choose two Lego towers that represent different numbers.
   • Add the two numbers together by combining the bricks from both towers.
   • Write down the sum of the numbers.
   • Subtract one of the numbers from the other by removing the corresponding bricks from the tower.
   • Write down the difference between the numbers.

3. Lego Multiplication:

   • Create a rectangular Lego structure by stacking multiple rows of bricks.
   • Count the number of bricks in each row and the total number of rows.
   • Multiply the number of bricks in each row by the total number of rows to find the total number of bricks in the structure.
   • Write down the multiplication equation and the product.

Fourth Grade Talking Points

• "In Mathematics, we use arithmetic to perform calculations and solve problems."
• "Arithmetic involves basic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division."
• "We can use Lego bricks to represent numbers and practice arithmetic skills in a fun and hands-on way."
• "By building towers with Lego bricks, we can compare numbers and identify the largest and smallest."
• "We can also add two numbers together by combining the bricks from both towers."
• "Subtraction is the process of taking away one number from another."
• "We can subtract by removing the corresponding bricks from the tower."
• "Multiplication is a way to find the total number of items in equal groups or rows."
• "We can use Lego to create a rectangular structure and count the number of bricks in each row and the total number of rows to perform multiplication."