WEBSITES: LEGOS + Geometry, Chemistry, Photosynthesis and Math

I heard about this through MC Popper Peter Appelbaum's Facebook group "Math in School is Art for Social Change."

This interesting story about a MATH THEMED Lego mural commissioned by the Auburn University Math department is a pretty interesting narrative about the project and the possibilities of teaching with Legos.

The mural is called "Twenty-One" and was created by Eric Harshbarger - a mathematician who is a also a professional LEGO sculptor and mosaic builder.

If you want to rock CHEMISTRY and Legos do check out really cool initiative out of the MIT hand and Mind Alliance - LEGO CHEMISTRY:

The LEGO Chemistry activity introduces students to molecules, atoms, chemical notation, and chemical compounds (or reinforces these concepts) through an engaging hands-on wet lab, and LEGO models of atoms.

This lesson is taught at the MIT Edgerton Center. Click the link to sign up for a field trip.

For educators wishing to teach this lesson in their own classroom or after-school program, we provide the following materials:

* Student worksheets
* Color laminated LEGO Layout Mat and Atom Key (print with no scaling and flip on short edge if using a duplex printer)
* Color laminated LEGO Reactants and Products
* Teacher’s Guide – 2.5 Hour Workshop Version (45-minute class version coming soon.)

Note: The LEGO pieces can be used for our Photosynthesis lessons as well.

This lesson is appropriate for children ages 11 and up.

This lesson meets the following items of the Massachusetts State Frameworks for grades 6-8, Physical Sciences St...):

6. Differentiate between an atom (the smallest unit of an element that maintains the characteristics of that element) and a molecule (the smallest unit of a compound that maintains the characteristics of that compound).

8. Differentiate between mixtures and pure substances.

10. Differentiate between physical changes and chemical changes.

You can also use the LEGO Chemistry activity to supplement other subjects that students may have studied. Some additional topics include:

• Conservation of matter: as the students complete the LEGO portion of the activity, they will see that every atom of the reactants is used to create the final products

• Exothermic vs. endothermic reactions, or conservation of energy: the reaction of these chemicals is a surprisingly exothermic one.

The LEGO Chemistry lesson can serve many purposes in your curriculum:

•An exciting introduction to a chemistry unit

•A review when beginning a unit which uses previous knowledge of Chemistry

•An enrichment lesson after the students have an initial understanding of molecules and chemical reactions

•A culminating lesson after students have completed a Chemistry unit.

From main site: http://mindandhandalliance.org/educators/curriculum-packages/lego-c...

MIT has also developed LEGO Photosynthesis:

LEGO® Photosynthesis An interactive video called “Roots, Shoots, and Wood” and downloadable printed photosynthesis materials can be found at blossoms.mit.edu. BLOSSOMS (Blended Learning Open Source Science or Math Studies) is a collaborative initiative seeking to begin to develop a large, free repository of video modules for high school math and science classes created by gifted volunteer teachers from around the world, seeded initially by MIT faculty members and by partnering educators in Jordan and Pakistan.

From main site: http://www.mindandhandalliance.org/educators/curriculum-packages/ph...