• K-3

• Familiarize students with specific LEGO building strategies and any new pieces
• How to use pegs (friction and connection)
• Building a triangle
• Building a square
• Bracing with beams
• Teach the names of LEGO building pieces
• Reinforce knowledge of shapes 

• LEGO Simple Machine kit
  

• Construct example shapes
  
• Arrange students in pairs
• Distribute LEGO kits
  

• Sturdy

Pieces

• Beam
• Brick
• Plate
• Axle
• Bushing
• Friction peg (black)
• Connector peg (grey)
• Axle extender 

1. Review sturdy building and names of pieces (it may help to have an overhead or
   poster of pieces and their names):
1. Overlapping beams and bricks are stronger than non-overlapping ones
2. Three stacked plates are the same height as one beam.
2. Show students how to build in ways other than stacking pieces (pegs, axles
   and bushings, etc.).
3. Have students make a triangle.
1. Show students on your example how you can use both pegs and axles with
   bushings to connect beams.
   
2. Push on your triangle to show how strong and sturdy it is.
4. Show students a pre-built square
   
1. Show on your demo model that the square is not sturdy and talk about why.
2. Have students brainstorm ways to make a square sturdy.
5. Have students build a square and add a diagonal brace to their square to make it sturdy.
1. Show students that by adding the brace you have created two triangles
   and remind students that triangles are very sturdy shapes.
6. Have students use this new knowledge to build a sturdy box.
   
1. Tell students that the sides of the box do not need to be closed.
2. Use the Engineering Design Process in the process of building the box.
1. Create: Build the box using the pieces introduced in this lesson
2. Test: apply 2 tests
1. Flick Test - the box won't collapse when pushed
2. Drop Test - box doesn't break when dropped from ankle
   height.
3. Redesign: Rebuild the box until it passes the tests. Consider ways to
   make the box stronger.
4. Share: Come together as a class to share designs.
1. Talk about difficulties that different groups had in building
   their box and how they overcame these difficulties.
2. Identify different shapes in the boxes and the pieces that
   the groups used.
   
3. Talk about ways that different groups made their boxes stronger.
4. Look around the classroom for examples of sturdy shapes and
   sturdy building.

This activity meets the Massachusetts Frameworks Learning Standards for Technology
and Engineering

Grades K - 2

1.3 Identify and describe the safe and proper use of tools and materials to construct
simple structures. 

• Introduce measurement and have the students measure their creations using different units.
• Build the widest/longest structure.
• Build the shortest structure using only 10 pieces