Lego bricks are ubiquitous toys – and one of the most versatile tools for school counseling. With a simple tub of Lego materials, you have countless opportunities for hands-on, engaging and meaningful activities to support students’ social/emotional learning (SEL).
To provide elementary students with something different to encourage participation in a meaningful way, I considered how to use Lego materials to meet social/emotional needs, rather than just as a reward. I also came across the amazing world of Lego artists and the concept of using Lego bricks as an art medium. With a strong interest in integrating art activities into my work with students, I realized I could combine art and Lego bricks with SEL. This would support fun, purposeful activities to encourage creative expression and exploration of social/emotional topics. The result was incredible, and I haven’t looked back.
SEL exploration with Lego activities: Art and creative expression let students express themselves and explore concepts more easily than just through conversation. By using Lego bricks as an art medium to explore social/emotional topics in group sessions, students can reflect on topics as they are building and create meaningful structures to represent what they are thinking and feeling.
For younger students, this might as simple as building structures using certain colors to represent different emotions, such as red bricks for anger or yellow bricks for happiness. Older students might engage in something more complex, such as creating an obstacle course to represent challenges they are facing, or perhaps doing a mindfulness activity like building a mandala with Lego materials. Depending on your students’ social/emotional needs, Lego activities allow students to safely express their thoughts and feelings in an engaging and inclusive manner. (See specific suggestions at the end of this article.)
Student engagement and inclusion: I had struggled to have students open up and share emotions or thoughts on complex topics in small-group sessions, but providing space for them to build and reflect using Lego bricks unlocked amazing conversations. Not only are the Lego activities engaging, but it also creates a more inclusive environment where all students can express themselves and participate in meaningful ways. For students with limited English proficiency or different communication abilities, this opened up so many possibilities with hands-on strategies to explore social/emotional topics and less intensive language requirements to participate. Whether you are working with students on ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors standard B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control, M 2. Self-confidence in ability to succeed, or a wide variety of other topics, including Lego materials can create structures that facilitate richer, more accessible discussions.
Necessary materials: You may be thinking “Lego sets are expensive.” Yes, some are, but you don’t need fancy sets, and you shouldn’t have to spend a lot of money – or any at all – to get started. A basic tub of Lego materials is really all you need, and if you don’t have some sitting around, ask friends, family, teachers or parents if they have unused Legos to donate. You can buy a new tub of bricks in the $30–$50 range that would work well for a typical small group and last for years. Extra Lego sets or characters can open up more possibilities, but tons of activities only require a basic set.
Health and safety considerations: The recent pandemic has brought an increased need for safety precautions and preventing the spread of germs. Fortunately, Lego materials are easy to clean and can be pre-sorted into individual baggies or clean small containers. After the activity, students can dump their used Lego materials into a container to be cleaned before being put back into baggies or clean, reusable storage containers for new sessions.
Lego activities are great for social distancing or even virtual sessions – students can work on activities individually in their own space and then display and discuss their structures with the group.
Building More Possibilities
School counselors can also use Lego materials with collaborative, project-based learning activities that support the active use of SEL skills. As students work together on a Lego activity, a variety of important skills are naturally embedded in the process, such as:
B-SS 2. Create positive and supportive relationships with other students
B-SS 7. Use leadership and teamwork skills to work effectively in diverse teams
B-SS 4. Demonstrate empathy
B-LS 3. Use time-management, organizational and study skills
Using a play-based approach lets students of all ages authentically practice and develop social skills, self-regulation and executive functioning skills. Incorporating Lego activities into your small groups or classroom lessons can offer students these beneficial opportunities for growth.
One of my favorite collaborative groups to run is an architecture group in which the students get to design something fun, such as theme park expansion, using Lego bricks. Throughout the process, students must work as a team (B-SS 6.), use communication skills (B-SS 1.), persevere to achieve goals (B-SMS 5.), assign tasks and use a variety of other project-management skills (B-LS 3.). After several weeks of learning to listen to others’ ideas, make decisions and assume responsibility for different components of the project, it is amazing to see students’ growth and pride as they show off their final project. These collaborative activities encourage relationship building, boost confidence and support skills for college and career readiness.
Another activity is creating social stories using Lego Minifigures. If you can get your hands on a few characters, another door of possibilities will be open to you. With characters, individuals or groups of students can build scenes, take photos and insert them into a slide deck on the computer to make fun and meaningful social stories for a variety of topics. As I have found, incorporating Lego materials into SEL can transform activities into something fun and exciting, which increases motivation and makes learning more enjoyable.
Derek Tulluck is an elementary school counselor, professor and the author of “Brick-Based Counseling” 1 and 2 from Youthlight.
Brick-Based Program: Topics and Activities
Here are sample Lego-based activities to try for various SEL topics:
B-SMS 2. Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control: Feelings Robot – Students build a robot using Lego materials. Each color they include in their robot can represent a different emotion. For example, a robot that is mostly yellow with a few red and blue bricks might signify that a student is feeling happy overall but may be a bit angry or sad about something. Of course, the student determines what the colors actually represent.
M 2. Self-confidence in ability to succeed: Obstacle Course Challenge – Students build an obstacle course using Lego materials and then label each obstacle with a real-life challenge they are facing. Discuss strategies to maintain a growth mindset and demonstrate perseverance to overcome the obstacles.
B-SMS 10. Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities: Treasured Memories – Students build a treasure chest using Lego materials and then discuss favorite or important memories after experiencing a loss.
B-SS 4. Demonstrate empathy: Garden of Kindness – Students build a garden using Lego materials and create different plants and flowers to represent various ways they can show kindness to others.
B-SMS 7. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem: Build and Breathe – Students build a tower using Lego materials but will do so slowly with their eyes closed, directing their attention toward feeling the shape of the bricks and then breathing out each time they connect a brick to the tower to focus on mindfulness.
matofali Lego ni toys ubiquitous <unk> na moja ya zana versatile zaidi kwa ajili ya ushauri wa shule. Kwa kutumia vifaa vya Lego, unaweza kufanya shughuli nyingi za kuvutia na zenye maana ili kusaidia kujifunza kijamii na kihisia (SEL). Ili kuwapa wanafunzi wa msingi kitu tofauti ili kuhamasisha ushiriki kwa njia yenye maana, nilitafakari jinsi ya kutumia vifaa vya Lego kukidhi mahitaji ya kijamii na ya kihemko, badala ya tu kama thawabu. Pia nilikuja juu ya ulimwengu wa ajabu wa wasanii wa Lego na dhana ya kutumia matofali ya Lego kama njia ya sanaa. Kwa sababu ya kuvutia sana katika kuunganisha shughuli za sanaa katika kazi yangu na wanafunzi, niligundua ningeweza kuchanganya sanaa na matofali ya Lego na SEL. Hii itasaidia shughuli za kufurahisha, zenye kusudi ili kuhamasisha kujieleza kwa ubunifu na kuchunguza mada za kijamii / kihisia. Matokeo yalikuwa ya ajabu, na sijawahi kutazama nyuma. Kujifunza na kuendeleza mambo ya Lego: Ufundi na uumbaji huwaruhusu wanafunzi kujieleza na kuchunguza dhana kwa urahisi zaidi kuliko kupitia mazungumzo tu. Kwa kutumia matofali ya Lego kama njia ya sanaa ya kuchunguza mada za kijamii na kihisia katika vikao vya kikundi, wanafunzi wanaweza kutafakari juu ya mada wakati wanajenga na kuunda miundo yenye maana kuwakilisha kile wanachofikiria na kuhisi. Kwa wanafunzi wadogo, hii inaweza kuwa rahisi kama kujenga miundo kwa kutumia rangi fulani kuwakilisha hisia tofauti, kama vile matofali nyekundu kwa hasira au matofali ya manjano kwa furaha. Wanafunzi wa umri wa miaka miwili wanaweza kufanya kazi ngumu zaidi, kama vile kuunda kozi ya kizuizi ili kuwakilisha changamoto wanazokabili, au labda kufanya shughuli ya ufahamu kama kujenga mandala na vifaa vya Lego. Kwa mujibu wa mahitaji ya kijamii na kihisia ya wanafunzi wako, shughuli za Lego huruhusu wanafunzi kuelezea mawazo na hisia zao kwa njia ya kuvutia na ya kujumuisha. (Tazama madokezo hususa mwishoni mwa makala hii.) """Nilikuwa nimepambana na kuwafanya wanafunzi wafungue na kushiriki hisia au mawazo juu ya mada ngumu katika vikao vidogo vya kikundi, lakini kuwapa nafasi ya kujenga na kutafakari kwa kutumia matofali ya Lego ilifungua mazungumzo ya kushangaza." Kwa sababu ya shughuli za Lego, ni rahisi sana kuunda mazingira ya kujumuisha ambapo wanafunzi wanaweza kujieleza na kushiriki kwa njia zenye maana. Kwa wanafunzi wenye ujuzi mdogo wa Kiingereza au uwezo tofauti wa mawasiliano, hii ilifungua uwezekano mwingi na mikakati ya mikono ya kuchunguza mada za kijamii na hisia na mahitaji ya lugha ya chini ya ushiriki. "Kama unafanya kazi na wanafunzi juu ya ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors kiwango cha ""B-SMS 2.""" Uwezo wa kujidhibiti na kujidhibiti (M2) Kujiamini katika uwezo wa kufanikiwa, au mada mbalimbali, ikiwa ni pamoja na vifaa vya Lego, inaweza kuunda miundo ambayo kuwezesha majadiliano tajiri, zaidi ya kupatikana. "Hii ni kwa sababu ya ""Lego"" seti ni ghali sana, lakini sio lazima kutumia pesa nyingi kuanza." Bomba la msingi la vifaa vya Lego ni kweli yote unayohitaji, na ikiwa hauna baadhi ya kukaa karibu, uliza marafiki, familia, walimu au wazazi ikiwa wana Legos zisizotumika kuchangia. Unaweza kununua chupa mpya ya matofali katika $ 30 hadi $ 50 ambayo itafanya kazi vizuri kwa kikundi kidogo cha kawaida na kudumu kwa miaka. Seti za ziada za Lego au wahusika wanaweza kufungua uwezekano zaidi, lakini tani za shughuli zinahitaji tu seti ya msingi. Kwa sababu ya janga la hivi karibuni, uhitaji wa tahadhari za usalama na kuzuia kuenea kwa virusi umekuwa ukiongezeka. Kwa bahati nzuri, vifaa vya Lego ni rahisi kusafisha na vinaweza kugawanywa mapema katika mifuko ya mtu binafsi au vyombo vidogo safi. Baada ya shughuli, wanafunzi wanaweza kutupa vifaa vyao vya Lego vilivyotumiwa katika chombo cha kusafishwa kabla ya kuwekwa tena katika mifuko au chombo safi cha kuhifadhi kinachoweza kutumiwa tena kwa vikao vipya. Shughuli za Lego ni nzuri kwa ajili ya umbali wa kijamii au hata vikao virtual - wanafunzi wanaweza kufanya kazi juu ya shughuli moja kwa moja katika nafasi yao wenyewe na kisha kuonyesha na kujadili miundo yao na kundi. Kuunda Uwezekano Zaidi: Washauri wa shule wanaweza pia kutumia vifaa vya Lego na shughuli za kujifunza za ushirikiano, za mradi zinazounga mkono matumizi ya ujuzi wa SEL. Wakati wanafunzi wanafanya kazi pamoja kwenye shughuli ya Lego, ujuzi mbalimbali muhimu ni asili iliyoingizwa katika mchakato, kama vile: Kuunda uhusiano mzuri na wa kuunga mkono na wanafunzi wengine B-SS 7. Kuongeza uwezo wa uongozi na kazi ya timu katika timu mbalimbali Uonyeshe hisia-mwenzi B-LS 3. Kutumia ujuzi wa usimamizi wa wakati, wa shirika na wa kujifunza: Kutumia mbinu ya kucheza inaruhusu wanafunzi wa umri wote kufanya mazoezi na kuendeleza ujuzi wa kijamii, kujidhibiti na ujuzi wa utendaji wa mtendaji. Kuingiza shughuli za Lego katika vikundi vyako vidogo au masomo ya darasa kunaweza kuwapa wanafunzi fursa hizi zenye manufaa za ukuaji. Miongoni mwa makundi ya ushirikiano ya kuvutia zaidi ni kikundi cha usanifu ambapo wanafunzi hupata kubuni kitu cha kufurahisha, kama vile upanuzi wa bustani ya mandhari, kwa kutumia matofali ya Lego. Katika mchakato wote, wanafunzi lazima kufanya kazi kama timu (B-SS 6. Mafunzo ya mawasiliano (B-SS) (B) Kuendelea na kazi yako kwa bidii ili kufikia malengo yako (B) Kuongeza kazi na kuanzisha kazi ya kuongoza (B-Level 3) Baada ya wiki kadhaa za kujifunza kusikiliza mawazo ya wengine, kufanya maamuzi na kuchukua jukumu kwa vipengele tofauti vya mradi, ni ajabu kuona ukuaji wa wanafunzi na kiburi wakati wao kuonyesha mradi wao wa mwisho. Shughuli hizi za ushirikiano hutia moyo ujenzi wa uhusiano, kuongeza ujasiri na kusaidia ujuzi kwa ajili ya chuo kikuu na kazi ya utayari. Shughuli nyingine ni kuunda hadithi za kijamii kwa kutumia Lego Minifigures. Kama unaweza kupata mikono yako juu ya wahusika wachache, mlango mwingine wa uwezekano itakuwa wazi kwa ajili yenu. Kwa kutumia wahusika, watu binafsi au vikundi vya wanafunzi wanaweza kujenga mandhari, kuchukua picha na kuziingiza kwenye deck ya slide kwenye kompyuta ili kufanya hadithi za kijamii za kufurahisha na zenye maana kwa mada mbalimbali. Kama nilivyoona, kuingiza vifaa vya Lego katika SEL kunaweza kubadilisha shughuli kuwa kitu cha kufurahisha na cha kusisimua, ambacho huongeza motisha na kufanya kujifunza kuwa ya kufurahisha zaidi. Derek Tulluck ni mshauri wa shule ya msingi, profesa na mwandishi wa Ushauri wa msingi wa matofali 1 na 2 kutoka Youthlight. Mifumo ya Lego: Mifumo ya Lego ya Lego ya Mifumo ya Lego ya Mifumo ya Lego ya Mifumo ya Lego ya Mifumo ya Lego ya Mifumo ya Lego ya Mifumo ya Lego Onyesha nidhamu ya kibinafsi na kujidhibiti: Roboti ya Hisia <unk> Wanafunzi hujenga roboti kwa kutumia vifaa vya Lego. Kila rangi wanayoingiza katika roboti yao yaweza kuwakilisha hisia tofauti. Kwa mfano, robot ambayo ni zaidi ya manjano na matofali machache nyekundu na bluu inaweza kuashiria kwamba mwanafunzi anahisi furaha kwa ujumla lakini inaweza kuwa hasira kidogo au huzuni kuhusu kitu. Bila shaka, mwanafunzi huamua rangi hizo zinawakilisha nini hasa. M2 "Kutoka kwa ""Mafunzo ya Barabara ya Vizuizi,"" wanafunzi wanajenga uwanja wa vizuizi kwa kutumia vifaa vya Lego na kisha kuweka alama kwa kila kizuizi na changamoto ya maisha halisi wanayoyakabili." Kuzungumzia mikakati ya kudumisha mtazamo wa ukuaji na kuonyesha uvumilivu kushinda vikwazo. B-SMS 10 Kuonyesha uwezo wa kusimamia mabadiliko na uwezo wa kukabiliana na mabadiliko ya hali na majukumu: kumbukumbu ya thamani <unk> Wanafunzi kujenga sanduku hazina kwa kutumia vifaa vya Lego na kisha kujadili kumbukumbu favorite au muhimu baada ya uzoefu hasara. B-S4 "Kuchunguza ""Bustani ya fadhili"" ni mchezo wa kuvutia ambao unaonyesha jinsi ya kujenga bustani ya Lego na kuunda mimea na maua tofauti ili kuwakilisha njia mbalimbali za kuonyesha fadhili kwa wengine." B-SMS 7 "Kujaribu kujenga ""Mashine ya Lego"" na ""Mashine ya Lego"" - Wanafunzi wanajenga mnara kwa kutumia vifaa vya Lego, lakini watafanya hivyo polepole na macho yao yamefungwa, wakielekeza umakini wao kuelekea kuhisi umbo la matofali na kisha kupumua kila wakati wanaunganisha matofali kwenye mnara ili kuzingatia akili."