Different ways you can use Six Bricks to Teach Maths

In our previous blog about Six Bricks we have seen all about how effective they are as a learning tool for all ages. In this blog we are going to see 21 ways we can use Six Bricks to teach Math to our students.

Math can be very tricky, sometimes very difficult for students to understand even simple concepts of math, with Six Bricks it becomes easier for the teachers to teach even complex concepts and for the 

students to understand.

Let us look into different ways we can do that :

• True or False : With this concept the teacher understands quickly the number of the students in the class has understood the concept or not.

The teacher uses six bricks to determine the answer in an assessment exercise, using two different colors as an answer to  True or False Questions .The child holds one coloured brick in each hand.

For Example : Green in right hand indicates the answer is ‘True", and Red in left hand indicates the answer is False. The teacher asks a question and the children answer the question by holding the brick indicating their choice of answer. I n this way the teacher has a very quick way of determining if the children are correct.

• Building Numbers :Children use their Six Bricks to build numbers.

Number fun :Teacher hides these models around the classroom.

Each child in the group picks a number card from the box - it could be a numeral / number name / dot -

whatever the teacher needs to reinforce.

Teacher asks the children to go and find a DUPLO model that has the same number of bricks as the

number on their card.

Come back to the mat and arrange your models from smallest to biggest; biggest to smallest.

Children swap their cards, and then match the card to the model with the number of bricks.

How many ways ?

Children work in pairs. They will start with 2 DUPLO bricks on an A4 size page.

The teacher asks: How many ways can you arrange a 2?Once they complete that, ask them to do  till number 10.In this way skills like creative thinking and collaboration are inculcated in the students.

• Build the shape : 

Children work in groups of 4 - 6 and place their bricks in a pile together. They will need some string / wool.

The teacher asks the children to build the following shapes in their group:

square, rectangle, triangle, rhombus (kite), circle, cube

Q: How many sides does the shape have?

Q: Are the sides straight or curved?

Q: Can this shape roll or slide?

Q: Is the shape symmetrical?

Q: How many lines of symmetry does the shape have?

• Position and direction : With this method the teacher is able to teach the students position and direction.You will need paper,crayon and white boards.

Children work individually with their bricks placed randomly in front of them.

The teacher gives instructions to build a 2 brick model; e.g. Place the orange brick on top of the

blue brick to form a cross.

Ask the children to look at the model from the top ,side and below.

Children can explain what they see.

Ask the children to draw a bird’s eye view, the side view and the view from the bottom.

• Repeated Patterns : Patterns, Functions and Algebra 

Teacher creates a pattern with 3 bricks and asks the learners to copy it.

Ask the learners to extend their patterns.

In pairs: work with your partner to create an interesting pattern that reads from left to right and then transfer the pattern to sound.

• Counting forward and backward : Numbers, Operations and Relationships.

Line up your Six Bricks from short-end to short end horizontally on your desk.

Ask learners to count forward from left to right using their index fingers, touching each brick as they go. Then count backward from 6th Brick to the 1st Brick.

Ask the learners to put their fingers on the first and last bricks and then swap their places.

In pairs : Learners combine their bricks and count forward from left to right and backward from 12th to 1st.

• Let us count body parts: Number concept development, Count physical objects.

Learners pick up their favorite brick.

Lets count : Touch each item and see how many you have, E.g.; How many eyes? Tap twice. Do this with eyes, shoes, buttons, ears.

In group of 6-Let us count together the total number of eyes we have in a group of 6.(12)

Together learners build a tower using two bricks from each of their sets of Six Bricks.

• Repeating patterns : Collect and organize objects,Analyze and interpret data.

Close your eyes and shuffle your bricks around, pick one brick and open your eyes.

Look around your classroom and find friends with the same color brick as yours and form a group.

In groups learners estimate(guess)how many there are in a group. Count each brick one by one.

Learners find out the difference between estimated and the actual number.

• My body : Space and Shape Recognize symmetry on your own body.

Build a cube with your Six bricks

Hold the cube next to your right/left ear, hold the cube on your right knee/left knee, balance your cube on your left shoulder/right shoulder., Break the cube up into loose bricks, build the shape you see in the picture, the teacher will keep a picture of a 3D shape in front of the learners and their will build the same.

• Repeated Addition of 2 : Count with whole numbers, count with concrete objects.

Work in groups of 4 and combine your bricks. Make group of 2 with all the bricks.

Count in 2s to see how many bricks there are.

• Measuring length : informal measuring, estimate measure, compare, order and record length using non standard measures.

Work with your partner to design and build a measuring tool with your bricks and give it a name.

Teacher gives each pair of learners a task card in which they have to measure the length of a certain item in and around the classroom.

Estimate before you measure with your measuring tool and then record your estimation and your measurements.

• Fun Picture : Numbers ,Operations and Relationships.

The teacher will give the learners a picture, the learners work in pairs and observe the picture and the learners will discuss what is happening in the picture with their partner.

Ask the learners to match the Six Bricks to the transport vehicles shown on the picture by color and let them place the color brick on the vehicle of the same color.Let them count the total number of wheels each vehicle has.

Challenge the learners to count the total number of wheels they can see in the picture.

• Multiplication: Grouping of pairs of objects.

Learners work individually with their own set of Six bricks.

Ask the learners to place all their bricks on the table with studs facing up. The learners will count the number of stud pairs on all their bricks in total.

Ask the learners to group pairs of studs in 4 groups of 2,5 groups of 2,6 groups,7 groups 8 groups,9 groups, and count and write down the total of how many studs in each of the groupings.

• Fractions : Matching shapes with fractions.

Learners work individually with one of their Six Bricks on the table next to each other with studs facing up.

Ask the learners to count the studs each brick has. Ask them to count how many pairs of studs each brick has.

You can now ask the learners to work on their own to cover 2 pairs of studs and write down the resulting fraction-2/4 and then follow by covering 3 pairs resulting-3/4  and write it down. In this way the learners cover all the studs and write the fractions.

• Measurement :Capacity

This activity can be done outside with the learners in groups of 4-6.

Place 3 buckets(any container) in the middle of the group .One container is empty. Other is half filled and and the third is full. Use water or sand to half fill or fill these containers.

Teacher calls out the instructions; Throw you yellow brick into the half filled container, throw your green brick into the empty container, and so on

Once the game is over, ask the learners to take their loose bricks and to half fill the empty bucket/container-then fill the bucket-and count how many bricks it takes to fill/nearly fill the empty bucket.

• Map Work ;Space and shape

Within a designated area of school, allow the learners to work in pairs/teams to create a treasure map which includes walking directions to find Six Bricks treasure.

Learners can use their bricks as “breadcrumbs” and they can leave a trail of bricks for their partner to find. This trail of bricks can be placed in a specific position in the designated area of the school.

Once pairs/teams have created their direction/treasure map, they can swap it with other teams. They will then follow the treasure map to find the trails of bricks. The pairs/teams that collect all the Six Bricks by following the treasure map can then build a trophy for themselves.

• Money and Change : Solve money problems .

Assign a monetary value to each brick(paste a picture of different coins on each brick)

Put price tags on some objects in the classrooms, e.g. :dustbin  Rs20, Chair-Rs50 etc.

Let's go shopping :learners buy and sell their objects.

Can you work out how much money you need to pay, and can the seller give you the correct change?

• Time passes :telling the time.

Learners choose any 5 of their Six bricks. Create a long hand with 3 bricks and a short hand with 2 bricks.

Numbers are placed all around the hands as they would on a clock.

The teacher calls out and shows the  time.

In pairs, show the position of the hands as it would look on the clock.

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In this way, At Bit and Bricks, Teachers and Educators can learn different ways to teach with Six Bricks whether it is Mathematics, Science, English, etc. Six Bricks can be a very effective tool for teaching different concepts and the learners are able to grasp it very effectively.

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