Writing Clear Directions with Legos!

The ability to create and follow clear, ordered plans is useful in many aspects of life. However, being able to provide a detailed, precise plan that others can follow can be challenging. A plan that contains all the information needed to replicate an experiment includes three parts: a list of materials needed, a set of instructions on how to use these materials, and descriptions of the intermediate results.

In today’s activity, students got the chance to practice giving precise instructions. Each student received a bag containing two identical sets of construction blocks. Using one set of the blocks, students were given a set amount of time to build a creation of their choosing and write a set of instructions detailing each step of the building process. The purpose of this was for each student to write down instructions that are detailed enough so that others could replicate their models. Once the students were done building and writing, they passed their instructions and blocks on to classmates to build by following the directions. Afterwards they compared the originals to the recreations and were able to see how more detailed and precise instructions had led to more accurate results.

As a class we talked about ways students could improve their directions to make it easier for another person to follow. Using precise locations, like “centered” or “on the left”, and specific shapes, colors and sizes to identify pieces were some of the ideas that students came up with to help improve their directions. Some students found that drawings helped a lot as well.

Pensamiento Procesal: Cómo Escribir Instrucciones Claras.

La habilidad de crear y seguir un plan es algo muy útil en muchos aspectos de nuestra vida. No obstante, ser capaz de proveer un plan de manera precisa y detallada a modo que otros sean capaces de seguirlo, puede ser muy difícil. Un plan que contiene toda la información necesaria para replicar un experimento debe incluir tres partes: una lista de los materiales necesarios, un set de instrucciones de cómo usar los materiales y descripciones sobre resultados preliminares.

En la actividad del día de hoy, los estudiantes tuvieron la oportunidad de practicar el dar instrucciones precisas. Cada alumno recibió una bolsa con dos sets de bloques de construcción idénticos. Usando un set, los estudiantes tuvieron un tiempo determinado para construir una creación propia y para escribir un set de instrucciones que detallara cada uno de los pasos del proceso de construcción. El propósito de esto fue que cada estudiante escribiera instrucciones lo suficientemente detalladas para que los otros pudieran replicar sus modelos. Una vez que los estudiantes terminaron, le pasaron sus instrucciones y bloques de construcción a otro compañero. Después compararon las construcciones originales con las recreaciones y fueron capaces de distinguir que los set de instrucciones más detalladas tuvieron resultados más precisos.

Finalmente toda la clase discutió sobre las maneras de mejorar las instrucciones para que hacer más fácil que otra persona las siga. Dentro de las ideas para mejorar las indicaciones se discutió usar ubicaciones precisas como “al centro o a la izquierda” y describir las piezas por forma, color y tamaño.

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9 Comments:

  • avatar
    amari / Reply

    What I learned about my procedure was to give some more images.It can be a better procedure because a example is people don’t get the writing.Also give as many details as possible or else people won’t get it .He is some things that i learned about the procedure.

  • avatar
    Mohammad / Reply

    I learned that if your are trying to make a recipe you have to make clear Oder because the person who is going to follow the recipe is not going to understand what you saying. The Lego project was so fun. :) : )

  • avatar
    caoimhe / Reply

    what i learned was that you have to make your perseger very spseict for them to understand what you are trying to say to them. and because you have to make it so you can do it because that means that they can do it to.

  • avatar
    Romeo ???? / Reply

    I was disappointed how I had to use Lego Duplos, instead of normal Lego bricks.
    I learned that my partner’s procedure was not specific enough, because I did not get the instructions correctly, and we didn’t build the same thing. I was also disappointed that I had to use all the blocks, even if I just wanted to make a tree. ????

  • avatar
    James / Reply

    I wrote my procedure on building a hideout for a Lego character. I wrote it to my partner Caoimhe. It was important to write my procedure to Caoimhe so she would know how to build it. I wrote the steps in order this will help Caoimhe in the future so she will know how to build it. When writing a procedure you have to remember to include details about steps needed for the experiment. Caoimhe also wrote her procedure to me. I had a little trouble following her procedure because the steps were confusing.

  • avatar
    William / Reply

    Well we are doing procedures and to be more detailed. Also be specific of when your telling or teaching so they can copy it. You should maybe add images.

  • avatar
    Hari / Reply

    I learned about procedures. What I learned about procedures is to make a plan. I also learned it is a way to build something that is creative or that is interesting. Also I made what my partner Levine made, a lego robot. It was a interesting thing that anyone built with legos and It was really interesting.

  • avatar
    Kimberly Willingham / Reply

    Nice to see you engaging with science and engineering concepts, Kamau! Build away!

  • avatar
    Giovanni / Reply

    When my partner wrote his procedure I realized that everybody has different ways of understanding things differently so next time I write an procedure I will be very specific .

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