Each year, the Frenship Foundation for Leadership awards Frenship teachers with grants that fund supplies, technology, instructional materials, and innovative lessons that spark a passion for learning. Earlier this year, Ridgewood Elementary was awarded a grant to purchase Lego sets for students throughout the school to collaboratively assemble. The goal is to inspire school unity through building the LEGO projects that the whole school could work on and actively see their progress.
LEGO sets purchased with the grant focused on literature, communication, or history. Some of the sets include a typewriter, a pyramid, a Harry Potter design, and a STEM set with multiple forms of communication.
Callie Flusche, the Ridgewood Media Specialist, explained that she wrote the teacher grant alongside Ridgewood Gifted and Talented Teacher Sandra Dannemiller to give students another opportunity to connect with something at school.
“I wanted to foster a space where students could come together and see how various ages can work together to create something of a shared interest,” said Flusche.
Students from all grades have the opportunity to work on assembling the elaborate LEGO sets during library time, PLC time, and Flex time. As they work on the LEGO builds, the students are actively collaborating with one another and working on their communication and teamwork skills.
Flusche explained that it has been enlightening to watch students come into the library and make large strides in the current build. When other classes come in and recognize that a mistake was made, they work through how to fix the problem together.
“It is encouraging students to discuss how to solve problems that other people make,” said Flusche. “It is teaching them how to communicate as a team to build a finished product. They naturally assign jobs as they build.”
The GT students have been utilizing the skills they learn in class to step up and be leaders among their peers when they get a chance to build. In the upper grade levels, LEGO leaders take charge during their build time and help push the progress forward. With some of the younger grade levels, Flusche or the teacher sits with the group and walks them through the steps.
Every grade level is working on the same two projects in the library, and they get to choose which set they want to work on that day. Flusche went on to say that some of the students have taken a lot of pride in these projects and come into the library and instantly ask what progress has been made.
When Flusche introduced this activity to the students, many were excited because they often do similar activities at home with their families, though not usually with such large sets. She explained that LEGO is a timeless toy that all ages enjoy. She has even had teachers come into the library in their spare time to partake.
“There is something about having an activity that teachers and students can do together that is not tied to grades or TEKS. They are practicing life skills in a relaxed environment that is not tied to a test. This has been a time where students who may not normally pair together can find a shared interest,” said Flusche.
Experiences like these allow students to develop higher-order thinking skills while collaborating and problem-solving with their peers. Those skills not only strengthen learning in the classroom but also prepare students for success beyond school.
Flusche explained that the foundation plays an essential role in supporting these opportunities and helping strengthen the Frenship community of learners.
“We are thankful that our community wanted to invest in our students and give them different opportunities to connect with school,” said Flusche. “The foundation makes teachers' dreams for their classrooms come true!”