Lego used to be all about creativity. Kids could make a new toy any time they wanted. Now, however, it seems that the focus is on "collecting" and "displaying" but not on using your pieces to make new things. As evidence, look at the old sets. They had images on the box that showed "some of the endless building possibilities". Click here for an example from 1980 that shows 20 different models. (But if you include a vehicle as one model and a building as another, the total shown is a staggering 31!) Contrast that with what we have now: A few images of the single model. Click here for an extensive list of "Back of the Box Builds".
Each Art table will have a box of basic lego bricks to work with. The teacher states a "Challenge" and gives the students 20 minutes to complete the challenge. For instance, the teacher may give a challenge to make a character from a video game and students will build a whole variety of different characters. The small image on the left is one example. Click here for our gallery of Lego sculptures done by my elementary students.
Click here for professional lego sculpture inspiration.
At a specified time students line up and we make the room into an art gallery where we walk through and view each creation. A critique session may be held after the build in which students talk about their project and comment on other's projects.
This project could also be an easy and non-messy "emergency activity" for times when a substitute teacher is required on short notice.
Sometimes students are shown images from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (Next to the Walker Art Center). Using the idea of outdoor sculptural installations, students are to make a lego sculpture that could be shown in a sculpture garden. Each student is given a green sheet of paper to build their sculpture on.
Below is a list of possible challenge ideas: