Easy Grouping Strategies for LEGO® Education Science & CS/AI

Quick, flexible ways to form student groups and assign roles using the color minifigures included in every set.

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LEGO® Education Science and LEGO® Education Computer Science & AI are designed for students to work in groups of 4. Each box has 4 different color minifigures, blue, green, yellow and red. Lessons are designed for each student to select a color and then follow the building instructions for that color as they work as a group to build the model used in the lesson investigation.

Having trouble deciding how to group your students? Here are some fun ideas from teachers:

Random Count Off
Place all the minifigures in a bag. Have each student selected a minifigure from the bag. Arrange students by the color, then count off in order in each color group (e.g., 1–5, 1–8, etc.). All 1s = Group 1, all 2s = Group 2, etc.
Make a Match
Use color-coded cards, each with a shape/ number that determines a group. “Find your match!” feels spontaneous but gives you total control.
The Mixed Bag
Put the four different colored minifigures from each set into a bag. Have students draw one minifigure each. Group the first four of each color in a group, then the next four, etc.
Dice Roll
Have students roll a dice and use that to assign groups. Some students may have to reroll until all groups are formed evenly.

 

In addition to grouping students, here are some teacher tips for assigning roles to each person in the group.

General Roles to Consider
  • Leader / facilitator
  • Recorder / scribe
  • Timekeeper
  • Researcher
  • Presenter / speaker
  • Quality control / model checker
  • Encourager
  • Materials organizer
Assign Each Color a Role
Assign each color minifigure a role in the group. Red could be the timekeeper, blue the scribe, green the materials manager, and yellow the model checker.
Randomize Roles
Have a role written on a card. Randomly hand out the cards to each person in a group to assign roles for the day.
Group Roles
Assign students to work in pairs in the group of 4. Assign each pair a role to share — great for students needing extra support.

 

You may also consider other ideas for how to use your groups during the learning:

Peer Review
Select a color minifigure to the station lead for the day. Each group represents a station. Have students rotate through each station to learn about what that group did during the lesson.
Jigsaw
Have the same color role (minifigure) from each group come together (e.g., all yellow, all red) for a jigsaw exploration of an idea or question then bring those ideas back to their group.
Rotate Leaders
Designate a color (say, yellow) as the anchor for the day, and have one student per group assigned to that color to assume that special role, whether set collector, table lead, model checker.
Snowball Reflecting
Randomly assign a color order. Have students follow that order to share reflections from their learning with the whole group, adding to what others have said.