April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Parish uses Legos as building blocks of faith
The idea came from Vici Armsby, pastoral associate for faith formation. She discovered The Brick Bible, a book depicting Bible stories with the classic plastic building blocks in a comic-book style, and gave the book to her first-grade catechist.
Students who saw it immediately said they wanted to learn about Bible stories every week like that, instead of using traditional lessons. To satisfy the eager learners, Ms. Armsby found more pictures of Bible stories made out of Legos and even made a depiction of the Last Supper from Legos.
That evolved into a faith formation project for the 180 students. Each grade was assigned to build a significant story from the New Testament, ranging from the Nativity to the ascension.
Ms. Armsby asked parishioners to donate Legos, collecting hundreds of thousands of the tiny plastic blocks for the students to use. An outside donor gave money to purchase a brand-new, 790-piece set of Legos for each participating group of students.
Every group of students also received a poster board and plywood to use as the base of their creation. The Legos, which fill Rubbermaid bins in the parish center, must be the main medium used for the project, though students are allowed to use outside materials, as well.
"If they want to get creative, they can," said Ms. Armsby, noting that some groups are using toilet paper rolls to make Apostles, felt to make clothes for the Lego people and poster board as a backdrop.
The project isn't just teaching the students how to build a donkey out of Legos. Before they began building this month, they had to research their respective Bible stories.
Ms. Armsby provided each catechist with videos, books and other aids; the goal was to "first get into the Bible, let them know the story inside and out," she said. "Then it's a team-building project for the kids. They have to decide what it's going to look like, who's going to do what."
Fifth-grade catechist Linda Kane noted that her students are creating a storyboard of facts about their story of Jesus walking on water. "Not only will they be able to explain to you what's going on, but they'll have the beliefs to back it up," she told The Evangelist.
Ms. Kane is also talking with her students about how their story is applicable to their lives today, mentioning bullying and asking if her students have the faith to stand up for themselves.
"Most people would say, 'What the heck do Legos have to do with faith?'" said Ms. Armsby. But the hands-on activity has made the students excited to go to faith formation classes and learn about God and the Bible.
Sixth-grade catechist Erin Adams is letting her students take the reins on the building part of the project. She told The Evangelist that she isn't a Lego pro, but her students are learning teamwork skills and how to work together.
"I had a group of three boys who were building a mountain," she said. "I don't know if you've ever tried to make a mountain out of Legos, but it's not easy. They are learning how to cooperate and be kind to one another."
Her students are getting cre-ative, too, making fish out of triangular blocks. Less-crafty students are creating the storyboard to illustrate Jesus' multiplication of the loaves and fishes to feed 5,000 people.
Learning Bible stories is "the most important thing we can ask for in the kids," the catechist declared. "That's the thing for me that I hope they take away from it, more than playing with Legos."
The Lego creations will be displayed in the parish center at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 31, giving the students the opportunity to share their work, as well as their Bible knowledge, with their families and community members.[[In-content Ad]]
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