How do you make a Lego object without talking?

At, first the blank stares were of utter disbelief. Then, excitement spread throughout the room...silently. Students were tasked with creating objects with a partner using random Legos, but were not permitted to talk. This is an exercise that demonstrates just how vital clear communication is. Additionally, this task helps students think creatively. The rules limited only what they could NOT do - and said nothing about what they COULD do. As a result, students got creative! (As I hoped they would.) Some wrote instructions to one another on paper, many used hand signals, and some mouthed words. One bright pair walked over to an object in the room, pointed to it, shook their heads in agreement, and got to work. That was all the communication necessary. This assignment leads us into a discussion of language, and the importance of clarity and specificity.