LEGO® Education Celebrates 40 Years of Reimagining the Way Children Learn with New Hands-on STEAM Learning Solution
New LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime solution for middle school is now available; applications open for the 2020 LEGO Education Master Educator Program
BILLUND, Denmark (January 14, 2020) –LEGO® Education is celebrating its 40th birthday with the worldwide launch of its newest educational solution, LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime. SPIKE Prime brings together LEGO bricks, a programmable, multi-port Hub, sensors and motors all powered by the engaging SPIKE App based on the Scratch coding language, along with 32 lesson plans. SPIKE Prime will continue LEGO Education’s legacy since 1980 as a pioneer in hands-on learning, transforming the way students learn STEAM subjects.
Since its unveiling in April 2019, LEGO Education SPIKE Prime has been the most anticipated product from LEGO Education. SPIKE Prime delivers an intuitive, naturally adaptive and highly inclusive learning experience that helps students build confidence and develop the essential STEAM and 21st century skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing workforce. LEGO Education SPIKE Prime is available for purchase today for $329.95, and will be featured at the Bett Show in London on January 22-25.
With teacher training, getting-started guides, and free lesson plans, SPIKE Prime is designed to be as easy and intuitive for teachers as it is for students. Three in-person training courses delivered by LEGO Education Academy-certified teacher trainers are also available to ensure teachers have everything they need to confidently and successfully integrate SPIKE Prime into existing curriculum and lesson plans.
“As an educator who is always trying to find new ways to teach STEAM topics, I’m excited about LEGO Education SPIKE Prime because it fits in with the maker mindset and creative elements that help get students at all levels involved and hands-on in the classroom,” said Jon Bishop, K-12 STEM Coordinator for Canton Public School District and LEGO Master Educator. “We all know STEAM topics are important, and with SPIKE Prime you can bring that into any class – whether it’s a dedicated STEAM or robotics class or a Science, Math or even English course. The diversity of SPIKE Prime makes me most excited about bringing it into my school district.”
SPIKE Prime joins the 40 years of LEGO Education’s legacy of hands-on learning solutions that are cross-curricular, easy to implement, engaging to all levels of learners and are customizable to fit the needs of any classroom from K-12. The entire LEGO Education portfolio, now including SPIKE Prime, was specifically designed to get students hands-on with lessons that challenge them to think critically and creatively, to problem solve and to communicate effectively with others. With its continuum of hands-on learning solutions, LEGO Education helps teachers incorporate hands-on STEAM learning into the classroom to engage all students and build their confidence in learning.
“While a lot has changed in the 40 years since LEGO Education was formed, the mission we committed to is as relevant today as it was then,” says Esben Stærk, president, LEGO Education. “Playful learning is at the heart of the company, and we have always believed that hands-on learning builds the confidence and skillset children need. With the acceleration of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and automation, it’s more important than ever to equip teachers with solutions and resources like SPIKE Prime that engage all students in STEAM learning and develop the skills required in the 21st century job market.”
LEGO Education Master Educator Program
As LEGO Education celebrates its 40th birthday, it also celebrates the educators who inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. The LEGO Education Master Educator Program recognizes those teachers who share the LEGO Education mission in building their students’ confidence and 21st century skills. Master Educators are everyday heroes making an impact in their classrooms with hands-on LEGO learning and are lifelong learners themselves, looking for new ways to engage their students. Through the Master Educator Program, like-minded educators can share knowledge and ideas for student success with the support of their peers and LEGO Education.
Applications for the 2020 Master Educator cohort are now being accepted. Interested educators in Australia, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are invited to apply through April 30, 2020. Details about the program, application process and program eligibility can be found at: LEGOeducation.com/MasterEducators.
About LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime
– Designed for ages 10+, grades 6-8
– Costs $329.95 per set, which can be shared by two students at a time
– Based on the drag-and-drop Scratch coding platform and available for iOS, Chrome, Windows 10, Mac and Android
– 32 lessons help get teachers started and make integrating SPIKE Prime into a variety of classes from science and math to social studies and language arts incredibly easy
– Ensures that multiple classrooms can share sets within a school with streamlined 45-minute build + lesson time
– Includes 11 new innovative elements developed by LEGO Education and the LEGO Group, first seen in SPIKE Prime
– Available for purchase on the LEGO Education website or through authorized resellers
– Brings STEAM creativity and engagement into afterschool programs, robotics clubs, coding programs and maker spaces with the LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime Expansion Set by LEGO Education (sold separately)
– The Expansion Set and Competition Ready unit can now be used in
competition by robotics competition teams, including *FIRST*® LEGO® League and World Robot Olympiad
