Aug. 17, 2021

LEGO Education Launches “Spike Essential” to support STEAM Education in K-5 Classrooms

Show Notes

In this episode of The TeacherCast Podcast Jeff sits down with Dr. Jenny Nash, Head of Education Impact US for LEGO Education to discuss the brand new SPIKE Essential. Announced as part of the LEGO Learning System, LEGO® Education introduces SPIKE™ Essential to engage students in STEAM through playful learning experiences, putting them on the path to become resilient, independent thinkers SPIKE Essential joins LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime, LEGO® Education BricQ Motion Essential, and LEGO® Education BricQ Motion Prime in the suite of solutions offered as part of the LEGO Learning System to deliver STEAM knowledge, academic practices, and 21st-century skills through a progression of playful experiences from primary to secondary school. Year-over-year students build increasing sophistication, independence, and fluency in approaching problems hands-on, and cultivate essential skills like creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. The LEGO Learning System meets every student where they are on their learning journey and delivers learning outcomes that future-proof their skills. Its scalable design, along with personalized professional development resources, makes it easy to implement at the classroom, school or district level – all at once or by introducing individual solutions over time. Combining the technology-enhanced LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Portfolio and non-tech LEGO® Education BricQ Motion solutions, the Learning System makes abstract concepts more tangible as students move from simple explorations to tackling increasingly complex real-world challenges. With unlimited possibilities for playful hands-on STEAM learning, students become life-long confident learners. If you would like to be a part of future podcasts and share your thoughts, please contact the podcast. We would love to have you join the show.

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Weekly Topic

What are you announcing today?
How is LEGO Educationrethinking learning?
Why is hands-on, purposeful play so important?
Why is STEAM curriculum so important for kids today?

About LEGO Education

LEGO® Education offers a range of playful, hands-on STEAM learning experiences based on its comprehensive learning system for students in early learning, primary and secondary education, as well as through after-school programs and competitions. From the Early Learning portfolio to the LEGO® Learning System, these solutions create an active and collaborative environment where learners of all levels and abilities build their confidence, future-proof their skills, and spark a lifelong love of learning. LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure, and the SPIKE logo are trademarks and/or copyrights of the LEGO Group. ©2021 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved.

Links Of Interest

Twitter: @LEGO_Education
Instagram: @legoeducation
Facebook: @LEGOeducationOfficial

About LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential

Designed for ages 6+
Costs $274.95 per set, which can be shared by up to two students at a time
Includes 449 LEGO bricks (including replacement elements)
Sturdy storage box with color-coded sorting trays
5 hardware components
5 curriculum units with 7-8 lessons of 45 minutes each
Each unit contains 6-10 hours of educational content and 30+ minutes of language arts and math extensions for each lesson

About LEGO® Learning System

A system of exciting STEAM solutions for an integrated continuum of learning including curriculum, bricks, hardware, programming and professional development
The suite of products included in the LEGO® Learning System are LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential and LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime with hardware and programming elements for premium, technology-enhanced STEAM learning experiences, and LEGO® Education BricQ Motion Essential and LEGO® Education BricQ Motion Prime for non-tech solutions with a focus on physical science
Built-in scaffolding for easy implementation at the classroom, school or district level
Flexibility to implement the full system at once or introduce individual solutions over time to secure deeper learning across grade levels, with or without technology
More than 130 hours of playful learning backed by 40 years of experience and based on Learning through Play principles

About our Guest: Dr. Jenny Nash

Dr. Jenny Nash serves as the Head of Education Impact Team for LEGO Education in the US, where she provides direction and leadership in delivering meaningful education opportunities for students. With previous experiences as a professional development provider and Middle School Science teacher, Jenny is an advocate for hands-on, inquiry-based learning for students and building confidence in teachers to provide this type of learning.

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