LEGO Education SPIKE Essential set for STEAM also aims for social skills

This week LEGO launched a new primary school STEAM teaching system with LEGO Education SPIKE Essential. This newest release is part of the greater LEGO Learning System and is aimed at enriching both STEAM skills and social skills. The first product in this series is the LEGO Education SPIKE Essential Set, and it'll go on pre-order starting this week and shipping starts on August 31, 2021.

The LEGO Education SPIKE Essential Set is being promoted by LEGO as "the cross-curricular STEAM solution for primary education" This set works with standards-aligned learning units with what LEGO describes as a "hands-on investigation of STEAM concepts while contributing to literacy, math, and social-emotional development."

Part of the draw of this new system are the skills it aims to teach. Not only literacy and math, but social-emotional skills as well. Each teaching Unit includes aims like observation skills, collaborative skills, problem-solving, and conversation skills. These skills, perhaps now (in and after the COVID-19 pandemic), are more important for students around the world than they've ever been before. In addition to traditional brick elements, this set works with the Intelligent Hub, motors, a Color Sensor, and a Light Matrix.

This newest system for LEGO Education also utilize friendly faces – minifigures telling stories with familiar LEGO elements. Four individual minifigure characters are included: Maria, Daniel, Sofie, and Leo. TO BE CLEAR: These aren't exclusive minifigures only available in this one set, or anything. They're characters mean to assist in teaching students lessons with this new SPIKE Essential Set (and beyond). They ARE included in this set, but their parts aren't meant to be exclusive.

The LEGO Education Spike Essential Set will be made available on pre-order starting today. Shipping starts on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. The LEGO Education SPIKE Essential Set includes 449 bricks, 40 lessons, and will cost approximately $274.95 USD. This set is recommended for 2 students ages 6 and above. LEGO has a Grants and Funding page for teachers and education officials, too.