LEGO Education SPIKE Prime Brings Coding and Robotics to the Middle School Classroom
LEGO Education today
revealed SPIKE
Prime, a hands-on classroom robotics and coding system for grades
6–8.
SPIKE Prime is different from other robotics/coding systems in
several ways.
-
Its lessons are designed to be completed within a 45-minute class
period, including build time, coding and execution.
-
It offers a “Buddy Build” system designed to force students to
collaborate, rather than creating a situation where one student does
all the work with the others sit around and watch. Buddy Build
divides up a project so that each team member has specific
responsibilities.
-
It includes an “integrator brick,” which “allows for building
together with both the LEGO Technic and the LEGO system platforms,
further expanding systematic creativity and the building
possibilities,” according to LEGO.
SPIKE Prime ships with curriculum, software and hardware components,
including:
-
Four complete lesson units;
-
33 lesson plans, most designed to be completed within 45 minutes;
-
523 bricks;
-
SPIKE Hub, a box that acts as the brain for SPIKE creations and
includes sensors, ports and LEDs; and
-
SPIKE app, whoch is the digital environment for SPIKE Prime.
“Available across platforms, the SPIKE App connects the digital
world to the physical LEGO bricks and elements,” according to
LEGO. “Students will find a coding canvas where they’ll use a
Scratch-based language to bring their creations and models to life.”
SPIKE Prime runs $329.95 and is available for preorder now. It’s
expected to be available in August. Complete
details can be found on LEGO Education’s site.