LEGO Education launches a new breakthrough learning solution with LEGO Education Science. This approach aims to assist teachers in developing and bringing much-needed, experiential lessons about science for K-8 classrooms, thus leading young learners down paths of improved critical thinking and creative problem solving. The offer comes with 120+ hours of interactive and standards-aligned lessons about science to the classroom by combining ready-to-use class presentations into something that both the teacher and students can imagine science coming true in their studies.
With the rising need for critical thinking skills and a solid understanding of scientific principles, LEGO Education Science answers a growing need in education. A survey commissioned by LEGO Education for the State of Classroom Engagement Report: Science Edition found that 45 percent of students who listed science as one of their least favorite subjects described it as 'too hard', and 37 percent felt they were 'bad at it'. Significantly, 58% of these students were girls and it reflects a persisting gap between genders.
These findings call for a reimagining of science education to make it more inclusive and engaging for all students. Besides the impartation of scientific knowledge, LEGO Education believes that science learning is necessary in developing lifelong skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity. By providing students with the tools they need to understand complex scientific concepts in an interactive way, LEGO Education seeks to address the issues many students face in engaging with science.
Victor Saeijs, President of LEGO Education, placed the importance of science in education while articulating: "Science teaches us to ask curious questions to understand the world around us. If students think they're not good at the subject or avoid it, we risk losing an entire generation of innovators and problem-solvers. We share your commitment as educators to excite and engage students with high-quality science education".
LEGO Education Science is meant to inspire curiosity and foster inquiry-based learning through its engaging lessons and hands-on activities. Each lesson starts with a big question that sparks curiosity and encourages students to explore scientific concepts in the real world. For instance, students will learn about topics such as biomimicry (NGSS-LS1-1), reducing the impact of natural events (NGSS-4-ESS3-2), and changes in kinetic energy (NGSS-MS-PS3-5), among many others. These lessons are all aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, along with other state and national standards, making it easy for educators to integrate the curriculum into their existing science programs.
The LEGO Education Science kits are unique in that they promote teamwork and hands-on learning. Each learner is encouraged to engage actively with the others in their team within the lesson. It fosters diversity in learning styles, as well as verbal and nonverbal engagement for effective communication and teamwork in solving tasks. The kits are suitable for a class of up to four students at a time.
Jill Snodgrass, a fourth-grade math and science teacher at Kernan Trail Elementary in Florida, tested the new solution with her students and shared her excitement about the results. "It's inspiring to see the enthusiasm and creativity of the students. They are able to connect abstract ideas to tangible, concrete outcomes due to the tangibility of work with LEGO bricks. They're so excited for the finished product of the lesson, especially to see how a rattlesnake shakes off predators using the rattling sound from its tail".
Despite the huge quest for hands-on learning, only 55 percent of students around the world get such experiences while in science class, a report stated. LEGO Education Science is out to change all this by making learning more accessible and engaging for every student. Interactive lessons and hands-on activities promise to open up 'aha' moments for students, empowering them and enriching classroom engagement across the globe.
In closing, Andrew Sliwinski, Head of Product Experience at LEGO Education added, "The most powerful thing we can do as educators is to instill a lifelong love of learning in our students. LEGO Education Science supports educators worldwide to bring science standards to life in a new way with ready-made lessons and high-quality, reusable LEGO bricks and hardware. I can only imagine these learning experiences in the hands of the students".
The new LEGO Education Science solution will start shipping in August 2025. Teachers and educators can learn more about the product and sign up for updates by visiting LEGO Education's official website: https://www.legoeducation.com/science. With its promise to revolutionize science education, LEGO Education Science is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of problem-solvers and innovators.
