Programming SPIKE Essential robots in Icon blocks: Early Learners

Full-year, 25-lesson robotics curriculum for schools and homeschoolers that teaches kids 6–9 coding basics with standards-aligned projects.

Get a quote

Course overview

Give your K–3 learners a year of joyful STEM with this full-year, 25-lesson robotics course for LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential. Made for ages 6–9, each lesson pairs a quick build with clear, step-by-step programming exercise in the Icon Blocks visual language. Students start with simple motor moves, then proceed to sensors, loops, events and on-hub data displays. Lesson plans work smoothly at a 1:2 kit ratio and come with ready-to-print extras.

Mapped to NGSS, ISTE, CCSS and CSTA, it’s a practical, classroom-tested way to teach programming basics across the whole school year – perfect for teachers, clubs and homeschoolers.

Is this course right for you?

Teachers & facilitators

Who want a ready-made robotics program without writing their own materials. No specialist coding background required – our platform walks you through every step.

Students aged 6 to 9

Best for ages 6–9 (grades 1–3). Adaptable for advanced 5-year-olds with adult support, and still engaging for first-time learners up to age 11 with extension challenges.

Classrooms, clubs and camps

One SPIKE Essential set comfortably serves 2 learners working together, so you can scale the course to your group size. All students get controlled access to the platform.

Programming SPIKE Essential robots: Early Learners course includes:

Full-year curriculum, ready to teach

25 multimedia lesson plans Begin with simple motor moves and grow into sensor events, loops, messages, and on-hub data displays. Each lesson blends a kid-friendly STEAM intro, a clear build guide, and an interactive Icon Blocks visual-programming walkthrough.

Signature robot projects Spotlights include a maze-running rover, a programmable dice roller, and a mini conveyor – showstoppers that whirr, blink, and cheer! Kids unlock new sensors, clever mechanisms, and fresh Icon Blocks, keeping them hooked on building, testing, and tweaking.

Teacher-focused resources

On-demand teacher webinar Led by RoboCamp experts. Get to know the SPIKE Essential set, the SPIKE app, their possibilities (and limitations) in school & home education. Learn about creative and guided building. Replay the training anytime during your subscription.

Teacher licence with unlimited student logins Share a secure link, or create unique logins. Every learner can open the lesson on their own device at no extra cost.

Direct expert supportGet support by email or schedule a call whenever you need help with course setup, implementation, or classroom flow.

Interactive e-learning platform

Browser-basedNo additional software or plugins required. Teach from virtually any internet-connected device.

Controlled student accessEasily manage which lessons your students can access and for how long. Assign different projects to groups or make a single lesson available to the entire class.

How it works

Get access
Choose your access plan, then log in to the e-learning platform.

Pick a lesson
Launch any of the 25 lesson projects with a few clicks.

Teach & enjoy
Focus on guiding students while the platform delivers instructions.

Get your access

Lesson plans in this course

3 out of 25 engaging lessons that you can teach in your classroom. Get a quote to receive full curriculum.
Click to browse all lessons in this course.

Mini Bulldozer

Lesson time: 45 - 90 min

Student age: 6 - 9

Build a compact, wheeled dozer and code it to clear a paper jobsite with differential steering and a steady sweep pattern. Students refine turns, adjust blade design, and set repeat loops to cover more ground – testing routes, timing runs, and learning how tiny motor tweaks change big outcomes.

Aligned with NGSS, ISTE, CCSS and CSTA standards Focuses on defining a simple problem, iterating toward better outcome, timing trials and comparing results, and composing sequences/loops to achieve a task.

Turn cleanup into a sport Set up lanes, drop in “debris,” and watch teams shave seconds off their best time while swapping blades and strategies – exactly the kind of tinkering that keeps them asking for one more try.

Chatty Alien

Lesson time: 90 min

Student age: 6 - 9

Build a quirky, animated “alien” and bring it to life. Color sensor “spots” nearby hands and kicks off randomized lights, sounds, and motions, so learners practice event-driven behavior while tuning reactions for different moods. First they experiment with code blocks set to random, then can add custom sounds, adjust timing, and refine how the alien greets visitors.

NGSS, ISTE, CCSS and CSTA compliantLesson emphasizes observation/cause–effect (science practices), creative communication of design choices, and testing/debugging simple event-driven programs.

Give robot a personality Kids “dial in” personality by randomizing lights, music, and sound effects. No two aliens behave the same, and students love showing how a wave of the hand triggers a brand-new response every time.

Dice

Lesson time: 80 - 90 min

Student age: 6 - 9

Create a tilt-to-roll electronic die: the light matrix shows a random 1–6 whenever the hub tilts, and message blocks help decide the outcome. Students learn to reset the matrix, add delay to avoid “double rolls,” and discuss fairness and probability as they test dozens of spins in quick succession.

Covers NGSS, ISTE, CCSS and CSTA standards Students build and test, explain their choices, practice real-world math, and program easy event-driven behaviors that send and receive messages between code blocks

Board game upgrade No lost dice, just tilt and play. Hook it to a scoreboard bot that celebrates each roll and you’ve got a living math station that kids will beg to use during free time.

Find out what to expect during the lesson

See how all the lesson stages can look like, when conducted with the help of RoboCamp lesson plans

Course curriculum includes...

25 multimedia lesson plans. Engaging and reliable lessons arranged into a programming curriculum for an entire school year. Every lesson plan introduces a new command, or a new programming concept, explained with the help of robots built from SPIKE Prime elements.

Difficulty level that progresses with each lesson. As you advance this course, the robots become more and more complex in terms of their mechanics and programming.

Step-by-step instructions. For the teacher and for their students, throughout all the lesson stages. Each step is explained in text and accompanied by easy-to-understand multimedia.

Programming in SPIKE Icon blocks, an intuitive graphic coding language created for children as young as 6 years old. After completing the course, kids will be able to explain key programming concepts and apply them in SPIKE Icon Blocks.

Assignments designed for early learners, their age and capabilities. Additionally, students following this course develop their STEAM knowledge and learn how to use the mechanical LEGO elements.

Dozens of hours of teacher time saved. The lesson is already prepared, which saves the teacher precious time that they can use for self-development, supporting their students, and more!

Get a quote to receive full curriculum

Discover our online platform

Take a peek inside RoboCamp education platform and see what it can add to your lessons

Free access for students

Included with the price All of your students can access the instructions and multimedia for the lesson at no extra cost.

Flexible number of accounts Got a new student added to your class? Reach out to our support to expand the number of student accounts available to you.

Easy to use

User-friendly interface Simply log in and pick the lesson for today. Browse everything available, or select from your favorites.

Intuitive lesson flow Each lesson is composed of introduction, building, checking the mechanism, programming it and testing.

For individual and group work

Designed for teaching and learning Teacher can control student access to instructions and multimedia, to suit their teaching style.

Different projects for different groups Assign different tasks within your classroom by sharing different lesson projects with your students.

Teacher training

Prepare for teaching robotics and programming at school with our help. Everything you need to know is explained and easily accessible.

Get ready for working with SPIKE Essential

Learn about the LEGO Education SPIKE Essential set, the SPIKE app needed for programming tasks, and the most common pitfalls – everything you need to know early on.

Learn practical knowledge from experts

Webinars conducted by specialists in educational robotics, who focus on hands-on, tested knowledge that you will need during the lesson.

Watch anytime, anywhere

Webinar is conveniently available online for the entire year of your access period. You can also rewatch the webinar whenever you need to freshen up your memory.

How to start? Robotics at school with LEGO Education SPIKE Essential

Get to know SPIKE Essential. Learn about the requirements of this set, its possibilities in school & home STEAM education, as well as age recommendations and the inevitable limitations.

See the difference between different STEAM sets. We will compare Essential with other LEGO Education sets so that you know how to make most of what you have and whether you should upgrade your lab... or not.

Explore the contents. See the bricks and electronics up close, learn their pros and cons. Find out how to prepare your classes for creative building vs building with instructions.

Programming in practice. Discover the most useful features of the SPIKE app, and see how to program a robot step by step, by using one of the RoboCamp models.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a lesson and how many hours does the course cover?

❯

Each lesson plan is designed to fit into 1 or 2 standard class periods. With 25 complete lesson plans, you’ve got enough material to run engaging, hands-on sessions throughout the entire school year. No need to worry about running out of content — everything’s ready to go!

Do I need a SPIKE Prime kit for every student?

❯

Not at all! One kit is more than enough for a small team of 2–3 students. It’s an ideal setup for collaborative, project-based learning — and it keeps things budget-friendly, especially for larger groups or full classes.

I’m new to coding – can I still teach this?

❯

Absolutely! This course is built with beginners in mind. You’ll find clear, step-by-step instructions for building and coding, so you don’t need any prior experience. Plus, our webinar walks you through everything you need to know before your first lesson. You’ll feel confident and prepared from the start.

What’s included with my subscription?

❯

You get the full course: 25 interactive lesson plans, yearly access for both teachers and students, and support from our team of experts whenever you need it. We’ve taken care of the logistics so you can focus on teaching and guiding your students.

Does the course align with curriculum standards?

❯

Yes, absolutely. The lessons are designed to hit key STEAM learning goals — from coding logic to physics, math, and problem-solving. That means they fit naturally into most national curricula for computing, science, and technical education. This course is also aligned with NGSS, ISTE, CCSS Math, and CSTA K-12 standards. Reach out to us if you need more information.

What is the difference between the SPIKE Essential Programming Course, and the Teacher Plan?

❯

If your school primarily uses SPIKE Essential sets, this standalone course is a perfect option for you! However, if you have multiple different LEGO Education sets and need a more cost-effective solution, our RoboCamp Teacher Plan might be a better fit. Compare purchase options here.

Course pricing

SPIKE Essential Programming: Early Learners Course

Access for 1 teacher

On-demand teacher training webinar

25 lesson plans with step-by-step instructions

Access for students

299

1 year access