Help Center and FAQs

Contact us now for help planning a Kid Spark program, or register for our next grant cycle.
 

 FAQs

Getting Started

 

Does Kid Spark Education charge participation fees? 

No. There are no participation fees, no charges for curriculum, software, or professional learning.  They only thing needed to start a program is a Mobile STEM Lab.

 

Do you provide training?

Yes. Online, on-demand professional learning is provided for each phase of the program.  Visit Curriculum / Professional Learning to learn more, or contact other teachers using Kid Spark in their classrooms on our Community Page.

 

Do you provide curriculum for all grade levels?

Yes. There is age/grade appropriate curriculum for all grades, Pre-K - 8.  Resources include teacher lesson plans, student workbooks, rubrics and evaluations, instructional videos, and both graphical and text based software for teaching robotics and computer science. Visit the Curriculum Library to learn more.

 

Are there grants available for Kid Spark programs?

Yes. We grant hundreds of programs and ship thousands of Mobile STEM Labs, free of charge, to Title 1 schools each year.  Please click here to learn more. 

 

Can programs be purchased?

Yes. Visit the Mobile STEM Labs page to select and purchase the labs you need.  Nothing else needs to be purchased in order to start a program. Or, click here to get support from Kid Spark staff in planning your program.

 

Do you accept purchase orders?

Yes. To get started, please reach out to our Client Services Team by sending us an email at contact@kidsparkeducation.org or give us a call at 888.476.5265.

Curriculum

 

What is included in lessons?

Generally, each lesson includes a Teacher lesson Plan, Curriculum Packet, Student Workbook, and Unit Assessment. Some lessons include instructional videos, while robotics and computer science lessons include supporting software. Visit the Curriculum Library to learn more.

 

Can any student participate?

Yes. The program is designed meet students where they are in their development.  Because the Mobile STEM Labs are used across all grade levels, it's easy to match lessons to student's needs.

 

Is Kid Spark aligned to standards?

Yes.  Each teacher lesson plan maps to the Next Generation Science Standards and ITEEA Standards covered in that lesson.  Engineering is one of four Disciplinary Core Ideas in The Next Generation Science Standards; the practices and cross-cutting concepts employed in the study of engineering are essentially the same as those employed in the study of science. Both the Kid Spark Elementary and Middle School Programs introduce students to the scientific and engineering practices, cross-cutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas that are outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards.

 

Where can I find the curriculum?

You can view and/or download the curriculum on our curriculum and professional learning page. Simply create a free account to log in and you are ready to go! Explore Curriculum

Professional Learning

 

How will our teachers and STEM instructors get support in using the Kid Spark curriculum and engineering materials?

Professional learning support is located with each phase of Kid Spark curriculum on our website here. Online learning allow teachers to access the specific support needed when it’s convenient, and at their own pace.

 

Do I need to be trained in robotic programming/coding to teach the program?

No. Teachers only need to access support for the portion of the Kid Spark curriculum they will use. . . you won't need to be familiar with coding if you are teaching Kindergarten.  At the same time, our entire program can facilitated by any educator that makes use of our on-line professional learning resources and teacher lesson plans. You might find that teaching robotics is a lot easier and more fun than you imagined!

Mobile STEM Labs

 

How many Mobile STEM Labs or class sets do we need?

Mobile STEM Labs are designed to be shared across classrooms and across grade levels. A single class set can serve multiple classrooms and multiple grades. A typical elementary school of 400 - 500 students will require 6 ROK Blocks and 12 Engineering Pathways labs for a comprehensive Pre-K - 8 program.  Please go to Plan Your Program to contact a client services representative for more information.

 

How many students can be supported by a Mobile STEM Lab?

We recommend no more than 4 students per Mobile STEM Lab.

 

What is the SnapStack Mobile STEM Lab? Do we need it?

SnapStack is an economic choice for teaching Kid Spark’s popular Simple Machines and ROK Reactor Challenge curriculum.  SnapStack is also used to support teaching computer-aided design and rapid prototyping with 3D printers.

 

How will we know how to organize the Mobile STEM Labs?

Each Mobile STEM Lab comes with a laminated Inventory and Organization Guide. These guides are designed for student use; they return everything to the Lab in the last few minutes of each class session. Students learn that this is part of each lesson and they get very proficient at quickly organizing the labs.

 

How do I get technical support for my ROKduino smart block?

Please complete the Help Form and a Technical Support Representative will contact you within 2 business days.

 

What should we budget for replacement parts or other ongoing costs?

Kid Spark materials are robust and reusable; materials will last for many years of constant use. An annual budget of 3% of your original investment in Mobile STEM Labs should be sufficient to replace lost or broken components.  There are no other on-going costs.

 

What type of hardware is required for robotics programming/coding?

You will need a MAC or a PC with Windows 7 or above.

 

Can we purchase replacement components?

Yes, we make it easy to maintain your STEM Labs, please visit our Replacement Parts Page.

 

Returns

 

What if I need to return my Mobile STEM Lab?

Products that are unused and in their original packaging will be considered for refund within 30 days of the shipment receipt. Please note a 10% restocking fee and any return freight charges will apply to returned products that were not shipped in error or defective. All returns must receive a return authorization prior to shipping your return.  Product to be shipped back at customer’s expense. Please contact client services at contact@kidsparkeducation.org or 888.476.5265 to speak to a Client Services Representative.

 

What is your warranty policy?

All products are warranted against defects in material and workmanship for a period of six months from the date of original purchase when used under normal operating conditions. Click here for more information.

Shipping

 

How long will it take to receive my order?

We typically ship next business day via our warehouse located in Indiana. Please allow 2-5 business days for delivery.  Canadian orders ship UPS and may experience delays at the border.

 

How can I track my order?

We will email you a tracking number once your packages have been received by the appropriate carrier.

 

Do you ship outside the US?

Our online store currently ships to the US and Canada. US shipments are shipped FedEx Ground.  Canadian shipments are shipped UPS. For countries outside the US and Canada, orders can be purchased and shipped using a 3rd party shipping company such as MyUS.com or Borderlinx.com. (These companies provide Kid Spark with a USA address and they arrange to have the packages forwarded on to you.) Kid Spark is not responsible for, nor do we have any relationship with, any 3rd party shipping company. Costs will vary. 

For larger LTL shipments, please contact our Client Services Team at contact@kidsparkeducation.org

 

How can I reach customer support?

Have more questions? We’d love to talk! Please send us an email at contact@kidsparkeducation.org or give us a call at 858.259.4433 Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm PST.