We have talked about the very unique #2000451 LEGO Education Panama Canal just about a month ago (see: LEGO Education Panama Canal Available!), and at that time I mentioned that the set became available outside of Panama, directly from the Panama STEM Education website. And today, I can share even more great news; Panama STEM was able to make a special arrangement with international shipping company DHL, and they can now offer the set with free international shipping to more than one hundred countries across the globe! 🙂
Just to recap from our previous discussion on this set, Panama STEM worked together with the Panama Canal Authority and LEGO Education in the creation of the #2000451 LEGO Education Panama Canal. The set is designed for educators, children and collectors, who want to have fun while learning math, science, mechanics, and engineering. It demonstrates how a series of locks allow ships to go through the famous canal, while compensating for the height difference between sea level and the level of Gatun Lake.
The #2000451 LEGO Education Panama Canal set includes 1,184 pieces, to build the canal in five separate sections, following the building instructions in five separate booklets. This allows several children to work on the project at the same time. The structure is somewhat unfinished looking compared to standard LEGO consumer sets, but the focus here is on demonstrating the moving parts and mechanics of the canal, as you can see in the video below. The set also includes miniature models of the five different types of ships that transit through the Panama Canal.
As you can see in the video, the #2000451 LEGO Education Panama Canal effectively demonstrates how the locks work at the real Panama Canal, and it also simulates the rising and falling water levels of the chambers, as well as the independent double gate system in each of the lock chambers. There is a lot to learn both by constructing and operating the canal, and it’s fun to run the little ships through the whole system!
According to the description of the Panama STEM Education website, the set can be used by teachers in several different areas of education: 1.) Determine the importance of the evolution of the means of transport and means of communication, with the purpose of improving the quality of life of the people. 2.) Recognize the importance of the means of communication of the Republic of Panama, as a source that facilitates the development of the different activities of its people in accordance with scientific and technological progress. 3.) Highlight Panama’s participation in economic activities and trade relations with the countries of the Americas and other continents. 4.) Establish the geographical position and characteristics of the most outstanding geographical landscape of the country and the importance of its conservation for its social, political, cultural and economic development. 5.) Highlight the most significant historical events in the country and the repercussions for the present life. 6.) Use length, mass and other units of the International System, relating their equivalences and conversions to solve problems of daily life with satisfaction.
As you can see, the #2000451 LEGO Education Panama Canal is quite a unique set that can appeal to teachers, homeschoolers, after school programs, LEGO fans, and collectors alike. Only 40,000 units of the set was made, so it is also a limited-release set, with first-come-first-serve availability. The price of the set $249.95, which is kind of on the expensive side at 21 cents/piece, especially considering that the set only consists of standard LEGO elements. However, for a very unique collectible, it is not a bad price, especially that now shipping is free to most countries! If you are interested, you can visit the Panama STEM Education website directly to purchase the set. I have also added a temporary banner in the right-hand sidebar, so you can easily find it if you want to come back to it later. But please remember that this is a limited-release set, and it likely won’t be around for very long.
And if you are interested in other educational sets you can also take a look at the LEGO Education website to learn more about what they offer to students and teachers. For adults, LEGO has another educational program called LEGO Serious Play (click on link to visit their website) with sets that can be found under the LEGO Serious Play section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like the LEGO Education Panama Canal? Are you planning to add it to your collection? Do you think LEGO should release similar educational sets in their regular product lines? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below! 😉
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