FLL: As Prose

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a robotic competition developed for middle school age students. The FLL theme is different each year and is drawn from real events in society. There are two primary activities: 1) Build and program a small robot to accomplish challenges and 2) investigate a research topic then prepare a presentation. Both activities culminate in a competition with other teams at a regional tournment.

Robot challenges are the most visible aspect of the competition. Robots are built and programmed to perform different tasks on a 4'x8' printed vinyl playing mat. The robot interacts with specialized LEGO parts that represent the tasks. Each year the playing mat and LEGO parts change to support the annual theme. The basic robot parts and competition table are reuseable every year. The mat and challenge parts are NOT reused but are great for off-season games and practice.

An equally important aspect of the competition is the research topic. Like the robotic challenges, the research topic has some connection with the overall FLL theme. Students are given basic guidance then encouraged to create a solution for the research challenge. They research the topic, propose a solution, then develop a presentation that summarizes and defends their conclusions.

Everything comes togther at a Regional Tournament. The team meets with judges several times: once for a technical review of their robot and once for the research presentation. All teams are assessed on teamwork and spirit throughout the competition. Each team also attempts the robots challenge tasks at least three times on the competition tables.

The Regional Tournament provides an exciting opportunity for teams to learn from each other and share their excitement rather than a "winner takes all" competition. Teams that earn a judge award or attain a top score during the robot challenge are invited to the Washington State Championships.

FLL: As a Summary

What?

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a robotic competition developed for middle school age students.
Our goals are to inspire students to take an interest in science and technology and begin considering these fields as a career.
There are two primary activities:1) Build and program a small robot to accomplish various challenges and 2) investigate a research topic and present findings at the tournament.

Who?

FLL Teams are 3-10 kids who are in the age range of 9 to 14 years of age.
Teams form in schools, clubs, neighborhood groups. No requirements on affiliation
Teams need at least 1 adult coach/mentor. Two are recommended
There were 160 teams in the state of Washington for the 2008 season

When?

Most teams form up in late spring or early September.
Registration opens late spring. Registration usually closes mid to late September
The challenge is released in early September
Teams have until the first weekend of December to complete their project.
The state qualifiers are usually the first Saturday of December. The state championship is usually the second Saturday of December
New coaches and mentors will have several opportunities to attend workshops in August and September.

Where?

There are teams in most areas of the state: Puget Sound area, San Juan Islands, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, Omak, etc.
Qualifiers are held in 8 locations around the state in 2009. The state championship is usually in Bellevue.
Many teams meet in school classrooms as an after school club. Basements, garages, and just about any other place works great too.

How?

Check the FLL WA Team Quick Start Guide for a short list of steps to start a team.
Visit the In Depth Team Guide for a thorough review of starting a team.

Cost?

An FLL team is fairly inexpensive. A typical first year team will spend about $900 total to register, build a play field, and for extra parts. Returning teams spend between $400 - $500.
Teams are funded by schools, PTSA, parents, or other sources of funds. Some find corporate sponsors. There are a limited number of new team grants available for teams with financial needs.

	See a preview of the FLL Challenge...
	Order a DVD overview of an FLL season