What is FLL?

      FLL, or FIRST Lego League, is part of FIRST.  FIRST is a non-profit organization that is designed to 1) get kids into science and technology and 2) to teach them life skills(such as teamwork and having fun while working hard) to use later in life.  It has three levels-FLL, FTC, and FRC- but we’re an FLL team.  To learn more about FIRST, check out their website at www.usfirst.org.

     FLL is targeted towards ages 9-14.  The limit is 10 team members on the team.  FLL teams have to build a robot made out of Legos, an NXT or EV3 Mindstorms brick, and NXT or EV3 Mindstorms motors/sensors.  They then have to program it to perform certain missions, also made out of Legos, and score points.  Teams also have to do a research project corresponding with a topic that FIRST chooses for the season.  They then have to go to a competition and present that project, as well as other things (all of which will be discussed later in this update).

The MISSIONS:

     The missions are, as previously said, built out of Legos and are fastened by Velcro to the issued mat.  The mat is placed on an 8” by 4” piece of particleboard.                                                                                                                  

     The missions correspond with the year’s theme.  For instance, this year’s theme is Nature’s Fury, and some of the missions are the supply truck, the evacuation sign, and the cargo plane.  We have to program our robot to go about the mat performing missions.  It is completely autonomous (which means that it’s only programmed--no Bluetooth!). 

The ROBOT:

    The robot is made of completely Lego, and only Lego.  It is not allowed to have any other materials on it.  The Lego Mindstorms brick controls the robot, and we are allowed to have as many sensors as we want, as long as they are light sensors, color sensors, or ultrasonic sensors.  We are only allowed to have four motors, however. 

    We can only touch the robot inside a rectangle called base.  If the robot extends out of base or if we touch it outside of base, we will get penalty points.  We can have attachments, though.  That means that we can build Lego contraptions that the robot uses to perform the missions, attach them to the third and fourth motor, and switch them out according to the needs of a mission.

The RESEARCH PROJECT:

    The research project is a project that we have to do that corresponds with a topic that FIRST chooses for the season.  For instance, this year’s topic is Nature’s Fury.  We have to pick a community to focus on and choose a natural disaster that affects that community.  Then, after we do extensive research, we pick a solution that improves either preparing, staying safe, or rebuilding.  After that, we think of a creative way to present our research and solution (a skit, a puppet show, a power-point presentation, etc).

The CORE VALUES:

      The core values are basically the most important things we learn in FLL.  They’re our guidelines to how we act in FLL.  The core values are as follows:

·         We are a TEAM.

·         We do the work to find solutions, with guidance from our coaches and mentors.

·         We honor the spirit of friendly competition.

·         What we discover is more important than what we win.

·         We share our experiences with others.

·         We display *gracious professionalism in everything we do.

·         WE HAVE FUN!

*Gracious Professionalism: an FIRST term that is described as graciously and professionally helping others, even when you’re competing against them, and learning while you’re doing it.

The COMPETITION:

    The competition is where we (and other teams) go to show off what we learned.  There are three judging sessions: the core values, the research project, and the robot judging. 

    The core values judging covers all that we learned during the season.  The judges ask teams questions such as, “how do you define gracious professionalism?”, “how did you use the core values in your daily lives?”, and “how did you work together as a team?”  That lasts for 5 minutes. 

    The research project judging is when we present our topic in a creative way; we have 5 minutes to do it.  Then the judges have 5 minutes to ask us questions. 

    The robot judging is when we have 5 minutes to explain our robot, any changes we may have made during the season (judges like that because that is what real mechanics do), and explain our programming, use of sensors, etc.  They then have 5 minutes to ask questions and possibly have us run a mission for them.

    In addition to the judging, we also have three 2:30 minute robot runs in which we have our robot perform the missions during upbeat music, an announcer, and cheering “fans”.  There can only be two teammates at a time, but they can switch out during the run.

    After the competition is almost through, the announcer hands out the awards!  

Our TEAM:

   Our team has 8 members, five boys and three girls: Beej-14, Badger-13, Sierra-13, Hazel-13, Flybird-12, Zake-11, and Essie-8.

-Sierra and Hazel