FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is the result of an exciting alliance between FIRST and the LEGO Company. The global program was created to get children excited about science and technology. Guided by adult mentors and their own imaginations, FLL students ages 9 to 16 (9 to 14 in the U.S. and Canada) solve real-world engineering challenges, develop important life skills, and learn to make positive contributions to society. The cornerstone of the program is its Core Values, which emphasize friendly sportsmanship, learning, and community involvement.
Each yearly Challenge has two parts, the Project and the Robot Game. Working in teams of three to ten children and guided by at least one adult coach, teams have 8 weeks to:
- Build an autonomous robot to carry out pre-designed missions in 2 minutes and 30 seconds
- Analyze, research, and invent a solution to a real world problem
The culmination of all that hard work for many teams is the participation in an FLL event – much like a high energy sporting event. Referees monitor and score the Robot Game. Judges review team presentations. An FLL event is a pumped-up environment with music and excitement that celebrates the work the children have done throughout the season.
Sources:
http://www.firstlegoleague.org/what-is-fll/default.aspx?id=164
There are other awesome opportunities to work with Legos and Robots, even if you are in a different age group, so check this out:
FIRST is an international non-profit organization whose aim is to inspire kids to pursue their interests in science and technology fields. FIRST runs four competitions for kids ages 6 to 18, all of which allow participants to compete in teams to plan, build, and program a robot, which then enters in the competition to complete given tasks.
FIRST Robotics (FRC) for ages 14-18
FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) for ages 14-18
FIRST LEGO League (FLL) for ages 9-14
Junior FIRST LEGO League (Jr.FLL) for ages 6-9
http:www.usfirst.org