The 2008 Challenge Season Is Here!
Embark on an exploration of the earth's climate in the FIRST LEGO League's 2008 Climate Connections Challenge!
Discover the links between science, people, resources and communities. Unearth how we learn about past climates
and delve into questions surrounding our current and future climatic conditions. Join FIRST LEGO League teams in
creating a global game plan as they make these Climate Connections!
The FIRST LEGO League (FLL) program is an excellent way for young people
to experience the excitement of technical creativity and gain insights in the possibility of a a technical careers. Participating on an FLL
team is a fun way to learn about mechanical design and computer programming as well as teamwork and other life skills. No previous technical
or programming experience is required to join a team. The robots are programmed using a "flow chart" rather than a traditional programming
language. Coaches often have the help of a technical mentor to teach the team members how to build and program a robot.
In FIRST LEGO League 9- to 14-year-old youngsters learn to design and build autonomous robots using special LEGO kits. The program includes
a 10- to 12-week period in which youngsters form teams, develop robots that can respond to individual tasks as part of an overall Challenge,
then compete at one of the many tournaments we hold in Oregon and SW Washington. Through this process, youngsters experience the fun and
excitement of solving problems in a positive and supportive team environment.
Are you new to FIRST LEGO League and LEGO robotics? Each year there are many new coaches, mentors, judges, and referees that
get involved for with our program. Focussing on coaching a team for a moment, you should know
- Coaches aren't expected to be technical experts. They focus on organizing the team. The team members are responsible for building the robot, etc.
- The annual challenge and research project is organized so brand new teams can learn as much or more as an experience team and have a lot of fun doing it. For instance the annual challenge is organized into a set of missions, some much easier than others. A new team should choose two or three simple missions and focus on building a robot to achieve them.
- It's all about learning and fun!