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FIRST lego league

Decatur is home to a few parent coached FIRST Lego League (FLL) teams. FLL Challenge teams are limited to a max of 10 students and are for kids in grades 4-8. There is also an FLL version for ages 6-10 that is less competitive and more about exploring. A new season starts each August. Our high school team does not coach FLL teams but we'll do our best to help you find an existing one or get one started. We loan out materials when possible, provide mentoring, and invite teams to our annual FLL Scrimmage which helps members better prepare for their first tournament in December.

We're actively working on district awareness within City Schools of Decatur and encouraging our elementary schools to start robotics programs. If you'd like to help with this effort then please let us know. You can start by asking your school how you can help them get teams started. Our goal is to get kids of all ages involved in STEM and we need help from our community.

JOIN US FOR OUR FIRST LEGO LEAGUE KICKOFF AND INFORMATION NIGHT

August 6th 2024, 6 pm - 7:00 pm
Decatur High School (use the Commerce Dr. entrance - bus loop)

Join us for an information night where we'll watch the 2024 game video and provide information on how to get a FIRST LEGO League (FLL) team started. This is open to 2nd through 8th grade parents interested in starting a team or learning how to get involved. You do not have to be a City Schools of Decatur family to attend. Teams come in all shapes and sizes: homeschool, community, church, etc.

If you miss the meeting and would still like to coach or get involved, please use the form below. We will share this information with those starting & coaching teams so they can connect with families. Not all teams created will have room so we strongly encourage you to sign up as a coach if your student is desperately wanting to participate. Anyone can do it, you don't have to be a teacher or know how to program robots. Flip through the slideshow to the right for more information.

FLL Challenge is not a year-round activity, so we encourage teams to form before the end of August. Most teams conclude their season in December, but if your team advances, it could extend through January.

FLL Explore is more flexible. You can start anytime.

Still on the fence? Read through the Team Meeting Guides for management tips and a general outline for team meetings, Challenge Resources or Explore Resources. Anyone can do this. You don't need technical experience, just a willingness to volunteer your time and keep kids on track.

Join the FLL Contact List for 2024

Here is a copy of the slideshow we shared at the meeting. Please email outreach@decaturrobotics.org if you have questions.

2024 FIRST LEGO League Robotics Information Meeting.pdf

What is FLL?

Guided by adult volunteer coaches, FIRST LEGO League (FLL) teams research a real-world problem and are challenged to develop a unique solution. They also must design, build and program a LEGO robot that navigates the missions of a robot game.

Students learn to apply science, technology, engineering, and math concepts (STEM), plus a big dose of imagination, to solve a problem. Along their journey, they develop critical thinking and team-building and presentation skills, as they must present their solutions with a dash of creativity. They also practice FIRST Core Values, which emphasize discovery, teamwork and good sportsmanship.

FIRST is More Than Robots®

FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12).

Because these programs are More Than Robots®, FIRST participants are guided by a signature set of Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements. The thrilling, sports-like challenges build self-confidence and collaborative problem-solving skills and have a proven and lasting impact on STEM learning and interest.

Welcome to the SUBMERGED Season!

During the SUBMERGED℠ Season, FIRST LEGO League teams will use creative thinking and LEGO® technology to explore the layers of the ocean and bring their learnings and ideas to the surface as they “sea” into the future.

More info at https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/fll/game-and-season

Start a FIRST Lego League Team

FIRST LEGO League’s three divisions inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding and design skills through hands-on STEM learning and robotics.

Ages 4 - 6

For children ages 4-6, this playful introductory STEM program ignites their natural curiosity and builds their habits of learning with hands-on activities in the classroom and at home using LEGO® Duplo bricks. Discover is not available as an individual team option. It's designed for classrooms or programs that serve 8 or more students.

How It Works

Grades 2-4

In Explore, teams of students ages 6-10 focus on the fundamentals of engineering as they explore real-world problems, learn to design and code and create unique solutions made with LEGO bricks and powered by LEGO Education WeDo 2.0. Up to 6 team members allowed.

How It Works

START A TEAM

Grades 4-8

Friendly competition is at the heart of Challenge, as teams of students ages 9-14 engage in research, problem-solving, coding and engineering – building and programming a LEGO robot that navigates the missions of a robot game. As part of Challenge, teams also participate in a research project to identify and solve a relevant real-world problem. Up to 10 team members allowed.

How It Works

START A TEAM

Running a team takes time and planning, but it is also a lot of fun! No experience is needed and anyone can coach. You can run a team out of your own home if you get at least 2 adults and a handful of interested students.

Here are some other resources to help you get started:

Visit the FIRST Inspires website. This is an excellent place to start. Start a FIRST Lego League Team
The red "Start a Team" links above are great!
Reach out to Georgia FIRST. This is a phenomenal organization and we work with them regularly. (go to the bottom of the linked page for contacts) - Georgia has a strong robotics community and they want you to be successful.
Contact Decatur Robotics for more information about finding or forming your own team. Be sure to let us know if you form a team so we can get you on our list for kick-off and scrimmage events. We might be able to loan you materials, do a little training, or just cheer you on.

Our high school team does not coach FIRST LEGO League (FLL) teams. We're actively working on district awareness within City Schools of Decatur and encouraging our community of parents to help. Let your school know how much you'd love to have these programs offered. You can also work together with other families to start your own team. Click on the links above for more information about how to get started.

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