FLL robotics: more than playing with Legos
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League (FLL) Team 10398, Waterford Recreation Department's R2B2 joined 32 other FLL teams at Waukesha West High School on Nov. 1, armed with a robot programmed to run autonomous missions in a game filled with 14 challenges simulating tasks senior citizens face every day.
Each fall FLL releases a new challenge based on a real-world scientific topic, which this year dealt with helping improve the quality of life for seniors by helping them continue to be independent, engaged and connected in their communities. According to the FIRST website at www.usfirst.org, FLL is a robotics program designed to get children excited about science and technology while teaching them valuable employment and life skills.
FLL members, with the help of adult coaches, program an autonomous robot to score points on a thematic playing surface. Additionally, teams create an innovative solution to a problem as part of their research project, all while guided by the FLL Core Values, which are the cornerstones of FLL, where members learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals, and teamwork is the foundation of a team's success.
While R2B2 wasn't among the eight teams from the Waukesha Regional selected to advance to the state tournament that will be held in Mukwonago on Saturday, Dec. 8, all members took away the lessons gleaned from hands-on experimentation with science, engineering and technology.
While many FLL members at the Waukesha regional found programming the robot to be a challenge, they also were surprised by the challenges seniors face.
Like any organized sport, teams must fundraise, create a team identity and go on field trips as part of the season's challenge. For more information on FIRST and FLL, visit www.usfirst.org.
E-mail Newsletter
Top stories from the Lake Country area. Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings.
Enter your e-mail address above and click "Sign Up Now!" to begin receiving your e-mail newsletter
Get the Newsletter!
MORE: See full gallery
SUBMIT: Post Your Photos now
Do you have news or a nonprofit event that you would like to share with the community? Whether it's a community organization, a business, a local school, or a notable neighbor, we'd love to hear about it.
- MainStage Dancers Perform at OAC May 26th
- FREE Organic Lawn Care Workshops This Saturday!
- Little Treasures Launches Summer Camp June 10-August 30th, 2013
- Hamilton announces April students of the month
- Learn to skate
- Christ the King Church Announces Vacation Bible School Schedule
- Birth to 3 Walk on June 1st Frame Park
- Waukesha County HeartChase is June 22
MORE: See the rest of Your Stories
SUBMIT: Post Your Story now
Lake Country residents share their views on news, happenings and current events.
LivingLakeCountry.com features more than a dozen community bloggers - a group of volunteer conversation leaders who are up on the latest topics and never short on an opinion. Just a few are pictured here. Check out the rest and see what they have to say!
View All Blogs
Discussion Guidelines
Do you want to become a Community Blogger? LivingLakeCountry.com welcomes your thoughts and opinions. Contact us for more information:
I want to blog
Information on Mukwonago Publications
Find metroparent locations
We encourage your comments but will strive to remove discussion that contains personal attacks, racial slurs, profanity or other inappropriate material as outlined in our guidelines. We post-moderate comments on most content, but may choose to pre-moderate some comments so please be patient if you don't see yours appear right way. We also ask for your help by reporting comments you think are inappropriate.
Please login or register to post a comment.