FLL Robotics
FLL Robotics
2026-2027 FLL Challenge
BIOGLOW!
Engineer a thriving planet!
The 2026-2027 FIRST LEGO League BIOGLOW™ season is about biodiversity and how technology, creativity, and research can help us better understand and protect natural habitats. There are 3 parts of the season challenge: create an effective team; design, build and program a robot to accomplish the robot game missions; explore the fascinating ecosystems on our planet and discover an innovative solution to a problem that threatens the connections that sustain them.
Students in Grades 4 through 8 (ages 9-14) who are interested in being on an FLL team must attend a 2-session FLL PREVIEW CLASS. The Preview Class is an opportunity to try the engineering, programming and research activities before committing to the full season, which runs from August to the regional robotics competition on December 19th. Teams selected for the state competition continue to January 23rd. FLL takes enthusiasm, teamwork, willingness to learn, dedication, focus and persistence in problem-solving, and commitment to team goals.
Students can attend Preview Classes at Sunrise Drive School (SDS) or Ventana Vista (VV). Students from Orange Grove and Esperero Canyon can request a bus pass to SDS or VV when registering.
FLL Preview classes will be led by STEM Integration Specialists Charlotte Ackerman (SD) and Noah Mickey-Colman (VV). The Preview classes are scheduled on the following days:
● Mondays - Ventana Vista – August 10 and 17 from 3:00-5:30pm
● Wednesdays - Sunrise Drive - August 12 and 19 from 3:00-5:30*pm
● Fridays - Sunrise Drive - August 14 and 21 from 3:00-5:30pm
*Every effort is made to accommodate the students who want to continue on teams for the full season. An additional or alternate day may be offered at Sunrise. Team meetings for the season start the week of August 24, 2026.
What is FIRST Lego League
FIRST Lego League (FLL) introduces young people (grades 4-8), to the fun and excitement of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). It is designed for students do the research and problem solving, which are integral parts of each element of STEM, to meet the yearly Challenge. Students identify a problem and develop an innovative solution.
There are three elements that make up the Challenge: 1. programming an autonomous robot (the Robot Game), 2. creating innovative solutions to a problem (the Project) 3. following the FLL Core Values where the children learn that helping one another and the spirit of friendly competition is the foundation of teamwork.
Each year’s Challenge is similar to real challenges faced by scientists and engineers, which leads to an understanding of the work of these professionals and an exposure to career options. The Project gives the teams the opportunity to more deeply explore the theme of the Challenge and propose a solution to a problem they select.
The teams present their projects for feedback from the judges, who often are experts in the Challenge field. FIRST Lego League imparts valuable life skills and excitement about how our students can make a difference in the world.
FIRST Lego League in CFSD
In Catalina Foothills School District, students who participate in FIRST Lego League (FLL) are afforded unique experiences involving a team approach to engineering, programming, problem solving, and research. FLL equips students with tools to be successful in a rapidly-evolving world. FLL presents students with real-world situations and challenges in which they develop their abilities to think critically, apply knowledge at high levels and use technology to access, evaluate and communicate information.
Led by Charlotte Ackerman, CFSD’s Teacher Leader for Science and Engineering, FLL team members work together over a 14-week session to address the current FLL mission and prepare for competition in December.