SUBMERGED!
The Ocean is More Than What You Can See on The Horizon.
During the 2024-25 SUBMERGED℠ Season, FIRST LEGO League (FLL) 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. There are 3 parts of the challenge: create an effective team to meet the challenges; work together to design, build and program a robot to accomplish the robot game missions; create and present an innovative solution to a real world problem related to the health and sustainability of the ocean ecosystem.
Students in Grades 4 through 9 (ages 9-14) who are interested in being on an FLL team must attend a 2-session FLL PREVIEW CLASS. The Preview Class gives students the opportunity to try the engineering, programming and research activities before committing to the full season, which runs from August through the regional robotics competition in early December and into January for teams selected for the state competition. FLL takes enthusiasm, willingness to learn, focus and persistence in problem-solving, and commitment to team goals.
FLL Preview classes and teams led by STEM Integration Specialists Charlotte Ackerman (SD), Noah Mickey Coleman (VV) and Tiffany Wiley (CV) will be offered on the following days:*
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Monday - Sunrise Drive – August 12 and 19 from 3:00-5:30
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Tuesday - Sunrise Drive – August 13 and 20 from 3:00-5:30
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Tuesday and Wednesday - Canyon View - August 13-14 and August 20-21 from 3:00-4:15 (must attend all 4 CV sessions)
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Wednesday - Ventana Vista - August 14 and 21 from 3:00-5:00
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Friday - Sunrise Drive - August 16 and 23 from 3:00-5:30
*Students can attend Preview Classes at any of the schools. Orange Grove Middle school students can request a bus pass to Sunrise Drive School when registering. Esperero Canyon Middle school students can request a bus pass to Sunrise Drive School OR Ventana Vista School.
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.
FIRST Lego League Lite
In the spring months, students who have an interest in participating as an FLL team member in the following school year are encouraged to join FLL Lite. This enrichment experience gives students the opportunity to get a taste of FLL without making the commitment to the full 14-week program. They get to try the current school year’s FLL mission and build their skills for future competitions without actually stepping into the arena of competing.