2101 E. River Road | Tucson, AZ 85718
Phone: 520-209-7551 | Fax: 520-209-7575
Office Hours: 8:00am - 4:30pm
CARE: 520-209-7549
Travis Kolter
Director
Lego Robotics
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 winter and 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.
2019-2020 FLL Challenge
City Shaper
This year’s teams will design and program a LEGO Mindstorms robot to the accomplish tasks to propose a solution to one of the many challenges facing communities now and in the future. To find ways to innovate and solve problems of cities and towns to make more sustainable places to live.
Community Schools Robotics Teams Win Top Awards at State!
At the Arizona FIRST Lego League statewide championship at ASU, Catalina Foothills School District teams were recognized for strong engineering practices and gracious professionalism. Congratulations to all of our robotics students!
Two of our Community Schools teams took home top awards in robot design and core values, and one community team of CFSD students won a major research award.
Team 5155, City Shapers, won 3rd place robot performance with a score of 440. They also won the Mechanical Design award.
Elementary team 5156, Red Light Redemption, won the Gracious Professionalism Core Values award and they came in 6th in robot performance
The Research Presentation Award was won by the Purple Paper Eaters, team 39093, a community team of Esperero and Ventana Vista students.