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FLL Overview

What is a FIRST LEGO League(FLL) team and what do they do?
If you visited a FLL team meeting you would see 6 - 10 kids, ages 9 to 14, working with a NXT LEGO Mindstorm Robot kit.  A few kids would be using the 1000+ parts in the kit to construct a LEGO Robot with motors, sensors (light, touch, ultrasonic-distance and/or sound) and the NXT brick that acts as the robot's computer. The robot would also have 3 or 4 wheels to help it move around. 
See the following links for what is in a NXT kit:

Other kids would be at a 4-foot by 8-foot mat on a plywood table with current FLL Challenge LEGO mission Models. They would be figuring out strategies for the robot’s path or working with LEGO parts to construct attachments for the robot push, pull or lift items on the mission models to achieve the task. Click here for a video explanation of a previous season ’s missions.*

Other team members are on the Internet or looking in books for information on the team’s project.  The annual project involes open-ended exploration by the team members culuminating in a 5-minute presentation of the team’s solution to the annual assignment. Click here to see this year's Project assignment.

* FIRST will announce the details of this seaon's challenge and project soon. Visit the ORTOP home page on September 5, 2008 to learn more.

What every FLL team needs:

* Items that may be underwritten partially or completely by a team scholarship if your team qualifies.

** A Scholarship may provide funds to buy materials to build a table. The coach arranges for someone to build it. Some teams may decide to start with something simpler than a full table to serve as the surface for the mat that comes with the Field Set-Up Kit.

What does a Coach do?
At team meetings, the coach facilitates the team’s progress, helping them with teamwork skills, helping them find resources, teaching the robot building and programming skills she/he learned at the ORTOP free coach workshops, serving snacks, and keeping the team on task.  It is up to the team members to solve the challenge. Usually they will know more than the coach about how to build and program a robot and science behind the annual research project. Much of their learning comes from web research and by trial and error. Coaches also take care of registering the team, ordering kits, and scheduling meetings. The coach may be assisted by a co-coach, assistant coach or a mentor.

Sample FLL Team Budget

To participate in FIRST LEGO League in 2008 each team of 3 -10 students should have:

* usable for multiple years
** FLL NXT Robot Set comes with a rechargeable battery pack. Other kits may require replacing batteries.

See also fundraising and team scholarships.

Please contact us if you have questions.

Dividing line

Team Members

WHO IS ON A FLL TEAM?

Quotes from Team Members

“This is what I kind of wanted to be when I grew up. So this gave me the chance to do it. And you can’t really watch engineers do what they do. You have to do it yourself.”

“What I liked best about the tournament today was working with my team. We had been a team before and we had really bonded, but this was like the climax to everything we had been working on for months, and it was just really exciting.”

“At first I wanted to be a haircut girl and now I want to be kind of like a scientist or a science teacher.

FLL Age Policy

The FIRST LEGO League policy on the age of team members is nine to fourteen years old.

Are you a current FLL Coach with FLL team members who are close to aging out of FLL or have aged out? Consider transitioning to FIRST Tech Challenge or FIRST Robotics Competition
2009 letter to FLL coaches
2009 FTC at Glance

FLL Registration

NATIONAL FIRST LEGO LEAGUE REGISTRATION

The national registration opens May 5h and closes when the targeted number of FLL teams have been assigned by the FIRST. Early registration is encouraged. Cost is $200 and includes the FLL Coaches Handbook, access to national discussion forums, national registration to participate in FLL. 

ORTOP REGISTRATION for Qualifying Tournaments: Please click here for more information.

Ordering FLL Kits

Each team will need access to an FLL Robot Set and a Field Set Up kit. The Robot kit can be used for several seasons but the Field Set up kit changes each year. The Field Set up Kit consists of a 4 x 8 printed mat and Challenge Missions made of LEGO elements. These kits can be ordered at the same time you register your team with FIRST LEGO League. If you already have a LEGO Robotics kit, you may be able to upgrade it rather than purchase a new FLL Robot Set.

In 2008 teams can use the new NXT robot kit or the older RCX robot kit. At the time of FLL registration, teams can purchase a NXT robot while FLL registration remains open . If teams wish to use their an RCX kit, they do not have to purchase a new NXT robot.  FLL will allow teams to purchase one NXT kit per FLL registration.

NXT Robots can also be purchased directly from LEGO Education, LEGO Retail Store or through the used market such as EBay or Craig's List.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT NXT KITS - Click here

FLL Team Forum

FIRST LEGO League provides a team forum for registered teams. Click here to learn more.

FLL Coaches' News

FLL Coach and Mentor Honor Code We ask that all adults acting as coaches and mentors read and subscribe to the FLL Coach and Mentor Honor Code. Coaches will be asked to affirm their agreement with this code when they register online for a qualifying tournament. For guidance on effective coaching and mentoring techniques we suggest attending the Coaching & Mentoring Techniques workshop. Coaches should also read the FLL Core Values Observation Policy.

FLL COACH/MENTOR SURVEY for 2009

NEW! CLICK HERE for 2009 SMART MOVE COACH/MENTOR SURVEY
ALL FLL COACHES/MENTORS PARTICIPATING IN THE 2009 SMART MOVE SEASON in Oregon & SW Washington are invited to give us your opinion by answering the online survey. Results are distributed to the ORTOP Planning Committee and Qualifying Tournament Directors. You Click and We Listen! Don't delay do it today.
And if your team members haven't completed the Team Member Survey, please direct them the link below

FLL TEAM MEMBER SURVEY for 2009

NEW! CLICK HERE for 2009 ORTOP FLL TEAM MEMBER SURVEY! Please take turns filling out the online survey at your next team meeting before the qualifying tournament or give link to parents for team members to complete at home.

FLL TEAM MEMBERS opinions COUNT! Please help ORTOP by having each 2009 FLL Team Member fill out a survey. The survey should be answered by each individual child.
In past years ORTOP has distributed paper surveys at the qualifying tournaments, we hope this new method will help us quickly collect the data in a usable form.

AN INCENTIVE TO DO THIS!!! - Team members that fill out the survey can enter a drawing for a $50 LEGO.com gift certificate. This part is completely optional. ORTOP wants you to know this information will not be connected to your answers.

KIDS should fill out this survey, not coaches. One survey per team member. Please help us understand your experiences in the FIRST LEGO League (FLL). By telling us about yourself and your experience with FLL we will be able to continue to improve the program. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions. There is no right or wrong answers, so please answer each question honestly. Please ask your coach or parent/guardian for help if you have trouble understanding any of the questions.

WHAT IF COMPLETING THE SURVEY ONLINE IS NOT POSSIBLE??? ORTOP values all Team Members opinions, click here and download a paper version of the FLL TeamMember survey, print and distribute a copy to each member of the team. Have each team member complete one and either bring it to the tournament and give it to the Qualifying Tournament Director OR mail the surveys to: ORTOP / PO BOX 751, IAFF / Portland, OR 97207-0751 . Click Here for paper copy of the survey. Add the Team# and FIRST NAME on the back if team member wishes to enter a drawing for a $50 LEGO.com gift certificate.

Intel Oregon FLL Championship Information for Coaches

Intel Oregon 2009 FLL Championship Tournament Assignments for January 16 & 17, 2010
Click Here

Due to economic conditions, ORTOP is asking a $50 Championship tournament fee. Payments are due by January 6, 2010. Click Here for Payment Form

Registrations and Payments Received: Click here check time stamp at top of page.
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NEW!!! Intel Oregon 2009 FLL Championship PUBLICITY INFORMATION FORM: CLICK HERE
Please complete by January 8, 2010.
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Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League 2009 CHAMPIONSHIP presented by Rockwell Collins
Pre-tournament Packet

Championship Team Assignments by Team Number

Intel Oregon FLL 2009 Championship - Detailed Schedule for Saturday, January 16, 2010

Intel Oregon FLL 2009 Championship - Detailed Schedule for Sunday, January 17, 2010

Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League Championship Pre-Tournament Coach Letter

Attachments to Pre-Tournament Coach Letter

FLL Core Values World Festival Nomination Process

FIRST LEGO League Core Values is the cornerstone of the FIRS T LEGO League program. All FIRST LEGO League teams are invited to self assess how well they believe they had adhered to and implemented the FIRST LEGO League Core Values throughout the Smart Move season. Teams are encouraged to submit a FLL Core Values World Festival Nomination outlining how they implemented the FLL Core Values. Details for submitting a team FLL Core Values essay for the Smart Move season are posted at the link below.

ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE ORTOP OFFICE BY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2010 AT 5:00 PM
The FLL Core Values World Festival Nomination Process is now closed. Results will be released in a few weeks.

FLL Core Values Team History
2008 - Power Puzzle Season - Fire Breather Rubber Duckies and Solar Dragons selected as Oregon's FLL Core Values Teams. Both were selected by the international FLL Core Values selection committee as outstanding FLL Core Values World Festival teams and received invitations to the FLL World Festival in Atlanta, Ga.
2009 - Climate Connections - Team Um was selected as Oregon's FLL Core Values Team. Team Um was selected by the international FLL Core Values selection committee as an outstanding FLL Core Values World Festival team and received an invitation to the FLL World Festival in Atlanta, Ga.
2010 - Smart Move - Team selection process is open.

Questions and Answers