Gr 4-6: FIRST LEGO League

List of 5 items.

• What is FIRST LEGO League?

  In three months, teams diligently prepare towards one District Tournament on Oahu where they design, iterate, and demonstrate their LEGO robot's capabilities and present the team's journey to judges. This year, it's centered around the theme of CITY SHAPER℠.

  1. There is a 4' x 8' field full of custom-designed LEGO sets relevant to the season's theme. Each team will design, build, and program a robot to autonomously achieve these tasks in a fixed period of time. It's a sort of like an obstacle course for robots.
  2. Each team completes a research project of their choosing that is centered around the theme. They may consult with professionals in their community who are experts in the area of research.
  3. Throughout all this, each team demonstrates the FIRST Core Values of Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition.

   

  With the help of Punahou School, Punahou Robotics supports and sponsors six to ten FIRST LEGO League (FLL) teams every season. Participation in FLL provides a foundation for students if they choose to participate in FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC: Grades 7-12) and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC: Grades 9-12).

• What are teams composed of?

  Each team consists of six to ten students from Grades 4-6.

  
  Similar to other youth programs, FLL teams at Punahou School are led by volunteer coaches. Punahou School engineering faculty (Justin Lai) serves as the coordinator for the FLL teams. Each FLL team requires two parents volunteer to commit to coaching and facilitating their team through the season.
  
  Coach Expectations
  

  • Each pair of coaches for a given team is committed to running all meetings and guiding the team through the process.
  • There will always be a faculty/staff member around to supervise the space, but it is expected that the coaches will be responsible for their team.
  • Each volunteer coach will undergo a standard Punahou School volunteer background check.

• When does this start?

  The FLL season officially kicks off on Saturday, September 7, 2019, with the Hawaii FLL kickoff held at Punahou School. More info found at Hawai'i FIRST Robotics. Teams can begin work as soon as their team is formed.

   

  Competitions

  Each team competes in one District Tournament on Oahu. Teams will rank choices for dates & locations at the Kickoff. DTs occur from late October through November on a Saturday or during a holiday.
  
  

  If a team performs well enough, they will be invited to participate in the State Championship on a Saturday in early December at the Neil Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall.

• Where are these held?

  Space will be provided for teams to meet weekdays after school on campus.

• How can I participate?

  Punahou Robotics provides the following. Approximate retail value in parentheses.

  • Two LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kits to borrow for the season ($980)
  • FIRST national registration fee ($299)
    • Season-specific field set elements and field mat to borrow for the season
  • A wealth of knowledge and experience through engineering faculty, former coaches, and upperclassmen (older students) involved in the older robotics programs (priceless)

   

  Each team is responsible for the following

  • District tournament fee ($70)
  • State championship fee, if applicable ($125)
  • Team shirts: Punahou Robotics will coordinate the ordering, but teams will pay ~$12 per shirt
  • Incidental costs: parent-provided snacks, materials for display board for research project

  
  

  District Tournament and State Championship fees waived for Rookie teams!