C.E.S. F.I.R.S.T. Lego League
Head coach: Steve Coxon
Research Coach: Laura Daniels
Parent volunteer: Belinda Jordan
F.I.R.S.T. is an acronym meaning For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology.
The C.E.S. F.I.R.S.T. Lego League (FLL) teams
work each year to create and program a Lego robot that uses Lego Mindstorms
pieces such as an NXT (a programmable Lego brain), touch and light sensors,
and other Lego elements to complete a series of challenges for local and state
competition amongst dozens of other teams. As the
actual challenge accounts for only 25% of the score, we also prepare a research
presentation on the topic, work to understand our robot and programs, and
focus on teamwork and sportsmanship.
Generally, we meet twice each week for an hour and a half in the fall, often increasing the meetings and length as competition approaches. The local competition is generally held on a weekend in November, while the state competition at Virginia Tech is held on a weekend in December.
Sadly, not every interested student can join CES Lego League. Team size is limited by the international rules that regulate the competition to ten students, ages 9-14. CES fourth and fifth graders may be invited to join the team. You should speak to Mr. Coxon if you are interested in joining. We give priority to students who have expressed interest in the previous year by competing with excellent behavior in both days of a Spring Challenge, open to all CES students. (A flier is distributed to all students each year around March for the mini-challenge, held in Mr. Coxon's room.) Former team members are invited back in 5th grade as long as they maintain good attendance, grades, and behavior. Team members should not have other commitments in the fall--Lego must become the after-school priority.
CES FIRST Lego League History
2007
How do our personal energy choices to heat our homes, fuel our cars,
charge our cell phones, power our computers, or even download music to our
iPods impact the environment, economy, and life around the globe? Which resources
should we use and why? Explore how energy production and consumption choices
affect the planet and our quality of life today, tomorrow, and for future
generations. Can FIRST LEGO League teams find the ultimate solution to this
global Power Puzzle?
For Power Puzzle, the aptly named Lego
Legends did an energy audit of the Christiansburg Town Hall, researched
their findings, and presented numerous ways for the town to save money before
the mayor and Town Council. The team competed with 16 teams at the regional
tournament on November 10th, seizing the Teamwork
Award, taking fourth for the robot game,
and coming in thrid overall.
3-2-1 Lego Legends!
Lego Parade
Proud Winners
2006
The CES Micro Missiles worked hard on Nano Quest to prepare for the regional
competition on November 11.
Mr. Coxon served as a Judge of Robot Design at the State tournament,
and spoke on Lego Robotics at the National Curriculum Networking Conference
at William and Mary in March.
2005
Ocean Odyssey provided
us with lots of challenges in the ocean's depths.
At the regional competition on November 12th, the CES Ship
Wreckers impressed the judges
with our four-sensor robot and took home the Technical Award for the third
year in a row! We also placed second on the
competition table by releasing the dolphin, tagging
the shark, fixing the pipeline, recycling the
artificial reef, raising a flag on the ship wreck, and protecting the pump
station.
We went to the state competition on December 4th at BHS and brought our
second Judges' Award home.
Look at our many plaques and trophies on display in the CES office.
2004
The No Limits
challenge focused on using robotics to aide the handicapped.
The Really Wheelie Wheel Chairs
won the Presentation Award and
the Rampaging Robots won the Technical Award at
the regional competition.
The teams shared the Judges' Award at the state competition, tying for 17th
place overall.
2003
Colonizing the red planet was the theme of the Mission
Mars challenge.
The Robot Rookies won both the Technical and the
Judges' Awards at the regional competition,
garnering third place overall to become one of the few first-year teams to
go on to the state level.
Lego links to explore:
Lego.com
Lego Education Store--Order Lego Mindstorm and other educational Lego
products here
http://www.legoeducation.com/Default.aspx
Lego Factory--Design your own Lego models and order your custom design
http://www.legofactory.com
Lego Portfolio
http://www.ericharshbarger.org/lego/portfolio.html
Mindstorms Robotics--The greatest toy of all time just got better
http://mindstorms.lego.com/eng/default.asp
