Guest Author - Marie Stroughter

My oldest son has been involved with Lego Robotics for three and a half years now. Robotics has exposed him to engineering, science, geometry and other disciplines. Additionally, since he has competed in Robotics tournaments, he has learned teamwork and good sportsmanship.

As you might expect from its name, Lego Robotics has to do with building robots using Lego parts. There are several forms this may take, depending on the kits used. Generally speaking, the robots are programmed to move in prescribed sequences, which often involve tasks such as lifting or moving objects, or following a specific course.

The participants of the Lego Robotics class or team are given a set of specs, or instructions. They build the infrastructure of the robot, and then program the core of the robot by downloading the movement sequence to the “brain” of the unit.

My son has learned about angles, how to build a sound structure (engineering), computer skills, and, as each of his competitions revolves around a “theme,” his teams have done research on subjects such as marine life, nanotechnology and energy. Did I mention he recently turned nine years old? This is amazing, accessible, educational fun. And because it all involves Legos, it is something of profound interest to him.

My son has programmed robots that played baseball, did sumo wrestling (moving another robot out of the “ring”), and lifted items to move them from one location to another. Additionally, his enthusiasm has led him to become involved at the competitive level. For children aged six to eight, there are
Junior First Lego League competitions. For children aged nine to fourteen, there are
First Lego League teams.

Many schools have a Lego Robotics club, and homeschoolers also form clubs and teams. If your school or organization doesn’t have a club, there are numerous lists to solicit a mentor or coach. I have included a list of resources for you:


Activities: http://www.legoeducation.com/activities/

Robot resources: http://www-education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/kitsright.html

Community: http://www.legoeducation.com/community/9/blogs/

Yahoo Groups (FLL): http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=First+Lego+League