Can Junior FIRST® LEGO® League teams improve the quality of life for seniors by learning about the obstacles some people face as they get older? In the 2012, SUPER SENIORS(SM) Challenge, teams will learn about simple machines as they build a model made of LEGO® elements with a motorized moving part and create a team Show-Me Poster to represent their findings. Over 16,000 children ages 6 to 9 from 5 countries will learn about the challenges some seniors may have getting around, keeping in touch with friends and family or staying active and fit.
Jr. FLL® has captured the imagination and minds of thousands of kids. Each year, the Challenge Advisory Team designs a new and exciting Challenge to ignite the inherent creativity in young kids. The end result of the design process is a Challenge with two defined parts - the Show-Me Poster and the Model.
How could your team help solve one of those problems?
The Challenge
Every year, Junior FIRST LEGO League works with experts in the field to create a Challenge that relates to an important real world issue. The end result of the design process is a Challenge with two defined parts - the Show-Me Poster and the Model.
The Show-Me Poster requires teams to illustrate their research and team journey. It provides an opportunity for them to share what they studied, what they learned, and to show information about the team and each team member.
The Model gets teams' moving! Teams build a representation of what they are researching, based off the Challenge, and incorporate simple machines and movement into their creation.
Show Me Poster
Teams…
* Create a Show-Me Poster using a flat poster board or tri-fold presentation board.
* Use words, drawings, photos, and small objects to tell about what they have learned during their Challenge research.
* Show where they hunted for answers and describe the people they spoke with on their journey.
* Describe their Model and simple machine.
* Tell about the team itself.
Model
Teams…
* Create a Model that fits within a 15" x 15" footprint.
* Design a Model made of LEGO parts (except for DUPLO bricks ). Typically, a team of six will use 400 to 1,000 LEGO parts during the season.
* Must have at least one moveable piece on the Model.
* Design a simple machine using LEGO ramps, levers, pulleys, gears, wheels and axles, screws, or wedges and incorporates this into their model.
Pictures of students in action (Grades K , 1, 2)
Video of 2009 JrFll event ( 1, 2, 3 )
Example of 2011 Think About It Project
Pick a snack with 2 ingredients.
How to make it? How to store the ingredients? Protection
Build model on how snack was made. 1 moving part.
The Show-Me Poster requires kids to illustrate their research and
team journey. It provides an opportunity for them to share what they
studied, what they learned, and how they thought to improve the
problem they chose. Their creative minds get started working on how
to present their information and solution.
The Model portion of the Challenge gets kids' hands busy. This is where they build a representation of what they are researching (according to the Challenge requirements), incorporating simple machines and movement into their creation. Teams are able to utilize a motor to power movement in their model, or they can move an element of it by hand.