Jr. FLL (Jr. First Lego League)

My son and I were lucky enough to participate in the Jr. FLL this year.  (Junior First Lego League)  The Jr. FLL is for kids 6-9 by January 1 of that school year.  It is a fabulous program that is perfect for home schoolers.

The program works in this way.  You are given a theme at the beginning of the season in August.  This year, the theme was Natural Disasters.  The team then narrows down to a specific topic within that theme to research, then they research the topic, create a model with at least one moving part based on their research, make a "Show Me" poster, and then attend a First Lego League Event to display their model and poster. 

Our team decided on earthquakes.  They boys did a great job researching and putting together their model.  They learned to work as a team, and how to effectively present their topic.  They worked on their model together, comprising and sharing ideas.  It was a great expereince for everyone.

Putting together a JR. FLL team is great for a homeschool co-op, kids in your neighborhood, at your church, or any local civic group.   There are many resources provided by Jr. FLL to help you as well. The rules are pretty flexible and all the kids come out learning about teamwork, research, and how to present. What is there not to love?  We had a great time!  

~Becky