Cass County youth interested in learning about robotics to solve real-world problems should be aware Cass County 4-H is forming a First Lego League group for 4-8th graders interested in getting hands-on experience with science. Guided by a team of adult Coaches, FIRST LEGO League* teams (up to 10 members, grades 4-8) research a real -world problem such as food safety, recycling, energy, etc., and are challenged to develop a solution using robotics and problem solving skills. Working as a team, members design, build, and program a Lego MINDSTORMS EV3 Robot to complete specific tasks on a table-top 8’ x 4’ Challenge field using LEGO MINDSTORMS® kits. Teams will also identify a community project and plan a presentation to share a creative approach to a solution.

An informational meeting for parents set for this Sunday, October 15th at 5-p.m. It will be held at the Cass County Extension office in Atlantic. Any local youth in grades 4-8 can join First Lego League. When you join, you will register for 4-H since FLL is part of Cass County 4-H.   The team will meet at least once a week from Mid-October through December. Please call the Cass County Extension office at 243-1132 or email shelbyrw@iastate.edu to register your spot for this informational meeting. Any parents or other adults interested in coaching are also encouraged to contact the office; technology experience not required.

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is an international program, created by FIRST® and LEGO® , designed to get young people interested in and excited about science, technology and engineering. Every year, FIRST releases a new challenge that engages the teams in hands-on robotics design and scientific research. The theme for the challenge is different each year, allowing teams to learn about a variety of subjects.  This year’s theme is: HydroDynamics – learn about how we find, transport, use and dispose of water!