Shepp EdTech - Technology Education Blog

The First LEGO League (FLL) 2008 season has begun with the opening of registration on May 1, 2008. This year’s theme is Climate Connections.

Here are some of the deadlines that teams will need to keep in mind:

May 1, 2008 - Team Registration and Product Sales Open Online (http://www.register4fll.com/)
May - Robot sets, FIRST DVDs and Coaches’ Handbooks Begin to Ship
August 1 - Field Set-up kits Begin to Ship
September 5 - International Challenge Announced
September 30 - Team Registration Closes/Last Day to Order Products
October 1-12 - Tournament Applications Accepted
November - December - NL Intermediate Skills Canada Robotics competition and FLL Tournament
April 2009 - FLL World Festival

Below is a summary of the costs to FLL Teams:

Expenses:

• FLL Registration Fee - $235.00
• FLL Field Setup Kit - $78.00

Optional Robotics Kits:

• MINDSTORMS NXT Robot Set - $435.00

Optional Parts - NXT:

• Rechargeable Battery - $70.00
• Transformer - $25.50
• NXT Interactive Motor - $23.00
• NXT Touch Sensor - $22.00
• NXT Light Sensor - $22.00
• NXT Ultrasonic Sensor - $48.00
• NXT Resource Set - $65.00

Optional Parts - RCX:

• RCX Light Sensor - $18.75
• RCX Rotation Sensor - $21.00
• RCX 9V Gear Motor - $19.75

The theme for the 2008 FLL Challenge is Climate Connections. There is not a lot of info on it yet but FLL has posted a brief summary about it in the US section of the FLL web site (http://www.firstlegoleague.org/default.aspx?pid=70).

Registration for FLL 2008 opens May 1, 2008. You can register online on the FLL Registration site (http://www.register4fll.com/).

The info about the expenses is explained on the registration web site:

http://register4fll.com/finditem.cfm?itemid=33

Here is my estimate:

FLL Team Registration (Required): Can. $235
FLL 2007 Field Set Up Kit: Can. $78
FLL Robot Set (NXT): Can. $435

TOTAL: $748+tax($104.72)=$852.72

I am not happy about the increased costs, but there seems little we can do about it. It is relatively inexpensive when you compare it to other robotics competitions, but that does not make it any easier for public schools where money is not always available. I fear the smaller and more rural schools will have great difficulty coming up with the money for this.