2. Welcome Welcome to Junior FIRST LEGO League! 2012 Super Seniors Registration is Open! Focused on building an interest in science and engineering in children ages 6-9, Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL®) is a hands-on program designed to capture young children's inherent curiosity and direct it toward discovering the possibilities of improving the world around them. Just like FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®), this program features a real-world challenge, to be solved by research, critical thinking and imagination. Guided by adult coaches and the Jr.FLL Core Values, students work with LEGO elements and moving parts to build ideas and concepts and present them for review. Team Members get to: Design and build challenge solutions using LEGO elements Apply real-world math and science concept Research challenges facing today’s scientists Learn team building and presentation skills Develop Show Me poster http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/jr.fll

3. There is a sign in sheet being passed around - please sign in and indicate your name, your child’s name, your child’s school, and if you can volunteer as one of the team coaches. Parents who volunteer as coaches make Jr. FLL possible.

4. Please enjoy this video to learn more about Jr. FLL

5. How do I get started? Coaches – This is the first year that South Dakota Robotics is supporting Jr. FLL and therefore there are very few existing teams to join. What that means is that in order for our kids to participate we need parents to coach teams. The good news – Coaching is fun and rewarding. Jr. FLL and South Dakota Robotics is there to support, teach, and mentor coaches. The coaches guide and other resources will guide you through exactly what you need to help your team have a rewarding year. Please consider volunteering to coach a Jr. FLL team. Put together a team – it only takes two kids to get started, but the optimal number is 4-5 kids. Teams can have up to 6 kids. A great way to put together a team is to contact your child’s elementary school and put together a team of classmates. Scout troops, after school groups, homeschool groups and groups of friends are also encouraged to form teams. Register your team – Visit http://southdakotarobotics.com for a guide to registering your team.http://southdakotarobotics.com

6. Who do I contact for more information or if I have questions? Please feel free to visit http://southdakotarobotics.com for more information, including optional coaches training, and event dates.http://southdakotarobotics.com Email Becky Redetzke at becky.redetzke@southdakotarobotics.com or Charles Redetzke at charles.redetzke@southdakotarobotics.com with any questions you may have.becky.redetzke@southdakotarobotics.comcharles.redetzke@southdakotarobotics.com What is this year’s challenge? This years challenge will focus on Super Seniors. Improving the lives of Seniors.

7. How often are meetings? However often your team decides they need to be. A minimum of 6 meetings may be sufficient for a focused team working together. More may be needed for many teams. How much does Jr. FLL cost? Teams typically split the cost of registration and Lego materials among team members. Registration is $50 per team and the basic LEGO materials kit is $178. Most teams also purchase t-shirts. The estimated cost is $50-$100 per team member but will vary depending on team size and the materials each team decides to use. If costs are an issue please email Becky Redetzke at becky.redetzke@southdakotarobotics.com or Charles Redetzke at charles.redetzke@southdakotarobotics.com to discuss the options. becky.redetzke@southdakotarobotics.com charles.redetzke@southdakotarobotics.com

8. Does my school already have a Jr. FLL team I can join? Unlikely. This is the first year Jr. FLL is supported in South Dakota Robotics. So teams will be new this year. Some schools do, however, already have FLL teams and may already have a school coordinator for that who you can work with. The best way to determine if this is the case for your school is to contact the school. Teams are easy to start and we will give you any support we can to get you going. The availability of teams is always dependent on having coaches volunteer. When are Jr. FLL events? We anticipate having a few choices of events your team can attend in Mid. January. Please check http://southdakotarobotics.com for dates in the coming months.http://southdakotarobotics.com