At T.E.C. Schools, we empower our students to become the problem-solvers, collaborators, critical thinkers, and confident presenters of tomorrow. And this year, our 3rd-grade team, The T.E.C. Explorers, exemplified this vision in a truly spectacular way! We are thrilled to celebrate their outstanding achievement at the First Lego League (FLL) tournament, where they won the coveted "Sturdy as a Rock" award.
Perhaps you're a prospective parent wondering:
- What does a robotics program for a third grader entail?
- What will your child actually do?
- What will they learn?
Let us introduce you to the exciting world of First Lego League through the journey of our very own T.E.C. Explorers.
Diving Deep into Innovation
The FLL tournament challenged teams to tackle real-world problems with creativity and ingenuity. This year's theme, "Submerged," sent our students on a fascinating deep-sea adventure. Over several weeks, the T.E.C. Explorers immersed themselves in the wonders of the ocean biome. They researched diverse marine life, explored the challenges of ocean pollution, and imagined innovative solutions.
Their project was truly remarkable: they designed a Lego ship equipped with robots to responsibly mine the ocean floor and clean up polluted areas. This involved not only building and programming a LEGO robot to complete specific tasks but also developing a comprehensive strategy and presentation to showcase their work to the judges. You might be asking, what specific tools do they use? At T.E.C., students utilize LEGO Education program, a fantastic platform that introduces fundamental engineering and coding concepts in an engaging and age-appropriate way.
More Than Just Robots: Building Essential Skills
The First Lego League experience is so much more than just building robots. It's a powerful platform for developing essential skills that will serve our students well throughout their lives:
- Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving: The team had to analyze complex problems, brainstorm solutions, and troubleshoot challenges with their robot design and programming. How is this structured? FLL is project-based, with a clear challenge each year that requires students to research, design, build, and test their solutions.
- Collaboration & Teamwork: Working together effectively was crucial to their success. They learned to communicate, share ideas, and support each other throughout the project. Will my child work in a team? Absolutely! Teamwork is a core component of FLL, fostering communication and shared responsibility.
- Creativity & Innovation: From designing their robot to developing their research project, the students unleashed their imaginations and came up with unique and innovative solutions. Is it just about following instructions? Not at all! FLL encourages students to think outside the box and develop their own creative approaches.
- Communication & Presentation Skills: They confidently presented their work to the judges, articulating their ideas clearly and passionately. Will there be opportunities to present? Yes, a key part of FLL is the presentation of their project and robot design to a panel of judges, building crucial public speaking skills.
A Proud Moment for T.E.C.
We are incredibly proud of The T.E.C. Explorers and their dedicated coach, Jon Brownlow. Their hard work, passion, and teamwork have made us all proud. This achievement highlights the power of hands-on learning and the importance of providing students with opportunities to explore their potential in STEM fields. The First Lego League is now a cornerstone of our 3rd-grade technology curriculum, and we can't wait to see what future innovations our students will create!
See Innovation in Action!
Are you looking for a school that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and a love of learning? We invite you to explore the T.E.C. difference! Explore our Summer Program and we'd love to show you how we empower every child to become a confident and innovative problem-solver.
