Creativity and engineering will come together Saturday and Sunday at the tenth annual Quad Cities – Davenport FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Qualifiers & FIRST LEGO League Junior (FLL Jr.) Expos at the Putnam Museum & Science Center. 

FIRST LEGO League teams of students age 9-14 and FIRST LEGO League Junior Teams of students age 6-10 will demonstrate their problem-solving skills, creative thinking, teamwork, competitive play, sportsmanship and sense of community.  

In total, 100 teams from 25 different communities with an estimated 700 students are expected over the two days at the Putnam. Combined with last Saturday’s event in Moline at John Deere World Headquarters, 139 total teams are participating in the Quad Cities. A large increase from the 13 teams that participated 10 years ago at the Putnam!

FLL teams will program their LEGO MINDSTORMS® robots to solve a set of missions on an obstacle course set on a thematic playing surface. For the [INTO ORBIT] Challenge, teams are working to solve problems related to space exploration in our Sun's solar system.

The competition is judged in three areas: project; robot design, and core values — which embody aspects of teamwork and good sportsmanship. Top robot game scores are also honored.

Top qualifying FLL teams will move on to the Iowa State Championships in Ames on Jan. 19 or 20, with the chance to make it to the FIRST World Championship in Detroit in April 2019.

High Level Schedule (Link to detailed schedule)

8:40 a.m.: Opening Ceremony  

9 - 11:35 a.m. & 12:30 – 2:10 p.m.: Judging & Robotic Performance Rounds

2:45 p.m. (approximate): FLL Awards & Closing Ceremonies 
 

FLL is free, and the public is welcome to watch the competition. The museum and science center will be closed Saturday and Sunday to accommodate this event.

The event is organized locally by the non-profit Quad City Engineering and Science Council (QCESC) in partnership Iowa State University of Engineering, John Deere, and the Putnam Museum & Science Center.

About the Putnam

The Putnam has been inspiring ideas, dialogue and interaction among people of all ages for 150 years. And today, we’re better than ever with hands-on fun for the whole family. Launch rockets or interact with a robot in the Science Center, “touch the untouchable” in the Augmented Reality Experience, visit our famous mummies in Unearthing Ancient Egypt, climb into a tree house in Black Earth | Big River or go back in time to see our region’s history in River, Prairie and People. Also experience internationally recognized traveling exhibits or take in a movie in the GIANT Screen Theater with a screen towering six stories tall. Our welcoming team is dedicated to helping you discover and explore in a friendly and engaging place.

For more information about current and upcoming events, exhibits and movies, visit putnam.org.

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