FIRST LEGO League Explore Festival
Sunday, March 16 2025Fox Valley Robotics hosts a FIRST LEGO League Explore Festival each season. Teams are invited to share their model and poster with the reviewers during the event.
For the Batavia High School cafeteria, the best choice is to park on the Main Street (south) entrance of the school, not the Wilson Street (north) side. There will be a Fox Valley Robotics sign near the set of doors to enter.
The event schedule is:
| 12:30-1pm |
|
Team Check-In and table setup |
| 1-1:10pm |
|
Opening Remarks |
| 1:10-3pm |
|
Reviewing Sessions |
| 3-3:15pm |
|
Juice & Snack Break |
| 3:15-4pm |
|
Closing Ceremonies |
Teams are slotted into a 30-minute reviewing time block in which Reviewers will visit their table to speak with the team. Teams are expected to be at their table during their whole, scheduled reviewing time block.
Batavia Festival Reviewers work in pairs to learn about the team's journey through the team's presentation and ask questions to learn about their model, programming, and poster. Reviewers are friendly faces who love robotics and want to celebrate what the team has learned! Team presentations are encouraged (see page 29 of the Team Meeting Guide) but don't worry if the team doesn't have a presentation: Reviewers are prepared to ask prompting questions to the team to share in their journey.
While not being reviewed, many additional activities are available for teams:
- Free build at the LEGO table
- Robot demo area
- LEGO guessing game
- Sales table with guessing game tickets, snacks, water bottles, soda
- Photo op area for team pictures
- Visit with other teams to learn about their season journey
The Festival is open to the public.
To register your FLL Explore team with Illinois to attend a Festival, go to FIRST Illinois Robotics. Preparing for the Event
If your team is attending the Festival, here are a few tips for the Festival:
- Packing the model can be hard! Don't leave it to the last minute. Flat boxes (used for fruit/veg) at the grocery store make great boxes to have model parts stay flat. If the model is tall and not robust, think about either separating the model or using something soft to cushion around the model. Models transport best on a flat surface, like on the floor in a car's backseat or in the trunk.
- Practice the reviewing session. Bring in older siblings or students to practice sharing the presentation or answering questions. Reviewers want to hear what the Explore students have done! Don't worry if the team doesn't have a rehearsed presentation- we know some teams just won't get to it. Reviewers are prepared with questions to ask the team if they don't have a presentation. If the team has a presentation, the Reviewers want to hear it! Practice speaking loud enough for students to be heard and remember that students can have notecards, sheets or paper, or whatever else helps them be comfortable!
- Move as a flock: there are going to be a lot of teams at the festival. Make sure each student knows where their team table is so they can find it again. Encourage them to explore as a team or in small groups, visiting the different activity stations set-up throughout the room.
- Help the kids shine: these students have spent their season working, playing AND learning. Let's help them by celebrating what they have accomplished. Reviewers don't need parents or coaches to explain the model or run code, let's let the kids do it.
- Ask questions! Need help? Have a question about the event? Want to learn what comes next after Explore? Ask! There are a lot of volunteers at the Batavia Festival ready to answer your questions or direct you to someone who can.
Make sure to bring:
- The team model
- The SUBMERGED mat
- The team poster
- The team
Optional items to bring:
- LEGO for emergency repairs
- A spare power cable for the model's electronics
- Computer or tablet, if required to run the programs
- Power cable for the computer/tablet
- Team T-shirts
- A plastic tote for team coats/boots (weather dependent)
- Anything else your team requires!
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