Lego helps connect young people, science
Students build robots out of interlocking blocks as part of competition
SYDNEY — Future engineers practised community saving skills using robots made out of toy blocks as part of the Lego League qualifying tournament at the Nova Scotia Community College Marconi campus on Saturday.
The competition saw four teams of students, ages nine to 14, build robots out of Legos and then compete in a series of challenges judged by NSCC faculty.
“Everybody likes Lego and this is kind of the bridge activity to be able to get them excited about science and technology,” said Darren Andrews, an NSCC faculty member.
“It is more than just the robot game. They are doing projects. They are being interviewed for team work and they are being interviewed about the decisions they make in programming and designing their robots.”
The main theme of Saturday’s competition was nature’s fury, and showed how communities can prepare for and respond to natural disasters like tornadoes, floods and earthquakes. It also asked teams present an innovative solution to a fictional natural disaster.
Projects were announced in May and interested students received the general topic outline at that time.
After a rundown of the expectations and the project purpose, students went to work on their robotics.
“In September, they would get the robot game mat, which has all those obstacles they are trying to program their robots for. So they have about six to eight weeks lead time to basically tackle the mission.”
On Saturday the students’s robots made their way around the competition mats under the watchful eye of their team leaders, parents and friends. Their robots were designed to move certain items on the mat and avoid others, which they did for the most part as students and observers watched with interested excitement.
“I like the technology, but not necessarily the science,” said Noah Murrant, a member of the Thompson Junior High team.
“I came here last year to see what it was about, but this is my first time competing.”
Building the robot was the favourite part of one of Murrant’s teammates.
“He can grab stuff and move it,” Kelsey Roberts said of the robot entered by his Thompson team.
“It is like a giant claw. The arm moves and the jaw opens.”
Though the students enjoy the activity, Andrews reiterated that there’s much more to the competition than that.
“Today is about getting kids interested in science and technology,” Andrews said.
“We have our first report this year that a former participant in the first year has actually gone on to engineering at Acadia, so there’s success out of the program.”
Next weekend competitions move on to the Annapolis Valley, Truro and Halifax as teams try to advance to the Nova Scotia championship tournament, Feb. 15 at Acadia University in Wolfville.
The Lego League, based out of New Hampshire, uses the friendly competition to encourage youth to get involved in science and technology through fun and meaningful learning.