my kid is going to a Lego Robotics Challenge for Milddle Schoolers tomorrow

[tigereye]

anyone's kid done this? If so, what was your experience?


HIs school is kind of arty and this is their first year going to anything like a science competition. We live in Pittsburgh, where robotics are a very big deal at Carnegie Mellon University.

[Tektonik]

1. I was part of a FIRST Robotics club in HS,

and we helped mentor LEGO Robotics at a few neighboring middle schools, and all in all it was a good experience. I've gone to a couple smaller matches for LEGO Robotics, and they're great ecpecially if you have a vested interest in one of the teams.

[tigereye]

4. this is a first for our small school - I guess they have been doing these

competitions for about 6 years or so here.


My son is nervous, but since they started late in the year, I think they should just enjoy the experience and do their best.



I was surprised at the number of teams and all the kids! When I was in junior high, any remotely academic competition was something kids tended to avoid, but this seems like a lot of fun, since most kids love Legos. My son has been playing with em since he was really small, and a few years ago my husband got him one of the Mindstorm sets. That was pretty cool.

Did you end up becoming a software or engineering person?

[Maestro]

2. My school sponsors a robotics club.

It is made up of 4th and 5th graders. It isn't lego robotics, but still they make their robots and take them to competition. They finished sixth in the state last year and they were the youngest team. All other teams that were ahead of them were middle school. Best of luck to your kid!

[tigereye]

5. well, this is their first time and they just started with it not that long ago

so I think it will just be for the fun of it. It's cool to see kids so excited about science and engineering, though.

They went over to CMU for some type of tour, and there was talk about nano-technology.




Thanks!

[Blue-Jay]

3. Lego AT-AT

[tigereye]

6. my son wanted that giant Death Star one - but I would have had to put in a

new wing of the house to have room!

:hi:


I have to get to bed - for some reason they want the kids there at 7am! :boring:

[hedgehog]

7. Beware the Legos! After you go broke buying Lego sets and

step on them in your bare feet at least a dozen times, you'll go broke again sending the kid(s) to Engineering school!

[tigereye]

8. what the kids were doing reminded me of some of my college buddies

and their first design/ engineering courses!


I've done and done the stepping on Legos thing - thank God that phase is over to some extent!

[Shine]

9. Wow, that's awesome!! Congrats and good luck to him!

ShineBoy took a Lego Robotics class once, but he never really liked it that much. That was back when he was younger, in the 3rd or 4th grade.

:hi: Hope all's well on your end! :hug:

[tigereye]

11. hey Shine!

How are ya, my dear?

How you been?


:hi:

:hug:


It was cool, and so diverse! I really liked the team of Muslim girls and their female relatives, all wearing head-scarves!

Our team did pretty well considering it was our first time. I guess this competition is a big deal - kids had t-shirts, lots of tech-looking support and cheering sections! (when I was a student geek, there were no cheering sections for Academic Games! ;)

[Shine]

13. Lets hear it for the brains!!!

:woohoo: Good on your kid! Good gene pool, I say. :thumbsup:


:hug: Things are good here. I was planning to put up the holiday lights on the house today, but then it unexpectedly rained, which means I have to stay inside and catch up on the bills, instead.

Oh joy. ;)

:hi:

[tigereye]

14. does it seem like the bills come around faster and faster?

sometimes I feel as if that's all I do, other than working and taking out the trash! :rofl:


I saw some cars today that had X-mas trees that appeared to be almost as big as the cars themselves!

[Shine]

15. Yes, and the laundry, too!!

:eyes: doing laundry is a never-ending chore that I hate.

[tigereye]

16. I don't mind it, but my son likes to leave cookies in his pockets...

:eyes:


I love to vacuum, though. Weird.


I wish we lived close enough to have lunch! I suspect we would have a fun time! Oh well.

[Shine]

17. What, you LIKE laundry?? You're freakin' me out, girl!

;)

I'd have lunch with you anytime. :hug: I'm sure we'd have some fun.

[ghostsofgiants]

10. Ooh, that sounds neat!

Hope he has fun!

[tigereye]

12. well it was today - and he was back-up since the 8th graders did the actual

competition and he's only in 6th. But I think it was a good experience. The kids and parents were really into it. Geekdom is more popular since I was that age.


However, he had to get up really early and I think he was kinda fried - eager to get home to his football games....

[Bunny]

18. That is so cool!

Way to go, little tigereye! :patriot:

How you doin', girl? We're all fine, I'm bracing for the Xmas mania. :scared:

[tigereye]

19. it's not far away, is it?

I bought my cards and Advent Calendar early - and I've done some shopping.

It goes fast, doesn't it?

:hi: