FIRST LEGO® League200 Bedford Street
Manchester, NH 03101
www.usfirst.orgwww.firstlegoleague.org
FLL is the result of an exciting alliance between FIRST and The LEGO Group
F I R S T L E G O ® L E A G U E C O A C H E s ’
HANDBOOK
F o u r t h E d i t i o n
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE i
FIRST LEGO League Core Values
We are a team.
We do the work to find solutions with guidance from our coaches and mentors.
We honor the spirit of friendly competition.
What we discover is more important than what we win.
We share our experiences with others.
We display gracious professionalism in everything we do.
We have fun.
ii FIRST LEGO LEAGUE
FIRST LEGO League Coaches’ Handbook4th Edition, 2008 printing
FIRST LEGO League200 Bedford StreetManchester, NH 03101www.usfirst.orgwww.firstlegoleague.org
FLL is the result of an exciting alliance between FIRST and The LEGO® Group.
©2008 FIRST and The LEGO® Group.
Official FIRST LEGO® League Teams and FLL Operational Partners are permitted to make reproductions of this handbook for immediate team and Partner use only. Any use, reproduction, or duplication of this manual for purposes other than directly related to the immediate FLL team is strictly prohibited without specific written permission from FIRST and The LEGO® Group.
LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT, Robotics Invention SystemTM, RCX, and ROBOLABTM, are trademarks of The LEGO® Group, used here with special permission.
LOGO USAGE The FIRST logo consists of a composite graphic element and the FIRST wordmark, and is a registered trademark of FIRST. The FIRST LEGO® League name and logo are trademarks of FIRST and The LEGO® Group. For team branding use, teams may design their T-shirts, hats, banners, and fliers around the FIRST or FLL logos. All teams and sponsors should consult the logo guidelines available on the FIRST website in the FLL Communications Resource Center. The logos must remain unmodified and their use should promote FIRST LEGO® League in a positive manner. All teams and sponsors must obtain approval from FIRST Marketing prior to incorporating our logos in any paid advertising.
A Special Thanks: We would like to thank Patrick S. Sweeney for his generous content
contributions to the FIRST LEGO League Coaches' Handbook.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE iii
FLL Coaches’ Promise As the coach of a FIRST LEGO® League (FLL) team, please read the
information below for further understanding of FLL core values. As coach, you are responsible for honoring and communicating FLL core values to team members, team volunteers, parents, and others affiliated with your team.
All teams are expected to abide by FLL rules and guidelines as they exist now and as they may be set forth during the season. Team rules, guidelines, and policies and procedures are detailed in this handbook. Any updates, additions, participant consent forms, volunteer recruitment, screening, and supervision guidelines for the team will be communicated to FLL coaches via email and posted on the FIRST LEGO® League section of www.usfirst.org.
MY pROMISe aS cOach:
1) The children come first. FLL is about the children having fun and getting excited about science and technology. Everything my team does starts and ends with this principle.
2) The children do the work. This is their opportunity to learn and grow. The children on my team do all of the programming, research, problem solving, and building. Adults can help them find the answers, but cannot give them answers or make decisions.
3) My team is comprised of ten or fewer members (all team members participate on only one team), registered as an official FLL team, and all team members are no older than 14 on January 1st of the Challenge year.
4) I am responsible for reading and relaying all aspects of FLL guidelines and rules to my team, other coaches, volunteers, and parents. FLL communicates with my team via my primary email address.
5) I will encourage my team members, other coaches, volunteers, parents and team supporters to develop and practice a set of FLL Values that reflects FIRST’s goal to change culture in a positive way by inspiring others through our team’s actions and words.
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T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
About FIRST i . . . . . . FLL Core Values iii . . . . . FLL Coaches’ Promise vii . . . . . Biographies
Chapter 1 – Building a Foundation2 . . . . . . FLL Values3 . . . . . . Gracious Professionalism3 . . . . . . The FLL Challenge
Chapter 2 – Building a Team6 . . . . . . Advice for Coaches7 . . . . . . The Children, The Mentors, and The Parents9 . . . . . . Team Dynamics11 . . . . Time Commitment12 . . . . . Roles and Responsibilities16 . . . . Team Goals
Chapter 3 – Building a Season18 . . . . . Choosing a Facility20 . . . . . Working with Your Host and Funding a Team22 . . . . Sample Budget23 . . . . . Challenge Kickoff and Meetings24 . . . . . Team Building26 . . . . . Problem Solving
Chapter 4 – Materials & Mechanics30 . . . . . Materials Defined31 . . . . Software33 . . . . . Sensors38 . . . . . Object Manipulation41 . . . . . RCX Battery Replacement42 . . . . . Programming Garage
Chapter 5 – The Project44 . . . . . Explore the Challenge Theme45 . . . . Identify a Real World Problem45 . . . . . Create an Innovative Solution46 . . . . Share Your Research and Solution46 . . . . Prepare a Presentation
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE v
47 . . . . Prepare Plan B
Chapter 6 – Celebrating Your FLL Season50 . . . . . Host a Local Event51 . . . . . Recognize Your Team Members52 . . . . . Applaud Your Sponsors, Mentors, and Volunteers52 . . . . Acknowledge Each Person and Salute the Group
Chapter 7 – The Tournaments54 . . . . . Event Types56 . . . . . Applying for a Tournament57 . . . . . Tournament Logistics59 . . . . Rookie Teams59 . . . . . Tournament Areas62 . . . . . How the Day Works64 . . . . . How Judging Works
Chapter 8 – Awards & Judging Criteria72 . . . . . Awards Eligibility74 . . . . . Judging Guidelines75 . . . . . Champion’s Award76 . . . . . Technical Awards76 . . . . . Team Presentation Awards78 . . . . . Special Recognition Awards79 . . . . . Optional Judges’ Awards
Chapter 9 – Checklists & Schedules82 . . . . . Pre-Season through Tournament Checklist85 . . . . . FLL Season Schedule and Weekly Milestones88 . . . . . Sample Tournament Schedule
Appendix A: Rubrics90 . . . . . Robot Design92 . . . . . The Project94 . . . . . Teamwork and FLL Values
Appendix B: Additional Resources97 . . . . . Useful Books and Web Links98 . . . . . FLL Support99 . . . . FLL Website99 . . . . . Kickoff Documents100 . . . . Sample Press Release101 . . . . Terms and Concepts
vi FIRST LEGO LEAGUE
A B O u T F I R S T “…to create a world where science and technology are celebrated… where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes.”
Dean Kamen, Founder, FIRST
FIRSTFIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded
by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit public charity.
A volunteer-driven organization, FIRST is built on partnerships with individuals as well as businesses, educational institutions, and government. Some of the world’s most respected companies provide funding, mentorship time and talent, and equipment to make FIRST’s mission a reality. As a team coach, you join over 70,000 committed and effective volunteers who are key to introducing over 155,000 youths to the joy of problem solving through engineering.
FIRST provides two well-known programs, the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) for high school-aged young people and FIRST LEGO® League (FLL) for 9 to 14 year-olds. FIRST also offers the Junior FIRST LEGO League (Jr.FLL) for 6 to 9 year-olds and the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), an intermediate robotics competition that offers students the traditional challenge of a FIRST Robotics Competition but with a more accessible and affordable robotics set. Also located at FIRST headquarters is the research and development facility called FIRST Place. FIRST Place is integral to FLL game design, new program development, evaluation, and professional development of FIRST mentors.
Since 1992, the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) has challenged high school students — working with professional mentors — to solve an engineering design problem in an intense and competitive way. The program is a life-changing, career-molding experience — and a lot of fun. In 2008, the competition reached more than 37,000 students on over 1,500 teams in 41 regional competitions and one Championship event. Our teams come from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and every U.S. state.
In 1998, FIRST Founder Dean Kamen and The LEGO Group’s Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen joined forces to create FIRST LEGO League (FLL), a powerful program that engages younger children in playful and meaningful learning while helping them to discover the fun in science and technology through the FIRST experience.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE vii
As of 2007, over 100,000 children in 38 countries are active in FLL. We are thrilled to have teams in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Faroe Islands, France, Germany, Greenland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
“We want to change the culture by celebrating the mind. We need to show kids that it’s more fun to design and create a video game than it is to play one.” Dean Kamen Founder, FIRST
Dean Kamen is President of DEKA Research & Development Corporation, a dynamic company focused on the development of revolutionary new technologies that span a diverse set of applications. As an inventor, physicist, and entrepreneur, Dean has dedicated his life to developing technologies that help people lead better lives. Founding FIRST is among Dean’s proudest accomplishments.
“FLL encourages children to design, construct, and program their own intelligent inventions. This allows them not only to understand technology, but to become masters of it.” Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen Owner & Deputy Chairman, The LEGO Group
Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is the principal shareholder of the 100% family-owned LEGO Group. He is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of LEGO Holding A/S and also Chairman of several of the largest companies in The LEGO Group, which today consists of 50 companies in Denmark and abroad, employing around 7,300 people.
Dean and Kjeld have a shared belief that when FLL teams research, build, and experiment, they live the entire process of creating ideas, solving problems, and overcoming obstacles, while gaining confidence in their abilities to positively use technology.
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FIRST LEGO® League (FLL) relies on volunteers to run the program at many levels, from managing a region to coaching an individual team. We call our volunteers in each region FLL Operational Partners, or FLL Partners. These FLL Partners fundraise, run tournaments, hold workshops and
demonstrations, market FLL locally, handle public relations, and recruit volunteers and teams. They are a tremendous resource for you as a team coach, and FLL would not exist without them.
C O R N E R S T O N E SOur FLL Partners agree to
maintain certain standards relative to tournaments, the Challenge, and overall program administration. At the same time, the resources of each FLL Partner vary from region to region. Some FLL Partners are affiliated with major corporations that support FIRST and FLL. Others are based in a non-profit that has a complementary mission to FLL, and some are individuals with a passion for our cause, operating out of their homes. For all FLL Partners, their most important goal is to share the FLL program with as many individuals as possible.
FLL ValuesWe ask all who participate in FLL to uphold the following values:
• Respect each other in the best spirit of teamwork
• Behave with courtesy and compassion for others at all times
• Honor the spirit of friendly competition
• Act with integrity
• Demonstrate gracious professionalism
• Focus on the experience and not the awards
• Remember that the children do the work
• Encourage others to adopt these values
Tip We encourage FLL teams
to explore the different sections
of the two integrated websites:
www.usfirst.org (referred to in
this handbook as the FIRST
site) and www.firstlegoleague.
org (referred to in this handbook
as the FLL site). You may
choose to assign a team
member or volunteer to review
the sites periodically and update
the team. However, as coach,
you are ultimately responsible for
all communications concerning
your team. See the appendix for
additional resources on the web.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 3C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 1
Gracious ProfessionalismDr. Woodie Flowers, National Advisor for FIRST, speaks about gracious
professionalism in this way: “The FIRST spirit encourages doing high-quality, well-informed work in a manner that leaves everyone feeling valued. Gracious professionalism seems to be a good descriptor for part of the ethos of FIRST. It is part of what makes FIRST different and wonderful.
Gracious professionalism can and should mean different things to each of us. It is possible, however, to outline some of its meanings:
• Gracious attitudes and behaviors are “win-win.”• Gracious folks respect others and let that respect
show in their actions. • Gracious professionals make a valued contribution in a
manner pleasing to others and to themselves as they possess special knowledge and are trusted by society to use that knowledge responsibly.
In the long run, gracious professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life. One can add to society and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that you have acted with integrity and sensitivity. That’s good stuff!”
FLL is a child-centered activity and is about giving children a unique and stimulating experience. We want them to learn the value of teamwork and to respect everyone’s ideas and contributions to the team. FLL values are about appreciating our differences and learning what those differences add to our lives. FLL succeeds most fully when team members bring the FLL values they learn back to their communities.
The FLL ChallengeEach September, we provide
FLL teams around the world with an annual Challenge. The Challenge is based on a set of real-world problems facing scientists and engineers today. It has two parts: a robot game and a project.
In the robot game, teams design, build, program, and test autonomous
reminder FLL expects team
members, coaches, mentors,
parents, and other family
members to model good behavior
and uphold FLL values.
4 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 1
robots that must perform a series of tasks, or missions.
In the project, teams conduct research to identify a real world problem in the field of the Challenge theme, and create an innovative solution and share their findings in their community.
For roughly eight fast-paced weeks, each team is guided by at least one adult coach and works as a group to overcome obstacles and meet challenges while learning from and interacting with their peers and adult mentors. Teams work to find creative solutions to the problems presented to them in the Challenge. They then compete in optional local and regional tournaments where they celebrate their accomplishments with other FLL teams, family, and friends.
After the hard work and a lot of fun, children come away with a greater appreciation of science and technology and how they might use it to positively impact the world around them. In addition, they cultivate life skills such as planning, brainstorming, collaboration and teamwork, as well as research, presentation and technical skills.
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Coaching an FLL team can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. And like any great reward, it involves a commitment of time and energy.
T H E F O u N d A T i O NTo succeed, both the coach and the team members must commit to
the entire process. Above all, it’s important to remember that the children need you to give them guidance and provide structure, encouragement, and most of all, a fun experience.
Teams require at least one adult coach. As the coach, you must be 18 years or older. Lots of people make good coaches such as parents, teachers, engineers, college students, and scout leaders. It requires no special skill, just patience, dedication, and a willingness to learn alongside the team. You will need to direct the process the team follows to solve the Challenge without providing the solution yourself.
In addition, you must be willing to acquire some basic knowledge of the programming environment and LEGO robot building. We encourage you to enlist the support of a technology mentor or guest speakers for additional assistance. We also recommend that you invite professionals with backgrounds in engineering, programming, and the science of the Challenge theme to share their knowledge and experience with your team.
Advice for Coaches Don’t take this too seriously! We want you to enjoy the experience.
Our goal is for you to help the children have fun with robots while they get comfortable with technology and learn something about a real-world problem. Whether or not your team scores high marks at a competition, team members win just for participating. If you throw in a discussion about friction while they eat pizza, you’re doing a great job.
If it is your rookie year, enjoy it for what it is: a survey of the course. Your goal should be to simply take a lap around the block with FLL. With a fun experience and meeting realistic goals under your belt, you and the children will be brimming with ideas about what you plan to do next year.
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The ChildrenYour FLL team will have up to ten children, ages 9 to 14. For a true
team experience, we recommend a minimum of three children per team. To be eligible, a child cannot be older than 14 on January 1 of the year the Challenge is announced. For example, a student who turns 15 in May of 2008 would be eligible to compete in the 2008 season, whereas a child who turned 15 in December 2007 would not.
Children come to the team from many different avenues such as schools, after-school programs, home-school groups, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girls Inc., Boys & Girls Clubs, YWCA, YMCA, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, religious groups, and neighborhood groups.
The MentorsA mentor is any person who works with the team in his area of
expertise for at least one team meeting. Mentors help provide valuable one-on-one interaction and serve as resources in their specialties. Here are some mentor types and possible team contributions:
• Engineer – Teaches the necessary skills for the robot’s design or the project presentation .
• High school FIRST Robotics Competition member – Helps team work through a practice programming challenge, shares strategizing methods, serves as a possible youth role model .
• Science professional – An expert in this year’s Challenge theme, presents real examples of science in practice, advises the team on the project research and potential solutions, recommends new sources of information for the team .
• Graphic artist – Provides advice on the team logo and T-shirts .
• General volunteer – Schedules meetings, provides transportation and snacks, helps with fundraising, and provides carpentry assistance for building table borders .
• Programmer – Teaches the team about programming principles and helps the team troubleshoot programs .
• Marketing expert – Teaches the children about marketing the team to others .
reminder An FLL team includes
a maximum of ten children.
In addition, each child may
participate on only one FLL team.
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When recruiting a mentor, be sure to consider diversity. Children from diverse backgrounds may be more comfortable if there are adults with backgrounds similar to their own. Below are just some of the sources to recruit a diverse group of mentors. You can visit their national websites to connect with someone from a local chapter:
• Society for Women Engineers (SWE)
• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
Other sources for mentors include organizations that strongly encourage their members to volunteer in the community, such as:
• IBM On Demand Community
• Leading corporations in your community
• Senior Corps
The ParentsParents of team members should be called upon to help. Their
cooperation and support are invaluable. They can help with fundraising, logistics, team building, mentoring, or opening their homes for a team meeting. A parent could handle all of the paperwork for tournaments or coordinate the team’s travel arrangements. Another could coordinate the materials and resources the team needs throughout the season by finding how-to guides and expert resources on the FLL Challenge topic, or leading brainstorming practice and teambuilding activities.
Ask a parent to read updates on the FLL and FIRST websites. And don’t forget the most important volunteer duty — organizing refreshments so your team never runs out of fuel. As coach, you can perform all of these tasks, but sharing the workload makes your team more efficient, reduces stress, and increases team spirit and cohesion.
TipIt is a good idea to have
the parents review and agree
to the FLL Coaches’ Promise
to reinforce the goal that the
children do all the work. Parents
may want to help, but remind
them it has to be hands off.
Additionally, you might consider
holding a meeting for parents
at the start of the season to
set expectations and recruit
mentors.
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T E A M d Y N A M i C S
Team Size There are advantages and disadvantages to any team size, but
teams must not exceed the maximum of 10 members. Some coaches believe small teams may concentrate better, work as a unit more easily, and provide team members with more opportunities for attention from
SnapShoTColumbia University junior Wayne Penn began his FIRST career
as a member of the ThunderChickens, a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team from Washington, MI.
Wayne serves as the director of Columbia Robots for Academic Inspiration, a campus group dedicated to mentoring middle and high school students from the South Bronx, NY in FRC and FLL.
“Robotic sports are fun for everyone,” says Wayne, “but we want each of these children to walk away with a new sense of self-confidence, teamwork, and belonging. Our end goal is to assure that each student has the motivation and support to graduate from high school and go on to college.”
Currently mentoring seven FLL teams (four of which he helped start), Wayne’s goal is to have an FLL team in every middle school in the Bronx within three years.
10 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 2
the coach or mentors. Other coaches believe that larger teams have an advantage because they share the workload and can break into sub-teams to work on tasks.
Breaking larger teams into smaller workgroups works well with this age group as it encourages collaboration. One group can work with a coach or mentor on mechanics while others learn software or work on research. Some coaches believe rearranging members into sub-teams from meeting to meeting helps avoid cliques, builds appreciation and understanding of all team roles between members, and bonds the team. Regardless of your team size, the most important thing is to give your team the best experience possible with the resources you have.
Age Variations Depending on the age and development of the team members, you
may see two distinct developmental phases with mixed-age teams. Younger
children often want to take apart and completely rebuild a robot that isn’t working, while older children will often want to stick with the current design and alter it. When working together, the two groups may frustrate each other. Neither method is right or wrong; the children are just at different developmental stages. For team members 11 years of age and younger, you and the mentors may consider:
• Presenting problems or explanations visually or with hands-on examples .
• Allowing the students time to understand the game and missions through manipulating and testing repeatedly .
SnapShoT We had 22 children show up for the first FLL meeting. They all decided to register, and we now have three teams.
As far as picking the best combination of children, sometimes your choice as a grownup will lead to a very flat team. Be sure to choose a team with a diverse range of skills, keeping in mind that children who are more challenging in the classroom will often shine on an FLL team because of the hands-on and self-directed nature of the activities.
Tip Be aware of age and
gender-based cliques. When
you see members excluded or
the focus moved away from the
whole team, discussions and
role rearrangements can help.
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For team members older than 11, you and the mentors may want to:
• Create a structure that encourages crazier, out of the box ideas .
• Provide older team members leadership opportunities, such as explaining ideas and the next steps to the rest of the team .
Time Commitment FLL teams meet for as little as one hour to up to ten hours a week.
The time commitment will vary due to your coaching experience and your team's dynamics. It is up to you and the team to decide what your meeting schedule should be. A rookie team typically needs to meet more often than a veteran team. A new team can have a learning curve and may need to have longer, more frequent meetings. Set your team’s schedule according to its goals. We suggest starting with two meetings per week that are two hours long, and adding or subtracting time as your team’s needs indicate.
As the coach, you may need additional time each week to prepare for team meetings. Spend this time coordinating help, maintaining equipment, communicating with your sponsoring organization, purchasing supplies and registering for competition. Create a realistic meeting schedule and don’t forget to consider major holidays and school events. You can refer to the sample schedules in Chapter 9: Checklists and Schedules to see how other coaches plan their seasons.
Some meetings will run like clockwork and others will be more challenging. You must accept both. Learn from everyone’s mistakes and continue with a smile.
Time vs. ProgressFLL has seen teams with very late starts, in some cases as late as
week five in the typical eight-week season. These teams often do as well as teams who started in week one or earlier. The bulk of FLL work is often done in a span of three or four weeks, so a team that starts late can still do well. The team that gets an early start takes a while to ramp up and make progress. They often second-guess themselves, and usually go through some sort of crunch time in the last week or two, winding up at the tournament showing about 70-80% effectiveness compared to an average veteran team. This is fine.
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The late or rushed team is all business for three or four weeks, maybe with some more pressure and no time to regress, and winds up showing about 70-80% effectiveness compared to an average veteran team. We have lost count of the number of post-tournament reports from teams who were worried they were too late and ended up having a blast.
R O L E S A N d R E S P O N S i B i L i T i E S
The CoachThere are as many ways to coach an FLL team as there are teams.
Some organizations take conformity to the extreme, but FLL encourages fresh thinking. Let your team celebrate its own style. Do what makes sense for you. With that said, consider certain guidelines.
As much as you might like to build it, the team must design and build the robot, not you or any other adult. If you find yourself pushing a solution, you’re doing your team a disservice. Not only are children not thinking for themselves, but you may also suppress a revolutionary idea. Additionally, a coach or other mentor doing the work sends the children the message that they are not capable of doing the work. FLL defines children doing the work as children making all critical decisions in the robot-building, programming, project development and presentation.
Does this mean you should stand idly by while your team struggles with the Challenge? Absolutely not! You must be involved, but you cannot be involved in an overtly direct way. Instead of telling the team to “build a gearbox using a worm gear,” you could ask the team to brainstorm ideas to make the robot go slower. Or you could encourage the children to run an experiment that may lead them to explore other options.
Coaches differ in how much instruction they give their teams. Some give very little and others give much more. A successful FLL coach controls the process, not the content. You are a facilitator to help your team complete its work and improve the way it works together. One useful coaching method is to reply to a question with another carefully considered
Tip If you are planning to attend
an event or tournament, check the
dates. Some take place as early
as November and some are as
late as January.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 13C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 2
question. The following examples force team members to use their knowledge of science and hypothesize logical outcomes:
“What would happen if . . .”
“and then . . .”
“how will that affect . . .”
Children become problem solvers by finding solutions themselves! We understand that adults can be just as passionate about FLL as children, but adults must always remember that THE CHILDREN COME FIRST.
Finally, you are responsible for the planning and scheduling of meetings, visits, and trips. You are the liaison between team members, mentors, parents, and volunteers. It is important that you inform children and parents about what is expected of them in terms of their commitment to the team each step of the way.
The TeamDiscuss responsibilities with the whole team. It is important for you to be
specific when talking about each individual’s role and responsibilities. Team members will usually have ideas about what they want to do: programming, building, research, marketing, etc.; but be aware of the child who might be pushed out of doing what he really wants to do. Also, be mindful of those who avoid certain tasks. Remind the children often about the importance of collaboration and teamwork.
Encourage team members to push the limits of their own comfort level and make sure everyone understands or does more than one job. Rotate roles so everyone has an opportunity to try different things. Children often discover that they enjoy a task they wouldn’t have volunteered for on their own. This can also prevent boys and girls from falling into stereotypical gender roles.
Below are examples of the roles or sub-teams you may want to establish within your team. Some children may want to be involved in multiple roles. Do whatever works best for your team, but ensure balanced leadership.
• Research – Gather information about the Challenge theme, related
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real-world problems and existing solutions . Invite professionals to share their knowledge with the team .
• Community Sharing – Consider who in the community might be impacted by or interested in your team’s problem and arrange to share your findings with them.
• Presenting – Prepare the project presentation. Design a creative way to show the judges your team’s work on the Challenge Project.
• Building – Make decisions about building and work to build consensus on the mechanical design among team members .
• Programming – Make decisions about programming and build consensus on programming .
• Strategy Analysis – Analyze the robot playing field and formulate various methods for accomplishing the missions . Lead the effort to establish a consensus on the final strategic plan and think about risks and rewards of different strategies .
• Robot Operators (2) – Operate the robot at a tournament . Two robot operators are permitted at the playing field at any given time (see Tournament section for details) .
• Project Management – Get everyone focused, get everyone’s ideas heard, find compromises, and keep everyone on schedule with a project
Tip When my team is frustrated
or the team members
have a bad day, we take a
few minutes to play the game
Sandman. In this game, the
child who is “it” tries to make
the others laugh. Once you
laugh, you’re out. It means
losing the game, but it feels so
good to laugh! The team that
successfully creates a balance
between work and play will feel
successful in other challenges.
reminderDo not worry if you don’t
fully understand some
skill or aspect of the Challenge.
You can work through it with the
team members. In fact, it may
be to your advantage. Children
love to solve problems that
befuddle adults. It promotes
creative thinking among children
when you have no answers to
influence them.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 15C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 2
timeline .
• Quality Control – Conduct independent tests of the robot’s performance to identify potential opportunities for improvement . Test for functions that do not work reliably and make recommendations for improvements .
• Marketing – Design and create the team logo . Write a press release and contact the local media, surrounding schools, or civic organizations to increase public awareness of the team and how the team benefits from the FLL experience . Communicate a weekly update on the team’s progress to parents, sponsors, and organizations .
• Documentation – Record and document the entire team’s thoughts, actions, failures, and successes throughout the FLL season in a journal, storyboard, video, or other form you can display at events . During the season, these efforts help the team organize information for decision making . At events and tournaments, these are an excellent way to showcase the team’s activities, teamwork, and spirit for the judges and event attendees .
• Fundraising – Think of ways to raise money for the team . Recruit parents and other children in the thinking, planning, and doing processes .
• Team Spirit – Think of ways your team, families, and friends can show their spirit at the tournament . As part of your team’s identity, consider designing T-shirts, making pins, writing a cheer, and inventing ways to showcase your spirit .
Tip MISSION: A mission is a
job the robot can complete
for points. Missions can be
attempted in any order, alone or
in groups, re-attempted when
possible, or skipped. Teams
earn points if the required
results on the field are still
visible at the end of the match.
16 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 2
Team Goals An early step in preparing to coach a team should be to work with
your team to set goals for the season and put them on paper. Include expectations for the group’s success at functioning as a team. As the coach, write down what concepts you expect the team to learn by the end of the season.
FLL events provide excitement and recognition and celebrate each team’s accomplishments. The true goals of FLL have nothing to do with winning medals or trophies. If you can look back at the end of the season and say even one of the following, you have achieved the most important goals:
• We learned how useful and fun technology and science can be .
• We did something we didn’t think we could do .
• We respected and considered ideas from everyone on the team .
• We helped our community .
• We improved over last year .
• We figured out how to manage time, deal with setbacks, or communicate ideas .
• We learned that research helped us better understand a problem and create an innovative solution .
• We had fun!
3ch
ap
te
r B u i L d i N G A S E A S O N
18 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
For pre-kickoff, there are a number of things we recommend to both new and returning coaches to prepare for a successful upcoming season. If there are any FLL events in your area, consider attending as a spectator. You will see the flow of the day, meet coaches, talk to teams about their experiences, and
witness the high level of energy firsthand.
G R O u N d W O R KTalk to your local FLL Partner, listed
on the FLL website (firstlegoleague.org), to get answers to a lot of your questions and to find experienced coaches in your area. Try building practice robots, both by yourself and with your team. Try completing some of the programming mini-challenges available year-round on the FIRST website (usfirst.org).
Long before the September Kickoff, we announce the theme using a teaser posted on the website (see a sample season schedule in Chapter 9: Checklists and Schedules). Take some time with your team to review the teaser. Brainstorm ideas about the new theme and associated real-world problems. As a team, do a little research about the science behind the theme and how technology is used in the theme’s field. Think about project topics that might interest your team and look for mentors who can offer topic insight. You will need to wait until Kickoff to learn the specifics of each year’s Challenge assignment but this is helpful groundwork.
Choosing a Facility You need a computer, either a
Macintosh or PC, with Internet access. This is necessary for viewing the documents for Kickoff, accessing the website, keeping up to date on the robot game Q&A, and conducting research for the project. You will also use a computer to develop programs for the team’s autonomous robot. You will need a valid email address to maintain contact with FLL throughout the Challenge season.
rookie TipCheck out past FLL
Challenges on the FLL website
(firstlegoleague.org).
Tip By using the host site and
playing field at different times,
multiple teams can share
the space and equipment.
Storage for the playing field or
table between meetings is an
important consideration. Many
coaches recommend finding a
designated storage space in
the same location where the
team meets. This makes post-
meeting cleanup much easier.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 19C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
Figure out where to host team meetings. Your host site will need a smooth floor space for the 4’ x 8’ mat or the optional FLL table. Without the optional legs and lights, the table is simply a 4’ x 8’ sheet of plywood with a 2” x 4” border around the perimeter of the plywood.
Your team can meet wherever is appropriate. For a school-based program, the school itself is ideal. Schools usually have the computers and space to set up your playing field. For teams not based in schools, you may meet in a private home, a meeting hall, or a company conference room. Find enough space to host your entire team, the competition table,
SnapShoTWe are lucky to have the school’s science teacher as the club advisor. He allows us to store everything in his room. When we
don’t want to leave materials in his room, we store materials in my car.
It helps to make a border for the mat that can fold up so it can be moved easily. We store everything but the border and the mat in a large plastic bin for easy hauling.
SnapShoTOur home school team is lucky to have the basement of the coach’s house for our practice area. We have to be careful about putting our robot away where younger brothers or sisters can’t
take it apart between team meetings. Our playing field stays in the same place from week to week.
20 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
the computers, and all your LEGO bricks. You also need a secure place to store the FLL robot set and partially assembled robots between team meetings. Evening or weekend use of the building may require special authorization. Be sure to ask permission to use the site’s computers to program the team’s robot and to complete the research for the project. Before installing software, inform the site host.
Working with Your HostMeet with the person in charge of your host site. Explain the concept
behind FLL and that the benefits of having a team extend far beyond the team members. When you meet the person in charge of the site, ask for a volunteer to act as liaison between the team and host. The liaison should update others at the site on the team’s progress. Email your liaison a progress report once or twice a week.
Ask your site liaison to explain any adult supervision and child safety requirements to you and any team mentors. In some schools, adults who meet with students after hours in a non-supervised environment must have a criminal background check and be fingerprinted. This is often done at the school’s expense, but not always. Ask all volunteers to submit to this simple procedure if necessary.
Funding a Team We know some teams will need to do some form of fundraising to
pay for participation. Fundraising as a team builds unity and develops enthusiasm for success, and besides the obvious monetary benefit, it fosters a sense of ownership in the team. Brainstorm with your team members for creative fundraising ideas; they may surprise you with some fresh ideas.
There are many ways to fund your team. Obviously, you could write a check from your personal funds or split the bill between the team members. Splitting the bill may be a large expense for some families, and you run the risk of excluding children if you use this method. Seeking a sponsor and doing other fundraising can spread awareness and support of FLL.
TipGo to www.firstlegoleague.org for
table building instructions.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 21C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
Look for a company in your community to sponsor your FLL team. Many companies that support FLL recognize how it encourages a talented future workforce. To help win them over, offer to put the company logo on your banner or T-shirts to thank them for their generous donations. Update donors or sponsors regularly, and remind them how their contributions help inspire a life-long appreciation for science and technology, as well as lasting intellectual and life skills.
SnapShoT Write a letter from the team requesting financial and/or mentor assistance. Describe what the team hopes to do with that year’s
Challenge and how it can impact the children going into science, math, engineering, or technology-related careers. Many companies have a foundation which may offer support, or they may be so impressed by the letter a group of children wrote that they offer to help.
TipWhen going to talk to a potential
sponsor’s representative, bring a
working robot. If you don’t have a
set, borrow one. Make a sample
robot using instructions from the set
or other resource and bring it with
you. Nothing speaks louder than a
robot doing its thing, but you may
also want to create a fact sheet or
press release about your team.
22 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
Sample Budget (based on 2008 costs) Assuming no in-kind donations such as goods or services.
REquiREd iTEMS COST COMMENTS
Team Registration Fee $200 USD Non-refundable $235 CAD
FLL Robot Set (NXT) $365 USD Recommended for new teams; $435 CAD can be reused for more than one year
FLL Field Setup Kit $65 USD Recommended for every team; $78 CAD changes every year
TOTAL (REQUIRED ITEMS): $630 USD $748 CAD
OpTiONal iTEMS COST COMMENTS
Official Table $75 Surface and borders $25-$30; sawhorses $30; lighting $15
Tournament Entry Fee $50 or more Varies
Tackle Boxes $10 per box For storage
T-shirts $2-$10 per shirt
TOTAL (OPTIONAL ITEMS): $135+
Other expenses include: shipping, miscellaneous supplies such as markers, paper, toner cartridges, color copies (building instructions), scissors, folders, posterboard, binders, other office supplies, snacks, and travel expenses.
Other Fundraising ideas Pick a fundraiser that is appropriate for your team and your community.
Make it fun. The more fun you have holding the fundraiser, the more donors will want to be part of that excitement.
When raising money for your team, be sure to ask community groups to support you in any way they can. Think of fundraising ideas that don’t require additional volunteers or a greater time commitment. A number
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 23C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
of major retail franchises match money raised at their sites, while others offer community groups free or discounted products. Be sure to call local businesses and ask them what they might do to help you. Every little bit you raise is helpful!
Some fundraising ideas include:
• Hold a bake sale or carwash .
• Hold a raffle of items donated by parents or local businesses .
• Write letters or proposals to foundations that support youth programs .
• Sell balloons for $5 each . Some contain donated gift certificates, others have a thank you note from the team .
• Organize a reverse raffle — Guests receive a raffle envelope at the door of an event, with an assignment inside . They have to sing the national anthem — or buy their way out of it! They pay twice as much to assign the task to another attendee .
• Kiss the turtle — Recruit a few volunteers at a school or community gathering . Put out jars with each volunteer’s name . Attendees put money in the jar of their choice . The person whose name is on the jar with the most money kisses a turtle, or pig, or silly object of your choosing at the end of the event .
Challenge Kickoff Meeting The Kickoff date for the FLL season is in early September. Be sure to
check the FLL website for details. At Kickoff, you can access all materials related to the new Challenge. You can download the Challenge project guidelines, access the missions, rules field setup and Q&A of the new robot game, and view a playing field. There may also be other materials such as an illustrated story or article to share with your team. See the appendix for a list of Kickoff documents. These documents are available from Kickoff throughout the Challenge season.
Many teams gather on Kickoff day for a team party to celebrate the new Challenge. For some teams, this meeting is a season opener. Download the materials together and come up with a game plan for the new season!
TipAll children in this age
group need healthy
snacks and beverages.
Having snack time as the
first thing you do will calm
the children down and
allow you the time to talk
to them about the day’s
activities.
24 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
Early Season Meetings It’s time to get started. Use the
following list of suggestions to help organize your team meetings at the beginning of the season.
• Give each team member a folder . Have all the children put their names on folders and decorate them . Have team members bring their folders to meetings and use them to hold important papers .
• Play a game to learn each other’s names . Do this at the start of each meeting until team members know each other—and until you know their names .
• Hand out the FLL robot set and, if applicable, the tackle box or other organizational system you plan to use . Let the children sort the set as they see fit . This is a good time to go over your expectations about how they will keep the set neat and organized .
• Print and hand out the field setup kit and the mission model (LEGO element) building instructions . Have the children build the models, then place the models on the playing field in the appropriate positions . When done, have other team members look everything over to make sure the models are properly built and correctly placed on the playing field . This is an opportunity for you to talk about quality control .
• After your initial robot brainstorming sessions, the team may have several concepts for the chassis as well as various attachments . Sub-teams can either design or make a prototype during the next few meetings . This allows them to test multiple ideas in a shorter time, then incorporate the best parts of each prototype to make the final robot .
• Brainstorm a variety of sources for researching ideas for this year’s Challenge theme, including field trip sites and professionals to invite as guest speakers . Have the children bring ideas on who to contact to an early meeting . As a group, decide if you will invite a guest speaker or go on a team field trip . If this isn’t possible, consider connecting with professionals via e-mail or phone instead .
Team BuildingTeam building exercises allow members to communicate feelings in
a positive and healthy manner and encourage gracious professionalism as they work together toward a common goal. They’re also fun. Team
Tip Get a large sheet of paper and
make a calendar for the team. Be
sure to add meetings and important
dates. Set major goals in pen and
minor goals in pencil or on sticky
notes. Bring the calendar to each
meeting and update it to include
in the team business part of your
meetings. It’s good for the team to
actually see their progress. Refer
to the sample schedules in Chapter
9: Checklists and Schedules, to
see how other coaches plan their
seasons.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 25C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
building can be difficult with a schedule that is very structured. Sometimes letting children have fun together allows them to develop communication and respect, leading to smoother progress when work resumes. Here are several team-building exercises you can try with your team.
1. interview activityInvite team members to interview their teammates and learn
something about each other. Have them pair up and ask each other relevant questions.
Sample questions could include:
• What is your favorite activity or hobby?
• If you could invent something to change the world, what would it be?
• Do you have a favorite pet story?
• What is your favorite time of year?
• What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
• What are three things the whole team has in common?
Consider adding your own questions that pertain to this year’s FLL Challenge. Appoint a child from each of the pairs to introduce his partner and share what he has learned about his partner with the team.
2. Host a team-building meetingThis is a time for everyone to become comfortable with each other.
• Work together to come up with a team name and logo .
• Create unique team hats, a handshake, and a cheer .
• Think, pair, and share – have each team member pretend he is the robot . Write down the steps/instructions required to move around an obstacle in the room . Create pairs, and have one child read his instructions to the other child who acts as the robot .
• Same and different – create a task and ask each member to write down how he will complete it . Have each share ideas with a partner, then with the group .
• If you haven’t already, start building the mission models and assemble them on the playing field .
26 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
P R O B L E M S O LV i N G
Keep it Simple, Silly — KiSSIntroduce KISS, “Keep It Simple, Silly” to your team. In the engineering
world, simple solutions are much more desirable than complex ones. The complex solution has many more places to fail, is more difficult to repair, costs more, and its operation is less intuitive.
Consider the fate of the high tech electric potato peeling gadget. How many are still in use? Why did they vanish even if they were faster than a normal peeler? Was it the bothersome cord, the difficulty in cleaning, the big fat handle, or perhaps the motor that kept burning out?
Does this mean all high tech devices fail the KISS test? Of course not. For example, microwave popcorn is more high tech than kernels and oil in a pan, but it’s much simpler.
Students are sometimes drawn to complex solutions. Keep reinforcing the KISS principle, asking the team to distill their ideas down to make the solution as simple as possible.
Supportive Learning EnvironmentsOnce the Challenge is unveiled, the children will often drive the goals
of the team. This is perfectly acceptable and gives you a chance to step back and watch their progress. Encourage the children to brainstorm. It’s an important part of a team’s planning process, brings out creative ideas and produces better solutions.
When you lead discussions or make suggestions, give choices to the team members. Facilitate the process the team follows to reach its goal, but allow choices within that process. One way to do this is to offer options to the team where every outcome is acceptable. That way, there will be no wrong answers. As coach, you then help the team reach consensus in a fair way.
A mutual foundation of trust and respect is critical for a supportive
TipA useful tool to empower
team members is to schedule
time for them to demonstrate
what they know to their
peers, teachers, parents, and
community, both in terms of
content and application.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 27C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
learning environment. Everyone’s voice must be heard, and all ideas listened to with a patient and open mind. Part of your role is to listen to team members and keep lines of communication open. While you may not be able to use every idea or suggestion, hear them out. Clear expression of an idea and convincing others is a great learning experience.
Be aware of verbal and non-verbal cues and interpret the conversation to help the team work through communication difficulties. If you validate team members’ feelings, they are more likely to discuss problems. Sometimes acknowledgement or positive feedback may be all the response a team member needs.
A frustrated child might cross his arms over his chest and refuse to face teammates. It is your job to help this child re-join the team. Keep in mind that we all deal with stress differently. One child might feel the need to walk away to reclaim personal space and another might attack the conflict head on.
Group AwarenessThe coach must be aware of and help regulate group dynamics. Be
conscious of personalities and interactions between team members. If a dispute arises, help the team resolve it and then re-focus everyone on a productive task. Effective coaches use the similarities and differences of team members as assets to help the team get work done.
Q1: I have a team of nine boys who love to chatter, and after two minutes without instruction, they kind of get off track . I have some ideas for activities to keep them focused, but the team needs to start cracking down on the Challenge . Any suggestions?
a1: Each meeting, have a practice tournament and have the children run the robot on the table and give their project presentation . It is a powerful way to have them realize how much work is left to do . This year I started doing this from the second meeting . I gave them five minutes to prepare, two and a half minutes at the table, and five minutes for the project . At first, the team objected, but quickly got to work to better their performance for the next meeting .
a2: I had a similar challenge last year with a gregarious 15 year-old mentor . We finally decided, after much discussion, that his role was to ask questions of the team — lots of questions . Why does your robot do this? How? What else? What's another way? We made it his goal to ask at least ten productive questions per meeting .
28 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 3
Q2: Our team is enthusiastic and engaged for entire meetings — until it’s time to clean up . Any suggestions for getting housekeeping in order?
a1: Cleanup, of course, is the least favorite part of all meetings . Who wants to clean up? Who wants to stop working on the robot? Who wants to go home and take a bath or go to bed? On our team, each member picks a cleanup job . When that team member’s job is done, he takes a seat so I can see the progress and send help if needed . This way, they don’t distract each other .
a2: One way to encourage cleanup is through a point system . Working in pairs during cleanup, children can vie for awards or recognition .
M A T E R i A L S & M E C H A N i C S 4c
ha
pt
er
30 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
in this chapter, you’ll find an overview of the key hardware and software components for FLL. You will learn what each element does, why it is important, and how it can help your team.
M A T E R i A L S d E F i N E d
Playing Field The playing field consists of the LEGO mission models on the mat,
bordered by black 2” x 4”s, on a smooth, flat, hard, uncarpeted, level surface (usually a piece of 4’ x 8’ plywood).
Support for the playing field and borders may vary. You can use the floor, but most teams use plywood. Some teams put their surface and borders on sawhorses or milk crates, others build a supporting structure. Of course, none of this matters to the robot: only the surface and borders do.
Every team must decide whether to add lighting to its playing field. Instructions for lighting are provided with the table building instructions. There is no way to ensure that your lighting will be the same as the lighting at a tournament, and no way to ensure that the lighting at one tournament will be the same as the lighting at another. That being said, your team can mimic the conditions somewhat by building a table with the recommended fluorescent lighting hanging above it. Teams that use light sensors on their robots need to test in a variety of conditions and be prepared for changing lighting conditions. The basic details of tournament lighting are available on the FLL website.
KitsThe FLL Field Setup Kit includes:
• Mission models set: exclusive collection of several hundred LEGO elements required to build the mission models to place on the playing field
a noTe For rookie TeamS
In your rookie year, you need to
purchase two kits: the FLL Robot
Set and the FLL Field Setup Kit.
In subsequent years, you will
only need the Field Setup Kit, as
the game and theme will change
each year but the Robot Set
most likely will not.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 31C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
• Field mat, a 4’ x 8’ roll-out mat
• Sheet of 3M Dual Lock fastener for attaching LEGO models to the mat
• Building instructions for the mission models on CD
2008 FLL Robot Set Choices The standard FLL Robot Set
available in 2008 is the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT. The older LEGO MINDSTORMS RCX is still allowed for participation in FLL and at FLL competitions. Only the MINDSTORMS NXT is available for teams in the US and Canada to purchase through the FLL registration system. Each one contains all components needed to build and program a robot to participate in FLL. Each FLL Robot set includes software, the programmable LEGO brick that is the controller of the robot, hardware to download programs from the computer to the controller, instructions for sample robots, three motors, a selection of sensors, and over 700 LEGO elements including gears, axles, wheels, beams, connectors, and much more.
You can purchase the robot parts necessary to participate in FLL through LEGO retail or educational suppliers, however the FLL Robot Set is offered at a discount to FLL teams. The details of the robot sets are included online at www.firstlegoleague.org.
SoftwareFor the NXT, there is one software package that combines elements
from RIS and ROBOLAB. There are two different types of software (RIS 2.0 and ROBOLAB 2.5.4) provided in your RCX set that allow your team to program your robot. Using one or the other is a personal preference to be determined by your team. Additionally, ROBOLAB 2.9 may be purchased separately for use with either the RCX or NXT kit. All three packages allow you to program your LEGO brick in a drag-and-drop manner. You download programs into your robot using the USB cable provided, or to the RCX, through the IR tower connected to your computer.
TipThere are many types of
tackle boxes or other storage
systems that may work well
for storing your team’s kit. The
prime consideration is allowing
a team member to see all
the sorted parts at once. The
container should also have a
good latch to prevent spills.
32 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
ProgrammingWe chose to omit programming tutorials from this text because there
are a number of terrific online resources available, including materials created by Tufts University and Carnegie Mellon University. See the appendix for more information.
The NXT or RCXThe NXT or RCX is technically not a computer, but rather a
microcontroller. A computer is a general-purpose device that has a keyboard, monitor, and mouse. You can usually play games or store recipes on a computer. A microcontroller, on the other hand, is an electronic device that is dedicated to some specific task. Your microwave oven has a microcontroller in it to read time and power entries you make and then to control the magnetron that generates the microwaves. Your robot may not necessarily do what you want it to do, but it will always do what you tell it to do. We will simply refer to the NXT or RCX as “the controller.”
The controller allows your robot to perform autonomous tasks based on the programs your team creates. Convey to your team that the controller can control (talk), sense (listen), and execute instructions but it really has no thinking capability. Thinking requires a degree of consciousness that the controller does not have. What it can do is follow programming instructions really well. This is a challenging concept, especially for younger children. Often, a younger child will blame the robot when it doesn’t execute a task as hoped.
When a controller communicates, or talks, it talks to either a motor or a lamp. It makes the motor run forward, backward, or turn off. It also drives the motors at various power levels. When talking to a lamp, the power level translates to brightness of light.
When a controller listens, it listens to its timer and/or sensors. Other sensors, such as temperature, are available but are not sanctioned for FLL. Each of these sensors speaks to the controller in a different language. The controller needs to be told which sensor is connected to which port. It can then listen with the right language interpreter. In NXT and RIS, the
Tip Some of the technical
terms used in this section will
make more sense once you
begin using the software.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 33C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
connection between sensor and port is made from the checkboxes on the various commands. In ROBOLAB, the association is made by wiring the proper modifier port number to the command in question.
S E N S O R SThe Challenge rules limit the number of sensors allowed on the robot.
When introducing the concept of sensors to your team, you may want to relate sensors to everyday objects and activities.
For example, you may ask children if they would want to use a touch sensor when giving someone driving directions to the grocery store. At first thought, the children often think a touch sensor would be a fabulous addition to a car. Probe a little deeper and find out how their imaginary cars might use touch sensors. “So, would you tell your friend to drive until they hit the front of the store?”
The ultrasonic sensor is found in NXT kits. The team may now suggest that their friend could drive until they are close to the front of the store, then stop. Remind them that the ultrasonic sensor cannot tell the difference between the store and a car in front of it along the way.
Then, you might suggest using timing. “Would you drive for three minutes until you get there?” After they have offered a few ideas about using timing, probe deeper by suggesting that their friend drives as slowly as your Great Aunt Ruth.
Next, you may want to ask them about using a light sensor to give directions to the store. The children may suggest that following the double yellow line down the middle of the street is a good idea. Remind them that the yellow line isn’t always available, such as when a car is making a turn.
Finally, introduce the rotation sensor. The rotation sensor measures axle rotations and therefore distance traveled. In some cases, it may be the
TrY iTBecause the touch
sensor has such a small button,
find clever ways to engineer
a slightly larger bumper to put
in front of it. If the bumper hits
an obstacle, it then activates
the touch sensor. Add a touch
sensor to a simple robot. Try to
make the robot drive until it hits
a wall and then stop.
34 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
best singular form of navigation. Use multiple sensors in concert with each other for optimal navigation.
Touch SensorThe touch sensor is the simplest of the three sensors. It tells the
controller when something is pushing the button on the sensor. You can use it with a program that tells the robot to turn around after hitting a wall or some other obstacle. More advanced teams sometimes use the touch sensor like a shift key on a computer keyboard to branch their programs.
ultrasonic Sensor The ultrasonic sensor is found in the NXT kits. While it might look like
a pair of eyes and allow your robot to “see,” it actually uses sound waves to detect objects or measure distance. It’s just like an echo, and it is also what dolphins and bats use to find their way to objects.
On your robot, a sound wave that you cannot hear is sent out. The sensor then times how long it takes for it to bounce back. This could be used to see an object and avoid hitting it or to stop a certain distance from a border and make a turn.
Rotation Sensor Every car has a speedometer
and an odometer. The speedometer tells us how fast, and the odometer tells us how far we have traveled. Odometry is the science of using an odometer to determine one’s position. People with visual impairments are often very good at odometry. They have memorized a map of their world in units of steps. They get from place to place by simply counting paces and walking in the desired direction. A MINDSTORMS robot is mostly blind and is a great candidate for odometry.
TrY iTTo learn how to program the
rotation sensors integrated in your
NXT motors, use the instructions
in your NXT kit or find some on the
web to build a basic robot. Make
the robot drive exactly 12 inches at
full speed by changing the number
of rotations. Then try adding in a
90 degree turn. If you have trouble,
use the Robot Educator tutorials
in the NXT software to learn basic
functions.
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The foundation of odometry is being able to measure and travel known distances. A simple way to make the robot drive any given distance is simply to turn on the drive motors for a set amount of time. The idea is to turn the motors on, delay, then turn off the motors. By adjusting the time, you can adjust the distance traveled. You can perform turns in a similar way. Simply turn one motor on, delay, and then turn the motor off. It is important to keep in mind that by relying on timing, your team sacrifices accuracy as batteries wear out, slowing the motors and reducing the distance traveled.
You can find a solution to these problems by using a rotation sensor. Adding a rotation sensor to the robot’s drive train will act like the odometer in your car. It keeps track of exactly how far the robot moves. For the NXT, measurements are made in degrees, with 360 for each motor rotation. For the RCX, each full rotation of the axle that passes through the rotation sensor increases its count by 16 units, just like the hands sweeping around a clock, which uses 12 units instead of 16.
Your team members may find the concept of rotation sensors a little challenging at first. Often children think that 16 rotations equal 16 inches. This is not so. The relationship between rotations and inches depends on the gearing and wheels on your team’s robot. You can use the controller to determine how many rotations are needed to move the robot a desired distance.
Using the rotation sensor to make precise turns will provide teams with a challenge. Some teams make their robot turn by leaving one motor on while turning the other off. You can also program one motor to run forward while the other runs in reverse. Test these methods with your robot. What works best depends on your
TipUsing NXT, the rotation sensor
is already a part of each motor. With
an RCX, you will need to find a way
to add rotation sensors to your robot.
When adding a rotation sensor,
make sure it doesn’t bind the axle,
making it difficult for that axle to turn.
We recommend letting the sensor
wiggle like a loose tooth. It may
have LEGO’s standard studs on top,
but this does not necessarily mean
you should lock it to another brick.
Instead, you might allow it to hang
freely from the axle it’s measuring.
TipIf the team opts to make a
change to its robot’s chassis, existing
programs using the rotation sensor
may be affected.
36 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
chassis design and the task you want to accomplish.
Rotation sensor odometry has various degrees of accuracy. To increase the accuracy, you want the rotation sensor axle to turn at a faster rate than the wheel.
There are upper limits on the number of RPMs a rotation sensor can measure accurately. A good rule of thumb is to have the rotation sensor rotate at the same speed as the motor, or about 300 RPM.
Q: Is there a good reason our team is not allowed to use additional sensors, because compared to the expense in time and effort spent on FLL, the cost of additional sensors would be trivial?
a1: You could have 50 rotation sensors and not be able to get accurate turns . You could have a radar sensor on your robot and still crash into the wall . There are both mechanical and programming solutions to these issues; encourage your team to come up with different ways to solve the problem .
a2: Perhaps, but a good engineering challenge always has some kind of limitation to make you think hard about out of the box solutions .
Light SensorIf you look at a light sensor closely, it looks like it has two tiny light
bulbs in it. In fact, one is a light bulb and the other measures, on a scale of 1 to 100, how much light is reflected back to the sensor. A dark surface gives a much lower reading than a light surface, a white surface, or aiming the sensor at a light bulb.
Being able to have a robot follow a line on the field mat can be very valuable. To follow a line, the robot must sense it by using a light sensor. Place it just above the mat looking down. The software must now use the varying light intensities reflected back from the mat to turn the robot.
In the 2001 and 2002 Challenges, robots could accomplish many major tasks by following lines on the mat. In the Arctic Impact Challenge in 2001, black leads, or ice cracks, could be used as roads to most of the major tasks. When traveling over the ice, the controller reading was a large number, when over a crack, a smaller number. Pointing a light sensor downward allowed the controller to see or follow the line.
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There are numerous ways to write a line following program, or algorithm. Depending on circumstances, some work better than others. The same algorithm executing on different robots operates differently because each robot has varying agility and the sensitivity and placement of the light sensors is different. Just as it’s not possible to drive a car forward looking out the rearview mirror, the light sensor must be near the front of the robot as it travels.
Proper positioning of the light sensor is also important. You must have a good variation in return values between differing shades. To work well, a light sensor should be about the thickness of two pennies from the surface of the table and it should always be in the robot’s shadow. A light sensor that is hidden from the ambient, or surrounding, light of the room works most reliably under most conditions. The light in your practice area will vary from the lighting at the tournament, so it’s important to test your robot under different lighting conditions.
The simplest line following algorithm is perhaps the “shades of gray” approach. When you want your robot to follow a black line on a white surface, you see a very sharp contrast between the white and black. The light sensor does not. As the light sensor is moved onto the line, it first sees white, then increasing gray before seeing the final black. This is because the light sensor averages the color over a finite area. When the sensor is properly placed on the robot, this area of light emitted is about the size of a pea on the surface of the table.
Every team using light sensors is likely to face ambient light challenges. A line following robot works great sometimes and not at all at other times. This does not mean you should avoid using light sensors. FLL has standardized the lighting of the competition tables in an attempt to minimize this problem. As the table instructions on firstlegoleague.org
TrY iTYou can use the View
feature of the NXT to
check status or feedback
from any of the sensors. Start by
measuring the number of rotations
it takes to travel a given distance
by clicking on View and then Motor
Degrees and rolling your robot the
desired distance. You can also use
the View feature to measure light
reflected by a surface so you can
program your light sensor to follow a
line, for example. With the ultrasonic
sensor, you can check your distance
from an object and then plug the
number into your program.
38 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
outline, we place a fluorescent light fixture a fixed distance from the playing surface, centered over the mat. This minimizes the variables from site to site but does not eliminate them completely.
Ambient lighting from high-pressure sodium vapor (HPSV) lights in a gymnasium may be quite different from the fluorescent lights in your practice area. Even with the regulation competition lights directly overhead, the light intensity at the table surface differs from venue to venue. It is also likely to vary within the same venue. If one competition table is directly under an HPSV and another is not, the light values returned by the same sensor will differ by a few counts.
Object ManipulationBesides moving from place to
place, an FLL robot has to manipulate playing field objects. Manipulation is perhaps the hardest aspect of the FLL Challenge, especially for newer teams. What looks simple to humans can be extremely difficult for a robot. In the early stages of the Challenge, coaches often hear the team say, “We will simply pick up the gizmo and zoom over there and dump it.” Reality quickly sets in after the first few ideas fail.
Each Challenge requires several types of manipulation against a variety of objects. These may include lifting, dropping, dumping, pushing, dragging, and other actions. One manipulator is unlikely to solve all the missions.
Assuming you used two motors for locomotion, you are left with only one for manipulation. How can you solve all the missions with only one manipulation motor?
TipAs a coach, you need to help
your team strategize ways to
solve the problem of unpredictable
lighting on the spot. Some possible
solutions are:
1. Follow the KISS principle and
abandon the use of the sensor.
2. Shield the sensor from as much
ambient light as possible.
3. Select average values and hope
for the best.
4. Carefully calibrate the software
to the conditions at the venue by
taking readings at each table.
5. Have the robot self-calibrate.
That’s an advanced solution
for sure!
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 39C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
There are several solutions:
• You do not have to solve all the missions . One strategy is to solve a few of the high-scoring missions reliably rather than all of them 20 percent of the time . Here is a chance to teach the team members some simple probability or game theory . Strategy matters . Not all manipulations require an electric motor . Some solutions can be remarkably simple using purely mechanical devices . Think in terms of a mousetrap or other trigger activated devices .
• Consider a generic motor assembly to which you can connect various manipulators as needed .
• Modify the robot while it is inside the base . One FLL team rebuilt its detachable manipulator during the execution of another mission . We have also seen a modular robot be radically reconfigured in the base . This is an unconventional, but workable, solution and presents its own challenges .
Q: Does the timed round include time used changing parts, etc?
a. Yes . There is no timeout mechanism, so make sure any attachments are easy to add under pressure .
The biggest challenge with manipulators is the team members’ lack of experience with mechanisms.
Here are some ideas to get them up to speed:
• Many of the LEGO MINDSTORMS books have lots of great designs to use .
40 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
• Search the web for LEGO creations .
• Make a field trip to the local hardware store to look at their forklift trucks and scissor jack platforms . If you call ahead, they may give you a demonstration .
• While at the hardware store, look for other gizmos to inspect . Wander the aisles with an open mind .
• Look at cranes, dump trucks, backhoes, and front loaders for inspiration . If you meet in a library, look through books that deal with machines or check out a few books and bring them to your team meetings .
After the team has researched mechanisms for a while, brainstorm, then prototype the selected ideas. Do not waste time trying to get a perfect working model right away. What you learn from the quick and rough prototype may completely change your approach. Try to get multiple sub-teams working on various solutions simultaneously. Competition and learning can be effective motivators.
Try to minimize the weight of the manipulators. Large heavy accessories bog down the robot, waste batteries, and cause navigation to become less predictable and repeatable. Consider building long or tall devices out of axles rather than bricks. LEGO sells bags of axles and connectors that are great for this purpose.
Remember that you may leave manipulators or accessories on the field. They do not have to be attached to your robot and/or returned to the base. Pushing something out on the field and leaving it there is currently an acceptable solution, but be sure to check the rules for the year’s Challenge.
Encourage your team to look hard for simple solutions. These solutions will work consistently at a tournament.
reminderPart of engineering is
the process of gathering from
the best current designs and
combining them into your own.
There is no shame in building on
other peoples’ work.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 41C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
RCX Battery Replacement This section includes helpful information for changing the batteries in
the RCX, and does not apply to the NXT. The batteries are a critical part of the RCX. If you're using an RCX and it’s time to replace the batteries, you can lose the firmware along with any saved programs (similar to a computer’s operating system) if you do the process carelessly. It’s easy to download the firmware again, but if you have programs stored on the RCX that are not saved on your team’s computer, or the computer is unavailable, such as at a tournament, your team will experience unnecessary frustration. The NXT uses Flash memory and should not lose data if the batteries are removed or drained completely.
If your team is using the RCX, have team members learn the system for changing the batteries. The children should learn two things:
1. Do not build a robot that must be completely dismantled to gain access to the battery compartment .
2. The second is how to change the batteries fast enough so you do not lose the firmware or the stored programs .
Changing batteries in the RCX is best accomplished as a two-person job. One person will remove the batteries one at a time. The second person will manage the new and old batteries. Practice this with many team members.
• Open the RCX to expose the batteries .
• Use a permanent marker to scribble over the batteries to mark them as used .
• Change the batteries one at a time to retain the firmware .
a. Remove a marked battery .
B. Very quickly, add a new one in its place .
C. Wait a few seconds before
TipFor environmental reasons, it is
good to use rechargeable batteries
whenever possible.
Tip Brand new alkaline batteries are
super-charged for about 10 minutes
of use. At this point they provide the
same power for a considerable time
before they fall away to nothing.
For competition, always check your
batteries after every other round.
This is especially true if your robot
uses time delays for making turns
or moving set distances. All of the
software types have features to check
the battery level.
42 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 4
switching the next battery to allow a capacitor inside the RCX to charge, giving it the power to run for the next 15 seconds .
d. Repeat this process until you have changed all batteries .
If you leave any individual battery out for longer than about 15 seconds, you risk losing the firmware and programs. If you confuse the batteries during the change, do not panic! Put any battery into the RCX. Now it’s a simple matter to look for the marker scribble to determine the old batteries.
Programming Garage Using an RCX, programming your robot can be tricky. If your robot
is turned on and sitting on your table, a team 30 feet away may not only program its robot but yours as well. You may not realize the problem because humans can't see the infrared light emitted from the towers. (With the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT, a USB cable eliminates these issues.)
A programming garage solves the infrared problem. Create one by lining a box with aluminum foil to protect your robot and prevent interference from other robot programs. You can use the same box that you use to transport your robot from the programming area to the playing field. Put your tower and the robot under the box when programming. Make sure the robot is turned on only when it is inside the garage or when it is being used.
TipIf you’re using the
RCX, practice using the
programming garage at your
meetings so it becomes routine.
Many teams have been shocked
to find their robot running another
team’s program at mission time.
This is why tournament rules
prevent programming inside the
robot competition area.
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44 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 5
Note: In order to advance from a qualifying Tournament to a Championship, teams are required to participate in the project presentation.
The exploration of the Challenge theme and the development of a research project is a critical part of the overall FLL experience. FLL is not just about building and competing with robots. FIRST encourages well-rounded teams because any successful engineering project requires a wide variety of skills.
For example, the Mars rovers would not have been nearly as successful if the NASA team working on them did not know about the conditions the robots would face on Mars. As team coach, you can help the children make critical connections between the project and the robot game.
P R O J E C T S T E P SThrough the project research, your
team will learn more about the science behind the Challenge theme and better understand the work of professionals in that field. Your team will encounter challenges similar to those faced by scientists and engineers as you identify a problem and develop an innovative solution. Exposure to these fields of science and related professions will open your team’s eyes to
TrY iTAs a research
activity, have your
team members explore
Challenge-related
professions and brainstorm
as many careers in that
field as they can.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 45C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 5
future career choices where they can make a positive difference to society.
While some teams would prefer to concentrate on their robot, just as many teams love the project and consider it to be the best part of their FLL season. We believe that every part of the program teaches different, critically important skills. We want children to be excited about science, technology, engineering, and math. Research and problem solving are an integral part of these fields and key to the success of any real-world engineering team. Your role is to guide your team in conducting research as a team of scientists would, connecting with professionals that can inform their understanding of the problems and solutions and help them to share their findings with their community, with you acting as their leader and facilitator. Before getting started on the project, have your team study this year’s project overview on the FLL website. We also recommend reviewing the Project How To Guide, on the FLL website, and viewing the Challenge Project Training DVD (included with your Coaches’ Handbook) with your team.
A Real World ProblemYour team will research the science underlying the challenge theme,
identify a related problem that professionals face in the real world, investigate the problem, and explore existing solutions. It is critical not only to complete all steps in the assignment but also to communicate all aspects of a team’s project to the judges.
Create an innovative SolutionAs a result of your team’s
investigation, they may come up with a number of unique solutions to the real world problem they identified. The next step is to agree on one innovative
TipThe guidelines for the project
change each year, so read the
project description carefully.
Checking out the FLL website may
give you ideas about how your
team might complete the project
and there’s no right or wrong
answer to the project. By design,
it is open-ended and allows for
creativity and out of the box
thinking by the team. It’s not about
coming up with the right answer,
but about unleashing the team
members’ power of creativity and
seeing where it takes them.
reminderYour team will have five
minutes, including setup, to
present its project to a panel of
judges. Be sure to rehearse and
time the presentation beforehand.
46 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 5
solution that will address the problem. It may be an engineering, robotic or technological solution but this is not required.
Innovative means the solution is not already in use by someone else. Instead, it is a new idea or an improvement on an existing idea that your team develops based on their analysis of the problem and existing solutions. If your team plans to compete in a tournament, they need to be able to show the panel of judges that their solution was well researched and thought out, as well as innovative.
Share Your Research and Solution In order to complete the third step of the project, the team needs to
share its research and solution with the community. This can be an outside organization, their school or the public. Presenting this material allows the kids to showcase what they have achieved through their project, and is an opportunity to share the excitement of science and technology with others. It also can offer an opportunity for team members to motivate others to act.
Prepare a PresentationIf your team plans to attend an event or tournament, be sure they
prepare a presentation about their project, which gives the information in a creative and thoughtful way. We have seen projects presented as songs, skits, radio broadcasts, TV interviews, poems, stories, dances and plays. Judging panels are always interested in unique presentations. On the other hand, a presentation without substance will not receive high marks. It is a balancing act. Each team must find its own way to show cleverness and demonstrate its knowledge. Refer to the awards chapter and the rubrics in the appendix for more details on how your team’s research project presentation will be evaluated.
When your team presents its project to a panel of judges at a tournament, they have five minutes, including setup. Because the children are supposed to do all the work, be sure the children plan a presentation
TipBe sure to visit the Project
Resources available on the
FLL website (firstlegoleague.
org) before starting your
research. The list can provide
helpful websites, publications,
and experts in the field of the
Challenge theme.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 47C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 5
they are able to set up on their own without adult assistance. Props do not need to be fancy, but they should add to the presentation and they should always demonstrate the children’s work.
If your team needs special equipment, call the tournament organizers ahead of time to see if it will be available. If not, your team is responsible for bringing everything they need.
Many teams prepare a brochure or other material to leave with the judges. Like the props, these materials do not need to be fancy. It is a great opportunity for your team to present its project in a short, easily readable format that can be also be passed out at their pit table to spectators and other teams. If they present a project binder, be sure to ask the judges to give it to the pit administration before the awards ceremony so you can pick it up. Including a bibliography documenting the use of a variety of good sources is always helpful to the judges.
Prepare Plan BIf your team's presentation includes audiovisual equipment, be sure
the members are prepared to present without it if it fails or is not available at the tournament. The children need to be prepared to give a presentation immediately if they experience difficulty with equipment. This applies no matter what technology the team was planning to use. The entire presentation is only five minutes long, including setup time, so they need to proceed quickly without the failed or missing equipment.
Presenting at TournamentsYour team will receive only five minutes to set up and present. This
includes the running time of a video or other materials. A question and answer session by the judges usually follows the presentation. See the Awards and Judging Criteria chapter for more information about project presentation judging.
Depending on the tournament, adults may or may not be allowed in the project judging area. If adults are permitted to observe, it is important they do so without interfering. If the judges are unable to adequately judge the children’s work, it will reflect on the team’s score. Also, make sure the team is able to perform the setup and tear down without adult help.
48 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 5
The judging schedule is very tight at tournaments. Your members need to arrive early and understand that the next team will be waiting at the door as your team presents to the judges. It is essential that all judging sessions stay on schedule.
Q: Is the emphasis on the proposed solution for a team’s research project supposed to be futuristic or visionary, and do you need to build a working prototype?
a: You could add a twist to take a common device to the next level, and no, you do not have to build a working prototype . A cardboard model or a nice drawing could be appropriate . If your team is interested in building a prototype, it can be helpful during their discussion with the judges .
C E L E B R A T i N G Y O u R F L L S E A S O N 6c
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at the end of the FIRST LEGO League season, your team should be proud of its accomplishments. Your team members created a unique project, designed and programmed a robot to perform difficult tasks autonomously, and learned how to work together successfully. It’s important to celebrate what
you’ve done together.
C E L E B R A T i O N SMany teams celebrate at tournaments; others celebrate in their own
way. Do what works best for your team, but be sure to include a plan for celebration in your schedule.
Host a Local EventSome teams choose to attend an FLL qualifying or Championship
tournament, sponsored by the local FLL Partner. We outline different types of tournaments in Chapter 7: The Tournaments.
If your team does not attend a qualifying or Championship tournament, you could host your own local event and invite other teams in the area to attend. You may do this in addition to attending qualifying or Championship events. Visit the tournaments section of the FLL website (firstlegoleague.org) for information on running your own event.
You can customize local events to suit your team’s needs and resources. The flexible format for local events allows you to include elimination rounds, special robot challenges, teamwork activities, mini-projects, and other special components your team develops.
If you host a local event, you may see team members learn new skills and take more responsibility for their work because they are running the event. Kids consider the local event a showcase for their FLL accomplishments, and they love the opportunity to see what other teams have done with their robots and projects. Sometimes host teams participate in the competition but choose not to be eligible for an award, enjoying it for the experience rather than for competitive reasons. Whatever your team chooses to do, let other participating teams know what they can expect.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 51C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 6
Recognize Your Team MembersPlan your own celebration. Invite family and friends to see what your
team has accomplished. Ask your school to hold a special assembly or your sponsoring organization to hold a team social. The team can display its project, demonstrate its robot, and showcase team mementos, journals, or photos.
Some teams provide certificates to each team member, with special recognition of the contribution each child made during the season. You can find special FLL certificates with the season’s logo on the FIRST website (usfirst.org) in the FLL Communications Resource Center. Be creative when awarding certificates, and be sure each child on your team receives one.
As an end-of-the-season teamwork exercise, ask the team to write down what each member contributed. Then present each child with a certificate showing the contributions that other team members cited. You could also ask team members to vote on the future profession they think each team member is most likely to pursue. One child could be Most Likely to Invent Something to Change the World. Another child could be Most Likely to Create a New Computer Program, Most Likely to Run a High-Tech Company, or Most Likely to Be President of a Research Facility. This kind of recognition helps kids understand how their new skills and talents translate to the professional world.
Ask the kids to review the list of FLL values and choose the one that each member best exemplifies. This is a great way for the kids to understand that their contributions to the team are greater than the tasks that each one performed. One child might receive a Gracious Professionalism award, and another might receive the Spirit of Friendly Competition award.
A certificate presentation could be part of a larger ceremony with your team. Take a picture of each child with his certificate. You could hold this ceremony as part of a celebration dinner or pizza party. Whatever you do, make it special.
52 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 6
Applaud Your Sponsors, Mentors, and VolunteersBe sure your team
recognizes the contributions of mentors and volunteers at the end of the season. The team can provide its mentor a framed team or robot photograph or a certificate or letter that recognizes the special talents shared. If you want to give a gift with a FIRST logo to volunteers, mentors, or sponsors, visit the FIRST online store (usfirst.org) for clothing, awards, and other customized items.
Acknowledge Each PersonWhether or not you attend a tournament, be sure to make some one-
on-one time for each team member. Tell each one how she contributed to the team. Remind her of the great ideas she had, the problems solved, the way she supported teammates, and the things learned during the season. This is your most important job as a coach, so take time and be thoughtful about what you say to each child.
Salute the GroupTell the group how their accomplishments as a team were special,
innovative, or unique. Tell them what they did that changed you, or changed the way that you think about them. Sometimes it’s difficult to say the words, but it’s important that the team understands what coaching them has meant for you. Recognizing the entire team, as well as praising each child individually in front of his teammates, will create a lasting memory of working with you and your team on FIRST LEGO League.
Now pat yourself on the back. You have had an influence on the lives of these children and expanded their horizons. Congratulations on a job well done.
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For many FLL teams, the tournament is the reward for all their hard work throughout the season. While there are several types of FLL events, they all offer a fun and exciting way for teams to demonstrate the result of their efforts.
E V E N T T Y P E SChampionship, Qualifying and Local Events – How They Work
The FLL season culminates with local events, qualifying tournaments or events (qualifiers), and Championship tournaments.
Local Events are generally, but not always, smaller than other tournaments . They are run by volunteers (or teams) who have the freedom to choose the format, judging guidelines, and awards . Local tournaments do not qualify a team to attend a Championship tournament .
Qualifying Tournaments (sometimes called Regionals) follow judging guidelines and a similar format to Championship tournaments, but have some flexibility in format and awards . Anywhere from one to twelve winning teams from these tournaments advance to that region’s Championship tournament . Most tournament organizers only allow teams to qualify for the Championship at the first qualifying tournament they attend . Participating in all aspects of the project presentation is required to advance .
Championship Tournaments abide by certain standards in format, judging, awards, and overall quality . The key volunteers
responsible for a Championship tournament are usually FLL Partners . Some Championship tournaments require that teams win at a qualifying or regional tournament in order to advance to the Championship . For many FLL teams and regions, a Championship tournament is the highest level of FLL tournament participation . Championships may include teams from a geographic region, province, state, country, or several countries . One team from the Championship tournament
reminder A team's performance is
reflected in the behavior of the
adults as well as the children,
and judges will note everyone's
behavior at tournaments. FLL
expects coaches, mentors,
parents, and other family
members to model good behavior
and gracious professionalism.
TipMany teams host
qualifying events for
their local FLL Partner.
Contact your Partner for
more information.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 55C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 7
may be invited to attend an Open Championship, if one is held .
Open Championship Tournaments abide by the same standards as Championships, and are hosted by FLL Partners . These events are not held every year, and are invitational events that choose teams to attend from selected regions . They represent another great way for FLL teams to get together and showcase their achievements .
The FLL World Festival, held in conjunction with the FIRST Championship, is the global celebration of FLL teams from around the world . It is the only event hosted by the FLL program . The selection process for the World Festival will change from year to year, depending upon the number of spaces available and the number of teams participating in FLL . Although some Championship tournaments may be invited to send a team to the World Festival, most will not .
FLL Partners and volunteers plan, coordinate, and run the tournaments. These events allow team members to come together to celebrate their accomplishments. Most events have opening and closing ceremonies, wonderful trophies and medals, teams with personalized T-shirts, hats, banners, and even some costumes.
Teams are recognized for excellence in various aspects of the Challenge and associated teamwork. The highest honor, the Champion's Award, is determined by performance in four categories of competition and consideration of how the team demonstrated FLL values to all the judges. Additionally, Championship tournament participants all receive an FLL medallion commemorating the team’s accomplishments during the season and showing that in doing their best, they succeeded.
There is no way to describe an FLL tournament and no way to prepare you for what's in store. Expect the unexpected and focus on creating a fun experience for your team members. Talk to them well in advance of the tournament regarding awards. Teach them that their season
reminder An FLL team
consists of no more
than ten children.
TipAn FLL tournament is an
exciting, absolutely unique event.
And be warned – it is also very
LOUD. Between the children, the
music, and the announcers, do
not expect any quiet time for
your team!
56 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 7
is about more than one day's results, and that not all teams can win an award. Another team's award takes nothing away from your team's achievements, and those achievements should be the children’s focus and yours. Be sure the parents of your team members understand this as well, as some parents unintentionally put pressure on their children to win. As the coach, you set the tone for the whole team.
T O u R N A M E N T A P P L i C A T i O N S
Championship Tournament ApplicationsA listing of confirmed Championship tournaments is posted on the
FLL international website (firstlegoleague.org) in September or October. In October, teams apply either online or directly with the tournament organizer for most Championship tournaments. Some tournaments held in January or February may decide to accept applications later in the fall. It is the team’s responsibility to find out when the tournament they want to attend begins accepting applications. Many FLL Partners coordinate their own application process, so check the FLL website to determine how your team can apply. Be sure that your team's contact information in your team profile is up-to-date and complete before applying for a tournament so you can receive FLL updates during the season.
Applying for a Tournament
• For tournament information, see the FLL website (firstlegoleague .org) .
• Be aware that the event schedule may not be complete until the season is well underway . Consequently, the tournament application process is entirely separate from the online team registration process .
• If you are applying for a Championship tournament, determine whether you need to attend a qualifying or regional tournament first by checking the tournament information . If so, confirm what criteria determine advancement to the Championship tournament .
• Confirm event start and end times, parking details, what to bring, food service, what equipment will be available in the project judging rooms, etc .
reminder The application
period is time-sensitive.
There is typically a two-
week registration period
for applications.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 57C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 7
• Collect completed Consent and Release forms from all students and mentors for each tournament you attend . You can find the form on the FLL website .
• Prepare your team introduction pages (found on the FLL website) and make copies .
Important Reminder: Review the policy about adult intervention later in this chapter.
Due to limited site capacity at some tournaments, an application does not ensure acceptance at an event. If you apply for more than one tournament on the FLL website, the application system accepts the most recent application and deletes any prior applications. If you choose to register for more than one Championship tournament, you must apply for the second by contacting the tournament organizer. Refer to the award eligibility policy as your team will only be eligible for any awards at the first Championship tournament you attend.
Once the application period ends, confirmed teams receive detailed information from the FLL Partner hosting the event or the tournament organizer. This information includes specific details about the site, special instructions, forms, and schedule information. Teams can expect to pay a fee to attend a tournament. The tournament coordinators will inform you of the fees and the payment procedures.
Tournament LogisticsOnce you register for a tournament, either through the FLL website
or with your local tournament organizer, it’s a good idea to check the tournament website regularly for changes and updates. Be aware that every tournament is different in some way. FIRST gives latitude to
TipIf possible, find a group of
adults to act as judges for a dress
rehearsal. This helps for both
the project presentation and as
a practice question and answer
session. Videotape the dress
rehearsal for the team to watch
later. When reviewing the tape,
do not allow the team members
to ridicule or mock each other.
Here is a good opportunity to
discuss gracious professionalism.
They can discuss team roles,
how they covered important
points, places to save time, and
the team’s appearance.
TipBe sure to contact your local
media to invite them and promote
your team. See Appendix B for a
sample press release.
58 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 7
tournament organizers to adjust the format to match their conditions. Always double check with the tournament organizer if you have specific concerns. If you need to travel to a competition, follow your school or other sponsor’s procedures. Make sure each driver is properly insured and you have any relevant, completed paperwork, such as permission slips and Consent and Release forms.
Most FLL events are free and open to the public. We recommend that you encourage parents, siblings, sponsors, and friends to attend the tournament and cheer on your team!
Adult Supervision and SafetyAdult supervision is a critical factor for a successful tournament.
Whether the team is in the pit, moving about the site, or performing competition rounds, make sure all team members are supervised. Use the buddy system and have each child travel with at least one other person. Remind each person attending with you that everyone is expected to demonstrate FLL values at all times.
TipIf you have children on your team attending without parents or legal
guardians, we suggest that you have copies of their medical insurance
information. Consider recording the following information for each team member:
• Name, phone number, and complete physical address of insured
• Name and address of insurance company
• Group and/or ID number
• Phone number to contact parents during the tournament
• Phone number of insurance carrier
• Name for billing
• Any medications the child is currently taking
• Any allergies that a child might have, including medication allergies
• Any other necessary information
• A waiver, signed by the parents, giving you the right to authorize appropriate medical assistance in case of injury or sickness
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Rookie TeamsParticipating in an FLL tournament is the best way for your team to
learn! Even if your team doesn't complete as much as it wants to this season, take part in a competition anyway. Children learn from seeing other teams' robots and projects, and they usually leave an event with great ideas for next year. You will too. You may even discover that the children accomplished more than they thought, and they always have fun. That’s what FLL is all about.
T O u R N A M E N T A R E A SRegistration
Upon arrival at the tournament, your team must first find the registration table and check in. Tournament hosts require that you bring a signed Consent and Release form for every attending team member and volunteer. These forms are available on the FLL website (firstlegoleague.org). Submit the completed forms during registration at each tournament you attend.
Have a copy of your Team Introduction page with you (also available on firstlegoleague.org). This is a résumé for your team, listing the team name and number as well as the names and ages of each team member. It gives you an opportunity to share some fun tidbits or interesting stories about the team to help the judges remember your team during competition. You may need to supply a copy of your Team Introduction page at the registration table; however, some tournaments ask you to submit it directly to judges during your session.
The tournament volunteers will tell you where to find your pit station,
SnapShoT The best advice I received as a rookie coach was to flaunt
it. When you attend a tournament, mention the fact that you're a rookie team on your Team Profile sheet; tell the judges, and include it in your team's pit table display. It's your one and only rookie season. Show it in your team spirit and celebrate all your accomplishments. If you don't tell people, they won't know. You and your team have so much to be proud of ! Have fun and make the most of your first FLL experience.
60 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 7
the competition area, judging rooms, and where you may eat lunch. They will also give you a schedule for your team.
At most tournaments, all of the teams arrive during the same half hour. It can be very chaotic, and lines sometimes form at the registration table for a brief period. Keeping your forms organized, and ensuring that you have all the necessary paperwork when you arrive, can help to reduce your wait.
The PitThe pit will be your home for the
day. You may be assigned a specific location to set up your station when you register, but some events have areas that are first-come, first-served. Check with the officials to find out if spectators are allowed in the pit, as some facilities allow only team members, coaches, and mentors in the area. Regardless of the size of your station, be gracious and keep your team within the confines of your space.
Generally, a pit table will be provided so you can set up a display for other teams to see, show off your robot, and make minor repairs. If your team has any posters or banners, set them up to showcase your teamwork and team spirit.
Electricity may be provided at the pit, but if you choose to bring a laptop, make sure it’s fully charged. You may want to bring along a heavy-duty extension cord, duct tape to secure it to the floor, and a power strip. Some venues have no power other than a few scattered laptop recharging stations, so plan accordingly. Refer to the Tournament Checklist in Chapter 9: Checklists and Schedules, to be sure you arrive with everything you need. Many tournaments send out a list of “Must Bring,” “Should Bring,” and “Thou Shalt Not Bring” items.
Tip1. Bring a storage
container for personal items
such as hats, gloves, jackets,
etc. Keep it beneath your
pit table to minimize clutter
while maintaining the safety
requirements necessary for
movement in the pit.
2. It will happen... someone
will drop a robot and watch
the parts explode in a million
directions. Consider using a
plastic container or recycled
cardboard box as a garage for
carrying your robot during the
competition. If it drops, you have
a better chance of collecting
the parts and reassembling it.
Decorate your garage to show
your team spirit!
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Practice Playing Field(s) Many tournaments provide access to a practice field where teams
take turns running rounds. If a field is provided, scheduling is often tight and you may have to reserve table time. Please remember to use gracious professionalism when sharing the practice tables with other teams.
Competition Area The competition area is where the official robot competition playing
fields are located and rounds are scored by official referees. Two teams simultaneously demonstrate their robots, one on each side of an 8’ x 8’ table made up of two playing fields. During each round a number of playing fields may be running rounds simultaneously.
Judging Rooms and Equipment Judging for the technical awards, teamwork and the project generally,
but not always, takes place in rooms separate from the rest of the competition. Your team will report to each of these rooms at some point during the day, so make sure you know where they are and when you need to be there.
Double check with tournament organizers to be sure that any extension cords or audiovisual equipment you brought along for your project presentation are working. If the tournament organizer is providing these materials, confirm that they are still available well in advance of your interview. If they are not available or not working, prepare your team to present without them.
Time ManagementAfter you set up your pit
station, review the day’s schedule with your team members. There is a sample schedule in Chapter 9: Checklists and Schedules. Competition schedules are usually very tight, so it’s important that you are ready and on time. Don’t miss your round or judging sessions. If
TipBy the time you run several
rounds, perform for the technical
judges, and make and test any
programming changes, your
batteries may be low. During the day,
take every opportunity to check your
batteries. See the battery section of
Chapter 4: Materials and Mechanics.
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the schedule for the day does fall behind, the tournament organizer may juggle your team's interviews to accommodate the changes. Be flexible, and check in with the pit administration or at the registration table if you have questions about your schedule.
As the coach, you will concentrate on getting to scheduled judging appointments and rounds on time. Delegate the responsibility of keeping your team together to other volunteers. Some events hold a coaches’ meeting where you receive up-to-date information and have an opportunity to discuss any robot rule clarifications or judging questions.
H O W T H E d AY W O R K SThe Opening Ceremony
Usually the opening ceremony is very high energy and sets the tone for the day. At most tournaments, teams have about an hour for registration, setup, and time on the practice fields prior to the opening ceremony. Some tournaments schedule the opening ceremony for mid-day before the robot performance rounds. Judges, referees and special guests are introduced, the Challenge and scoring are explained, and the national anthem is usually played. After the opening ceremony, teams not immediately scheduled for the competition rounds or a judging session should return to the pit to listen for queuing or prepare to meet with the judges.
RoundsDuring the day, you typically get at least three rounds lasting 2½
minutes each at the competition tables. The organizers may pair you with the same team each round or mix up the pairings. Some tournaments have runners or team liaisons to take you to a match, but at other events, teams are responsible for their own schedules. Failure to arrive for a match can result in a missed opportunity.
Teams must listen carefully for their queue calls to the designated queuing area to line up for their rounds. Assign two individuals to listen for queuing calls and to keep the team on schedule. Queuing is the process of lining teams up for their robot rounds and judging sessions to ensure that they stay on time. When the time comes, your team will be called to the robot competition table.
Unexpected delays may occur. Remain flexible. The tournament
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organizers are volunteers, just like you.
When your round begins, have both robot operators move to the table while you get your team settled in the team seating/standing area. FLL expects tournaments to allow team members to rotate out during their rounds, but there are a few tournaments where fire codes prevent switching. Your tournament organizer should alert you if tournament policies do not allow switching during a round.
If you rotate operators in and out between missions, make sure all operators are in place to change. Remember that the clock does not stop for your operators to change. Be aware that most tournaments do not allow coaches or team members who are not robot operators into the area immediately around the table.
Your robot operators should follow the table referee’s instructions at the table. Before starting, have them scan the table to make sure it is properly set up. If the robot operators have a question about the table setup they should talk to the referee immediately. Once the match starts, it is too late to change the table.
Scoring ConfirmationAt the end of the match, have the two robot operators witness the
referee’s scoring of the table. The team’s only opportunity to confirm the score is after the referee has recorded the condition of the field at the end of the match. A team member, not an adult, must present any difference of opinion to the head referee. The referee will then confirm your final score. Once your team leaves the area and the competition table is cleared for the next team, you are no longer permitted to dispute the score. As in other competitions, the referee’s ruling on the field is final. Graciously accept the referee’s decision. When finished, collect all your robot parts.
At the conclusion of the first three robot rounds, some events hold elimination rounds while others may not.
FLL JudgingIn addition to points scored during competition rounds, each team
is judged on its robot design and programming, teamwork, and project presentation. Judges will ask questions, and team members need to articulate and demonstrate various aspects of their FLL experience during
64 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 7
interviews and interactions with the judging panel. Also important to the judges is your team’s knowledge of the science behind the Challenge, teamwork, demonstration of FLL values, and clear signs that the kids did the work. The focus is on the team members and their ability to express what they have learned.
Usually, teams meet with judges regarding specific awards for a designated time period. The most common format is individual sessions of ten to fifteen minutes each for Robot Design, Project Presentation, and Teamwork, although some teamwork judging is done by observing teams in action. Check with your tournament organizer to find out what format they use if it isn’t mentioned in the tournament information materials.
In addition to evaluating teams during scheduled interview sessions, judges may also evaluate teams during conversations and observations in the pit and competition areas. These informal conversations are a wonderful opportunity for judges to hear unique stories and uncover exceptional qualities not readily apparent during the more formal judging sessions. The process is not meant to overwhelm the children, and you should encourage them to feel comfortable speaking with the judges. Judges realize the interview process is stressful for some children.
To keep the schedule on target throughout the event, teams should arrive five minutes before their scheduled judging appointment. There is a break between each judging session so teams can travel to their next locations and judges can properly assess the previous judging session. A timekeeper typically ensures sessions remain on schedule.
How Judging WorksAt qualifying and Championship tournaments, FLL judges use a set of
rubrics (see Appendix A) which represent qualities FLL considers important and useful for evaluating team performance. Judges also refer to a list of judging questions and may even add their own questions. The judges are volunteers, and they receive training from FLL or from the local FLL Partner before the event. Review Chapter 8: Awards and Judging Criteria in this handbook for awards criteria.
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Adult interventionRemember that this is the team’s
opportunity to shine. Your role is to facilitate, and adult interference during the judging process is prohibited. A team’s inability to answer questions, or make robot adjustments without the direct assistance of an adult, will be evident to the judges and may adversely affect your team’s score. By tournament day, your job as a coach is done, and your role is to support and encourage the team.
It is often difficult for judges and event organizers to determine if the adults accompanying a team are coaches, parents, or both. Be sure that FLL's rules on adult intervention and gracious professionalism are communicated to all of the adults and children accompanying your team. The behavior of one person reflects on everyone associated with the team.
Remember, the children come first! When disappointments happen at a tournament, children take their cue from the adults around them. Please remember to model FLL values, honor what the children achieve, and help them focus on those achievements.
In addition, the children do the work! Judges will only reward teams where children show ownership of the completed work, including building, programming, and research. Judges are trained to recognize adult participation and may choose not to give your team credit if they observe or find evidence that adults did the work.
If judges or referees notice adults directing a team’s performance, cuing the team, or prompting children, they may ask the adult to leave the immediate area. Some tournaments have restrictions on the number of adults that accompany children into the sessions. Please recognize that these rules are not designed to make the judging or performance process secret, but to ensure fair judging. Your team should be proud of all it has done in FLL, and you and other adults must trust the children to represent themselves well.
Sometimes teams assume that another team could not have done the
reminderFIRST LEGO League
is intended as a child-centered
activity. As such, judges will only
reward teams when children have
clearly done the work themselves.
Channel your enthusiasm
positively, and use it to encourage
your team!
66 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 7
work they present without the direct involvement of adults. Remember that children are remarkably creative, and some are highly sophisticated at programming or software applications for presentations. Don’t assume that you know what a team is capable of, and don’t let your team members make assumptions either.
Technical JudgingDuring the tournament day,
technical judges will interview your team. The judges want to talk to your team members about the robot they built and the programs they wrote. They will address all of the questions directly to the team members, as the judges want to hear that the students did the work and understand what they did. They want to see and hear about any unique solutions or techniques the team came up with to solve problems. The judges want to know about the design process and what the team considers the best and worst parts of the robot. They want to know what sensors were used and why the team chose them.
In most cases, this is simply an interview, so you will not need any kind of presentation materials. Be advised that some events require formal presentations, so it’s important to call ahead or check the tournament website to find out what your tournament requires. We recommend that your team brings a print-out of its best programming, to leave with the judges. This gives the judges a sample of your team’s work that they can reference during their judging deliberations.
Make sure the children can demonstrate the robot. Some tournaments
TipHave a copy of your latest
programs printed out to give to the
judges. Choose a section that is
easy to follow but highlights some
difficult problem you overcame. If
you’re using ROBOLAB, please
do not bring C-programming. Use
icon-based programming instead.
Make sure your team name and
number are on the printout and
use the comments feature of the
software to note key portions of
your programs.
TipHave your team provide
the technical judges with a one-
page robot specification sheet.
Include a picture, list of sensors
used, interesting features,
language used, and other critical
information. When it comes time
for the judges to pick winners,
your specification sheet can help
jog their memories.
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have a table set up for this interview. If the team will be expected to run a mission on the Challenge field, pick a mission that is difficult and for which you have a good success rate. Finally, the judges may choose to visit teams in the pit and/or watch the competition rounds to further assess your team’s robot capabilities.
Project JudgingEach team performs its project presentation before judges. When team
members enter the room, they should ask the judges if they are ready for them to start setting up, then introduce themselves before starting their presentation. Timing for the five minute presentation begins with setup. After the presentation, there is usually a question and answer period with the judges.
The most common mistake in project presentations is exceeding the five-minute time limit. Remember that setup time is included in your five minutes. Some judges will interrupt your team and stop the presentation when time expires, others will sacrifice your team’s question and answer period to compensate. Your team will not receive extra time for their session if their presentation runs long or if their audiovisual equipment fails, so be sure that the children plan accordingly.
Your team needs to make sure its presentation demonstrates that all three steps of the project were completed (identified a real-world problem, created an innovative solution and shared their findings with others). The judges can only evaluate what they hear. In other words, your team members must tell the judges how they shared their research, problem and solution with others during their presentation in order for the judges to credit them for doing it.
Judges may interview your team as a whole or may ask questions of team members individually, but in the same room. Team members should be prepared for either way of handling questions and answers.
In some cases only the team and coaches are permitted into the judging room, which may disappoint team parents. This may be due to
reminderJudges are volunteers
who are generously giving their
time. They may see as many as
15 presentations in one day with
short breaks between teams.
Try to make your team’s project
presentation short, snappy, to the
point, and memorable.
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space restrictions, or because some judges find the presence of spectators distracting.
Be sure that your team has rehearsed setting up and breaking down their presentation. They should not need adult assistance and should be able to do it themselves.
Q: My team kept individual journals and has many pictures documenting our
season. We have plans to create a three-panel display for the tournament,
but the children are wondering what role the display serves in competition?
a1: Documentation does add to the overall package. These materials go a long
way to demonstrate the depth of your project research and teamwork to the
judges.
a2: A tri-fold display is great for audiences visiting the pit. It can also help with
interviews with judges.
Teamwork JudgingSome people think teamwork judging sessions should consist of
observing the team in action, and others think that a full question and answer session gives a better overview of their team’s work for the entire season. FLL also allows a teamwork judging format where teams are asked to complete a hands on teamwork task for judges in a short period of time. There are advantages to all of these judging formats, and FLL allows all three types at the discretion of the tournament coordinators.
Regardless of the format, the judges are evaluating your team on defined criteria outlined in the judging rubrics (see Appendix A: Rubrics). Prepare your team members for each of these formats. Be sure they know how to demonstrate or articulate important points about their teamwork and ability to work together.
Floating JudgesThe tournament may have several judges walking around observing
and visiting the pit and competition areas. Be sure to have at least one team representative at your pit table whenever your team is not in a judging session or competition round. Judges may not openly demonstrate who they are, but their ears and eyes are wide open. This another reason
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to remind your team and everyone associated with it about gracious professionalism. One helping hand to a team that forgot to bring something you have in abundance is worth a thousand cheers.
Awards determination Process During the end of the tournament, the judges work hard to choose
the various award winners. This is by far the most difficult job of the day, and the judges take it very seriously. Every team is a winner, and yet the judges have to select one to receive special recognition. It can take some time for the judges to deliberate, and they make a great effort to be as fair as possible. Be patient during the deliberation period. This can be an ideal time for your team to pack up your pit table and displays and load up the cars to prepare to leave after the awards ceremony. Your tournament may choose to do a demonstration, have a special guest speaker, or run an exhibition round on the robot performance table to keep the crowd occupied during judges' deliberations. If your team will participate in an exhibition round, be sure that you don't pack up your robot!
If your team doesn't receive special recognition with an award, remind the children of all the success and achievement that they have experienced over the season. Not every team can win an award. FLL is about an entire season, not just one day.
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The Closing CeremonyTeams should return to the main competition area for the closing
ceremony. Awards and medals are presented and teams are recognized for efforts demonstrated throughout the day. There is plenty of cheering, loud music, and smiling faces to end the tournament and celebrate the children’s accomplishments.
SnapShoT From Dana Hobbs, FLL Partner
I stayed up all night setting up for the tournament. Anyone involved in FIRST and deadlines is familiar with sleep deprivation. You are running on pure adrenaline on tournament day. All the volunteers showed up, assignments were passed out, questions came to me from all directions, I moved from one location to take care of this and that... then ran here and there... people yelled my name all day, my radio constantly went off, the music was too loud, the pit was hopping with all the teams. It was pure organized chaos, and then all of a sudden, a dad grabbed me and gave me a huge hug and said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how special today is to us." He squeezed me one more time and walked away singing... Wow! That made me take a step back and it made me think about what it took for all the teams to attend the event. I have no idea who he was, but needless to say, that was just the pill I needed. It was calming and put everything into perspective, not to mention a HUGE smile on my face and a little tear in my eye. FIRST does more than work with children, it works on us "old folks” who are also proud to be a part of FLL!
A W A R d S & J u d G i N G C R i T E R i A8c
ha
pt
er
72 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 8
most FIRST LEGO League teams participate in a tournament, or even several tournaments. The awards given at tournaments represent the special achievements of particular teams, but the real achievement for FLL teams occurs during the course of the season. For this
reason, every child who participates at an FLL Championship tournament receives a medallion to signify the successful conclusion of an FLL Challenge season.
F L L A W A R d SThe FLL Awards represent the
highest achievement for FLL teams. Regardless of what country they are from or which Championship tournament they compete in, teams are judged using this group of awards that recognize a standard of excellence for all participants.
FLL divides the awards into four main categories:
• Technical
• Team Presentation
• Special Recognition
• Judges’ Awards
Each category contains several individual awards, and some larger competitions may offer second or third place awards in some categories. All Championship tournament organizers are required to present Technical and Team Presentation Awards, but they may use their discretion when presenting other award categories.
Awards EligibilityAward distribution is spread as equitably as possible among the
teams. Therefore, a team may not win more than ONE of the following Championship tournament awards: Champion’s, Robot Design, Teamwork and Project Presentation. This also applies to any subdivisions in these awards. For example, if a tournament splits the Robot Design or Project
TipPlease remember that not
all teams can win an award at
a competition. It is up to you
to ensure that if your team
members do their best, but do
not win an award, they still know
that they have succeeded. If
you make winning an award the
only standard for success, you
diminish everything that a team
accomplishes.
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Presentation into two or three separate awards. Any team, regardless of whether it has won another award or not, may win the Robot Performance award. This policy applies to qualifiers, but does not always apply to local events, which are not required to adhere to Championship tournament guidelines. This policy is left up to the tournament organizer’s discretion for special local-only awards.
To ensure fairness to teams and provide equal opportunity to win an award at a Championship tournament, teams are only eligible to win an award at the first Championship tournament they attend. Those teams who want to participate in multiple Championship tournaments do so for the purpose of being involved in the fun and excitement of the tournament experience, and not with the intention of receiving multiple awards. If your team participates in more than one Championship tournament, please use the honor system and notify the organizer that your team is not eligible for an award. Similarly, most tournament organizers only allow teams to qualify for the Championship at the first qualifying tournament they attend.
Objective vs. SubjectiveTeam achievement in Robot Performance is objectively determined
by scores earned on the competition table. Team achievement in the other award categories are subjectively judged. We continue to improve tools and training for our judges, and the processes that FLL uses for judging yield strong, consistent results. Additionally, FLL tournament organizers train their judges and work hard to create a level playing field for all teams. However, the fact remains that judged awards are inherently subjective. To account for this, awards are determined through a normalization process to help reduce the effect of subjectivity as much as possible.
Judging NormalizationWe are often asked why we give out awards based on a normalized
process rather than raw scores from initial judging sessions. It is critical that judging scores and evaluations be normalized before considering award winners. There are two reasons that analyzing all data and observations gathered during the entire tournament is the best way to determine awards. The first is that raw data doesn’t allow for the data from call-back interviews, observation, or other information gathered during the rest of the tournament day. A team that does moderately well in the initial technical interview may later be interviewed again or observed on the performance table, and some
74 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 8
truly outstanding aspect of their robot design or programming comes to the judges’ attention.
The second reason that raw scores are unreliable is that there may be inherent differences in the way that different judges score. Even among the best-trained judges in all sports or activities, some individuals naturally score higher and others lower. The best way to use raw data is by normalizing judging scores and evaluations. Some tournaments may use a numerical formula to normalize; others use the judging deliberation process created by FLL to achieve normalization. Either method results in a better, stronger judging process for all teams.
Judging GuidelinesFor additional guidance on how judges assess your team, please pay
careful attention to the rubrics (judging guidelines) found in Appendix A. Use them to your advantage. Pay close attention to the “good” and “excellent” categories in order to understand the definition of a reliable robot design, a creative presentation, and how to showcase your teamwork. Use these guidelines like road maps; figure out where you and your team are and how you can strive to achieve higher goals. You will find rubrics for Teamwork, the Project, and Robot Design. Share them with your team and adult mentors.
Awards List
Championship Tournament Awards
1. Champion’s Award
2. Robot Design Award
3. Robot Performance Award
4. Project Award
5. Teamwork Award
Recommended Awards
a. Outstanding Volunteer Award
B. Adult Coach/Mentor Award
C. Young Adult Mentor Award
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 75C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 8
Optional Awards (at the discretion of the FLL Partner)
a. Against All Odds Award
B. Rising Star Award
C. Team Spirit Award
d. Judges’ Award
Champion’s AwardThe Champion's Award is the most
prestigious award that any team can win. It celebrates the ultimate success of the FIRST mission and FLL values. A champion is someone who passionately supports a cause. For FLL, our champions passionately inspire and motivate others about the excitement of science and technology, solving problems, working as a team, and demonstrating respect and gracious professionalism.
To be considered for the Champion's Award, teams must perform well in both technical and team presentation categories, which are equally weighted.
The weight value for each of the categories is as follows:
TECHNICAL CATEGORY
Robot Design 25%
Robot Performance 25%
TEAM PRESENTATION
Project Presentation 25%
Teamwork 25%
Once teams are selected for consideration, judges convene and review the results of the teams’ FLL values assessment, as well as their overall impressions of each team’s performance and participation at the tournament. Using these additional parameters for determination, judges decide which team receives this highest honor. The team that wins the Champion's Award is not eligible to receive any additional awards in the other categories, with the exception of the Robot Performance award.
noTe: The Champion's Award
is optional for local
events and qualifiers.
76 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 8
T E C H N i C A L A W A R d S
Robot design Award Judges look for teams whose work stands out for innovation,
mechanical design, programming, understanding of the design process and overall quality. To assess innovation, the judges watch the robots work, looking for things that make them say “Wow!” They interview team members to reveal the less obvious unique and inventive ideas. To assess mechanical design, understanding of the design process and overall quality, the judges interview the teams to learn what solid principles and best practices were used to reduce variability and errors, with preference to robots that are best able to “back it up” throughout the matches. To assess programming, judges review the teams’ programming strategy, efficiency and effectiveness.
Tournaments may choose to break the Robot Design Award into two separate awards for Quality Design and Programming, or three separate awards for Quality Design, Programming and Innovative Design.
Robot Performance Award This award goes to the team whose robot achieves the best score on
the competition field or in the elimination round. There are several options judges use to determine the winner:
• If no elimination round is held, the team with the highest score from a single round receives the award .
• If elimination rounds are held, the team(s) whose robot achieved the highest score in the elimination round receives the award .
• If elimination rounds are held, the highest scoring team (using high score between two teams as the factor for advancement to the next round) receives the award .
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 77C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 8
T E A M P R E S E N T A T i O N A W A R d S
Project Award FLL presents the Project Award to the team whose quality research,
innovative solutions, efforts sharing with the community and creative presentation best reflect an in-depth understanding of the various scientific disciplines and issues involved with the Challenge project.
Judges look for the team’s ability to have as many team members as possible participating in the presentation. Judges assess how your team does the following:
• Clearly defines a problem to guide their research
• Clearly and accurately outlines and understands all aspects of the problem
• Addresses the potential impacts if the problem is not resolved
• Researches existing solutions to the problem
• Captures the judges’ attention with the team presentation
• Presents the team solution, and shows how it assists in resolving the problem
• Shows creativity and innovation in its solutions
• Shares their project with others
Many tournaments break the Project Award into three separate awards:
research Quality – The use and understanding of diverse resources to formulate an in-depth and thorough explanation of the team’s point of view and solution to the Challenge project.
innovative Solution – Thought-provoking and innovative resolution, including how and why it was chosen, and how it improves upon existing solutions.
Creative presentation – An imaginative, creative presentation demonstrating the team’s research and solution.
78 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 8
Teamwork AwardTeamwork is critical to succeed in FIRST LEGO League and is the key
ingredient in any team effort. FLL presents this award to the team that best demonstrates extraordinary enthusiasm, an exceptional partnership, and the practice of FLL values. For more information, refer to the Teamwork rubric. The team receiving this trophy demonstrates the following attributes to the judges:
• Confidence, energy, and enthusiasm
• Group problem-solving skills
• Understanding of and respect for others
• Positive team interaction and group dynamics
• Demonstrated interest in science and/or technology
• Ability of team members to fill each other’s roles when necessary
S P E C i A L R E C O G N i T i O N A W A R d SThe success of the FLL program is a reflection of the commitment and
enthusiasm our volunteers display.
Outstanding Volunteer AwardThis award honors the dedication of the volunteer(s) whose assistance
and devotion helps change the lives of children in a positive way. FLL relies on volunteers for every aspect of the program. Some volunteers do truly extraordinary things for the children.
Adult Coach/Mentor AwardMany teams reach significant milestones of success thanks to their
close relationship with an adult mentor. This award goes to the coach or mentor whose wisdom, guidance, and devotion are most clearly evident in the team’s discussion with the judges.
Young Adult Mentor AwardFLL presents this award to the young adult, high school or college
mentor whose support, impact, inspiration, and guidance are most clearly evident in the team’s discussion with the judges.
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 79C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 8
O P T i O N A L J u d G E S ’ A W A R d SAgainst All Odds or Perseverance Award
This award goes to the team that improvises and overcomes a difficult situation while still making a respectable showing, and with an attitude that shows, “We can overcome incredible odds if we never give up, no matter what!”
Rising Star AwardAt every tournament, there are teams that the judges notice and
believe will soon be among the best and the brightest. The Rising Star Award recognizes a team that the judges believe stands out and that we expect great things from in future Challenges.
Team Spirit AwardSome teams really know how to have fun. This award goes to the
team that most enthusiastically demonstrates a commitment to getting others to see how accessible, fun, and rewarding science and technology can be, especially when you are part of a great team.
Other Judges’ Award During the course of competition the judges may encounter a team
whose unique efforts, performance, or dynamics merit recognition. Some teams have a story that sets them apart in a unique way. Sometimes a team is so close to winning an award that the judges choose to give special recognition to the team. This award gives the judges the freedom to recognize the most remarkable teams for which a standard award does not exist.
Local Awards Tournaments may also offer local awards, with criteria created by the
tournament organizers. Please ask your tournament organizer for more information on any local awards.
80 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 8
C H E C K L i S T S & S C H E d u L E S9c
ha
pt
er
82 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 9
P R E - S E A S O N T H R O u G H T O u R N A M E N T C H E C K L i S T
Team Checklist: Starting a new team takes a lot of organization. This is a suggested to-do list for new teams. The information may also provide suggestions and reminders to returning teams.
Before the Season Starts
— Find a meeting place
— Meet with site host
— Create a meeting schedule
— Look at past challenges on FLL website
— Determine how the team will cover its costs
— Find sponsorship
— Determine which computer(s) the team will use
— Set up a competition area
— Build an FLL table, if desired
— Purchase supplies, i .e ., batteries, tackle boxes
— Purchase a 3-ring binder to store important papers and handouts
— Review FLL values and gracious professionalism
Team Logistics and preparation
— Learn as much as you can about FLL
— Have team choose a team name
— Participate in any available trainings that may be offered in your area and
look for team websites for more resources
— Obtain curriculum resources from the FIRST website(usfirst .org)
— If possible, hold the first meeting before the season begins
— Send a note home to parents requesting team members’ emergency and
medical information
— Prepare a 3-ring binder for research, design ideas, and judging information
— Schedule technical mentors or specialists in the Challenge theme
— Schedule weekly preparation time
— Build a practice robot
— Install software on computer(s)
— Make sure the computer and controller communicate
— Write a simple program, download to the robot, and test it
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 83C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 9
— Print Challenge missions, rules, point structure, project assignment, and
rubrics
— Print Challenge building instructions
— Have team brainstorm for Challenge solutions
— Have team begin brainstorming theme-related real world problems, and
working on the project
— Have team work on Challenge missions
— Have team research existing solutions to the problem they have chosen
for their project, then create an innovative solution of their own
— Have team design team T-shirt and/or button with team’s logo
— Check Q&A page at least once a week
— Determine whether you need to attend a qualifying tournament
Success Tips for Learning and Teaching
— Use team meeting time for training sessions
— Run team-building exercises
— Learn the basics of making a robot go
— Add sensors to your robot and try simple programming challenges such
as the Try It examples in Chapter 4
— Teach, or find someone to teach, basic mechanical principles: gears and
gear ratios, building with cross braces, and building so the robot does
not fall apart
— Encourage team to use a variety of sources with different points of view
in their project research
pre-tournament preparation
— Plan for extra meetings to prepare for the tournament
— Have your team share their project research, problem and solution with others
— Publicize your team and the event sponsor
— Run a robot and your project presentation as a practice session
— Invite an audience for a dress rehearsal
— Be sure you’re up to date on the Q&A
Tournament Logistics
— Go to the FLL website (firstlegoleague .org) for tournament information
— Apply for an event
— Determine whether you need to attend a qualifying tournament first
84 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 9
— Review adult intervention policy in Chapter 7: The Tournaments
— Obtain information about event start and end times and logistics and
what equipment will be available in project judging areas
— Collect Consent and Release forms from all students and mentors
— Prepare team introduction pages
Tournament Checklist
— Robot and attachments
— Signed Consent and Release forms
— Parts kit
— Print out of programs and robot specification page
— Materials and equipment needed for project presentation
— Laptop computer with batteries and/or AC adaptor
— Team scrapbook
— Extra batteries
— Team banner, posters, or other paraphernalia
— Lunches and drinks
— Storage box for personal items
— IR tower or USB cable
— Programming garage
— Team introduction pages
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 85C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 9
S A M P L E S C H E d u L E S
FLL SEASON
May: Team registration and materials ordering begins
May/June: Robot Sets and Coaches’ Handbooks begin to ship
Mid-August: Field Setup Kits begin to ship
September: Tournament details posted on FLL website
Early September: Challenge announced
Mid-September: Team registration closes and team profile and contact information must be updated for the season
October: Championship tournament applications for some tournaments open (usually for a limited time)
November – January: Local events, Qualifiers and Championship tournaments
Week-by-Week Milestonesprior to Kickoff (if possible): Challenge: Open your FLL Robot Set and experiment with the sample robots
included in the set or available on the web. Build a robot. Try to program it to go a certain
distance, turn, and maybe climb a book.
project: Familiarize yourself with the general theme, view the project DVD and
read project guidelines from previous seasons on the FLL website.
Kickoff Week 1: Practice team-building exercises, choose team name, establish team member roles,
and establish seasonal goals.
Challenge: •Beginconstructingyourmissionmodelsfromtheinstructions
contained on the CD in the Field Setup Kit.
•PrintallChallengewebdocumentsandgivetoteammembersto
read carefully.
86 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 9
project: Have members share what they know about the project theme and
existing technologies. Brainstorm sources for their research, project ideas and
professionals that they can contact.
Week 2: Challenge: •Continuetobuildyourmissionmodels.
•Makesurepracticefieldissetup.
•ChecktheChallengeQ&AontheFLLwebsite
(firstlegoleague.org) for game-related updates.
•Everyone,includingafewdesignatedteamexpertsonthe
documents, reads the Missions and Rules.
•Finishyourselectedtutorialsandthenexperimentwithchassis
designs and simple programming tasks. Brainstorm possible
mission strategies and associated robot designs.
project: Share research to date, select a project to focus on and begin researching
problems and existing solutions. Keep in mind that research might be done at the
library, on the Internet, or by conducting interviews with people in your community or,
most likely, all three.
Week 3: Check Q&A.
Challenge: Design and program the robot to perform the two missions that the team
considers the easiest. Consider designs and strategies for expansion to other missions.
project: Share research on theme and existing solutions, continue research and
decide on a presentation format.
Week 4: Check Q&A . Agree on reasonable goals for the season (examples: “Just have fun,”
“Get our mission in the local paper,” “Do half the missions perfectly every time,”
“Do two missions like no one else,” “Incorporate at least one idea from every team
member,” “Make people laugh”) .
Challenge: Design and program the robot to achieve at least half of your team’s
goals related to it.
project: Decide on a problem, create a unique solution and determine how members will share findings . Brainstorm how to creatively present the team’s project in a presentation for the judges .
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 87C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 9
Week 5: Check Q&A again . Reassess goals . Team experts on the Missions and Rules documents should ensure that all intended scoring strategies are legal and worth
points . Remember to change your copies of the Missions and Rules documents as the Q&A is updated .
Challenge: Try to meet 75% of robot-related goals, even if they are not complete.
project: Begin writing a script and creating any presentation materials needed. Do
the necessary research to fill in any gaps. Work on the visual aids and any props you
will need for your presentation.
Week 6: Check Q&A again. Reassess goals. Save copies and back up your programs.
Challenge: Try to meet 75% of robot-related goals and increase reliability.
project: Put the finishing touches on visual aids and begin rehearsing the
presentation.
Week 7: Check Q&A again. Finalize goals – By this time the team probably knows what it
wants and what it’s capable of, and the final goals are meaningful and realistic.
Save copies and back-up programs.
Challenge: Try to meet all robot-related goals, most of the time. Test in different
lighting conditions. Understand effects of a battery change.
project: Share your project with others. Rehearse! Use a stopwatch to make
sure you’re staying under the five-minute limit. Practice setting up and cleaning up.
Practice responding to questions from the judges.
Week 8: Check Q&A for the last time.
Challenge: Complete fine tuning. Make sure that all robot-related goals can be
met consistently.
project: Fine tune and make sure that you can consistently meet all goals such as
timing and presentation skills.
88 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : C h a p t e r 9
S A M P L E T O u R N A M E N T S C H E d u L E
8:00-9:00am Team registration Building entrance
8:00-9:00 Team Setup pit area
9:00-9:15 Coaches’ meeting auditorium
9:30-10:00 opening Ceremony Gymnasium
10:15-10:30 Teamwork Judging Session Judging room 1
10:50-10:55 round 1 Gymnasium
11:20-11:25 round 2 Gymnasium
11:44-12:00pm Technical Judging Session Judging room 2
12:00-12:30 Lunch Cafeteria
12:45-1:00 project Judging Session Judging room 3
1:20-1:25 round 3 Gymnasium
2:00-3:00 Top 16 elimination rounds Gymnasium
2:00-3:45 possible Judge Callbacks/ Judging rooms Final Judging
3:00-3:45 Team packup pit area
4:00-5:00 Closing Ceremony Gymnasium
A P P E N d i X A : R u B R i C S
A P P E N d i X B : A d d i T i O N A L R E S O u R C E S
ap
pe
nd
ice
s
90 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x A
•Designcreative,uniqueuseofdrivetrainorstructure.
•Manipulators/sensorsusedinunexpected
way
s, if
use
d.
•Unique/creativestrategyforcoordinatingmissions.
•Program
mingtasksusedinunexpectedways.
(For
thi
s ca
tego
ry,
1 do
ne e
xcep
tiona
lly o
r 3
of 4
ab
ove
dem
onst
rate
d.)
•Com
municatescom
pletedesignprocess,
from
initi
al c
once
pt t
hrou
gh b
uild
, te
st,
and
refin
emen
t.
•Excellent/innovativestrategy,combining
mis
sion
tas
ks,
plot
ting
rout
es,
max
imiz
ing
poin
ts.
•Goesdefineddistancesefficiently.
•Adjustsspeed,positionsensingforoptim
um
spee
d an
d ac
cura
cy.
•Turnsaccuratelyandconsistently.
•Allowsforvariables(batterywear,obstacles).
•Movesbetweentwopointswithverygood
accu
racy
and
con
sist
ency
.
•Program
slogicallyorganized.
•Program
sveryefficient.
•Program
salwayswork,evenforcomplextasks.
•Sensors,ifused,guaranteecertainactionsin
ever
y tr
ial.
•Program
sworkincom
petitionasinpractice.
•Variables,loops,subroutinesandconditions,
if
used
, ar
e ef
fect
ive.
•Childrencandescribemissionandreferencethe
prog
ram
.
•Knowledgeofrobotstructureand
prog
ram
min
g sh
ows
thor
ough
und
erst
andi
ng
of u
nder
lyin
g de
sign
, sc
ienc
e, a
nd t
echn
olog
y
(age
spe
cific
exp
ecta
tions
).
•Building/programmingwasdonebyteam
mem
bers
.
•Robotassem
bleseasily.
•Robotbasestableandrobust.
•Attachments,ifused,modular,functionas
expe
cted
and
eas
ily a
dded
/rem
oved
fro
m r
obot
. R
obot
dis
play
s w
ide
rang
e of
cap
abili
ties.
•Attachments,ifused,performtasksextremely
wel
l and
are
rep
eata
ble.
•Robotdesignedbyteam;designisunique
and
crea
tive.
•Robotiselegant,completesystem
.
•Allcomponentsworkwelltogether.
•Allcomponentslookliketheybelongtogether.
R
ObOT
dES
igN
RubR
iCProgramming
Locomotion & Navigation
Strategy, Process, Problem-SolvingInnovative Design
n
eeds
impro
vem
ent
Fair
G
ood
exc
ellent
•Designcreative,uniqueuseofdrive
trai
n or
str
uctu
re.
•Manipulators/sensorsusedinunexpected
way
s, if
use
d.
•Unique/creativestrategyforcoordinating
mis
sion
s.
•Program
mingtasksusedinunexpected
way
s. (F
or th
is c
ateg
ory,
2 o
f the
4 a
bove
ar
e de
mon
stra
ted.
)
•Basicunderstandingofdesign
proc
ess,
evi
denc
e of
con
cept
ual
plan
ning
, bu
ildin
g, t
estin
g, r
efin
ing
of
robo
t, m
anip
ulat
ors,
pro
gram
s.
•Effectivestrategicplanning,combining
mis
sion
tas
ks,
plot
ting
rout
es,
usin
g m
anip
ulat
ors
and/
or p
rogr
am s
lots
.
•Goesdefineddistancesmostoftime.
•Nottoofastforaccuracyortooslow
to
acc
ompl
ish
mis
sion
.
•Turnsreasonablyaccurateandconsistent.
•Allowsforvariables.
•Movesbetweentwopointswith
reas
onab
le a
ccur
acy
and
cons
iste
ncy.
•Program
sorganized.
•Program
sefficientatcom
pletingmosttasks.
•Program
ssomew
hatunpredicatble.
•Program
sdowhatthey’reexpectedtodo.
•Sensorsusedeffectively,ifused.
•Variables,loops,subroutinesand
cond
ition
s, if
use
d, a
re n
eede
d.
•Kidscandescribemostofmission.
•Knowledgeofrobotstructureand
prog
ram
min
g sh
ows
mod
erat
e un
ders
tand
ing
of u
nder
lyin
g de
sign
, sc
ienc
e, a
nd t
echn
olog
y (
age
spec
ific
expe
ctat
ions
).
•Building/programmingmostlydirectedby
team
mem
bers
, with
hel
p fro
m c
oach
.
•Slowrobotassem
bly,withnoerrors.
•Robotbasestable,butnotrobust.
•Attachments,ifused,modular;
func
tion
mos
t of
the
tim
e; a
nd/o
r ta
ke
som
e tim
e to
ass
embl
e; s
omew
hat
prec
ise
and/
or r
epea
tabl
e.
•Robotdesignedbyteam.
•Robotlackssomecriticaldesign
com
pone
nts:
w
orks
, st
ays
toge
ther
, ef
ficie
nt p
arts
use
, at
tach
men
ts e
asy
to
add/
rem
ove,
sim
pler
tha
n co
mpa
rabl
e ro
bots
.
•Mostcom
ponentsworktogether;m
ost
com
pone
nts
look
like
they
bel
ong
toge
ther
.
•Designcreative,uniqueuseof
driv
e tr
ain
or s
truc
ture
.
•Manipulators/sensorsusedin
unex
pect
ed w
ays,
if u
sed.
•Unique/creativestrategyfor
coor
dina
ting
mis
sion
s.
•Program
mingtasksusedin
unex
pect
ed w
ays.
(F
or t
his
cate
gory
, 1
of t
he 4
abo
ve is
dem
onst
rate
d.)
•Som
eforethoughtininitialdesign.
•Refinem
entofrobotandprogram
sno
t com
mun
icat
ed.
•Strategyoftenbasedoneaseoftask
- fe
w r
isks
take
n.
•Som
econsiderationoftim
e,mission
com
bina
tions
or
max
imiz
ing
poin
ts.
•Goesdefineddistancess
omet
imes
.
•Turnssom
etimesaccurate.
•Som
etimesmovesbetweentwo
poin
ts c
onsi
sten
tly.
•Littleornoefforttoknow
position
on t
able
bey
ond
dist
ance
and
ac
cura
te t
urns
.
•Som
ewhattoofastforaccuracy
or s
omew
hat
too
slow
to
acco
mpl
ish
mis
sion
.
•Program
ssomew
hatorganized
•Program
sefficientatcompleting
som
e ta
sks
•Resultssom
ewhatunpredictable
•Program
sdosom
eofwhatis
expe
cted
•Variables,loops,subroutines
and
cond
ition
s, if
use
d, n
ot
unde
rsto
od.
•Childrencandescribepartofthe
mis
sion
.
•Knowledgeofrobotstructure
and
prog
ram
min
g sh
ows
min
imal
un
ders
tand
ing
of u
nder
lyin
g de
sign
, sc
ienc
e, a
nd t
echn
olog
y (a
ge s
peci
fic e
xpec
tatio
ns).
•Buildingandprogrammingseem
spr
imar
ily d
irect
ed b
y co
ach.
•Robotassem
blydonewithfewerrors.
•Robotbasestructurehassome
stab
ility
.
•Attachments,ifused,difficultto
appl
y; a
nd/o
r no
t m
odul
ar;
not
prec
ise
or n
ot r
epea
tabl
e.
•Robotshowssignsofteamís
desi
gn id
eas.
•Robotlacksmanycriticaldesign
com
pone
nts:
w
orks
, st
ays
toge
ther
, ef
ficie
nt p
arts
use
, at
tach
men
ts e
asy
to a
dd/r
emov
e,
sim
pler
tha
n co
mpa
rabl
e ro
bots
.
•Som
ecomponentsworktogether;
som
e co
mpo
nent
s lo
ok li
ke t
hey
belo
ng t
oget
her.
•Design,drivetrain,and
stru
ctur
e ar
e st
anda
rd.
•Manipulators/sensorsused
in e
xpec
ted
way
s, if
use
d.
•Strategyforcombining
mis
sion
s ex
pect
ed.
•Program
mingwrittenas
expe
cted
.
•Usesstandarddesign.
•Nodesignprocess(frominitial
conc
ept t
hrou
gh b
uild
, tes
t, re
finem
ent)
com
mun
icat
ed.
•Strategybasedonlyonease
of ta
sk -
did
not
max
imiz
e tim
e, c
ombi
ne m
issi
on ta
sks
or c
onsi
der
poin
ts.
•Difficultygoingsam
edi
stan
ce
on r
epea
ted
mis
sion
s.
•Toofastforaccuracy,ortoo
slow
to a
ccom
plis
h m
issi
on.
•Turnsinaccurateorinconsistent.
•Movesbetweentwopoints
inco
nsis
tent
ly.
•Noefforttoknowpositionon
tabl
e be
yond
dis
tanc
e an
d ac
cura
te tu
rns.
•Program
sdisorganized
•Program
sinefficient
•Resultsunpredictable
•Sensorsinadequatelyused
•Program
sdonotaccom
plish
expe
cted
tas
ks
•Variables,loops,subroutines
and
cond
ition
s de
fined
but
un
used
•Childrencan’tdescribewhat
run
will
do.
•Littleknow
ledgeofwhysom
epa
rts a
re lo
cate
d as
they
are
on
the
robo
t.
•Littleornounderstandingof
wha
t pie
ces
did.
•Building/programmingappears
prim
arily
don
e by
coa
ch.
•Difficultywithrobotassem
bly
durin
g de
mo.
•Baseweak,fallsapartwhen
hand
led
or r
un.
•Attachments,ifused,weak
and
fall
apar
t ofte
n; d
iffic
ulty
co
mpl
etin
g ta
sk; o
r ov
erly
co
mpl
ex. R
obot
des
ign
from
bo
ok, l
ittle
mod
ifica
tion
by
team
.
•Robotlacksmostcritical
desi
gn c
ompo
nent
s: w
orks
, st
ays
toge
ther
, effi
cien
t par
ts
use,
atta
chm
ents
eas
y to
ad
d/re
mov
e, s
impl
er th
an
com
para
ble
robo
ts.
•Few
com
ponentswork
toge
ther
; few
com
pone
nts
look
like
they
bel
ong
toge
ther
.
g
g
g
g
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 91C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x A
•Designcreative,uniqueuseofdrivetrainorstructure.
•Manipulators/sensorsusedinunexpected
way
s, if
use
d.
•Unique/creativestrategyforcoordinatingmissions.
•Program
mingtasksusedinunexpectedways.
(For
thi
s ca
tego
ry,
1 do
ne e
xcep
tiona
lly o
r 3
of 4
ab
ove
dem
onst
rate
d.)
•Com
municatescom
pletedesignprocess,
from
initi
al c
once
pt t
hrou
gh b
uild
, te
st,
and
refin
emen
t.
•Excellent/innovativestrategy,combining
mis
sion
tas
ks,
plot
ting
rout
es,
max
imiz
ing
poin
ts.
•Goesdefineddistancesefficiently.
•Adjustsspeed,positionsensingforoptim
um
spee
d an
d ac
cura
cy.
•Turnsaccuratelyandconsistently.
•Allowsforvariables(batterywear,obstacles).
•Movesbetweentwopointswithverygood
accu
racy
and
con
sist
ency
.
•Program
slogicallyorganized.
•Program
sveryefficient.
•Program
salwayswork,evenforcomplextasks.
•Sensors,ifused,guaranteecertainactionsin
ever
y tr
ial.
•Program
sworkincom
petitionasinpractice.
•Variables,loops,subroutinesandconditions,
if
used
, ar
e ef
fect
ive.
•Childrencandescribemissionandreferencethe
prog
ram
.
•Knowledgeofrobotstructureand
prog
ram
min
g sh
ows
thor
ough
und
erst
andi
ng
of u
nder
lyin
g de
sign
, sc
ienc
e, a
nd t
echn
olog
y
(age
spe
cific
exp
ecta
tions
).
•Building/programmingwasdonebyteam
mem
bers
.
•Robotassem
bleseasily.
•Robotbasestableandrobust.
•Attachments,ifused,modular,functionas
expe
cted
and
eas
ily a
dded
/rem
oved
fro
m r
obot
. R
obot
dis
play
s w
ide
rang
e of
cap
abili
ties.
•Attachments,ifused,performtasksextremely
wel
l and
are
rep
eata
ble.
•Robotdesignedbyteam;designisunique
and
crea
tive.
•Robotiselegant,completesystem
.
•Allcomponentsworkwelltogether.
•Allcomponentslookliketheybelongtogether.
Overall DesignStructural Kids Did the WorkProgramming, cont.
•Designcreative,uniqueuseofdrive
trai
n or
str
uctu
re.
•Manipulators/sensorsusedinunexpected
way
s, if
use
d.
•Unique/creativestrategyforcoordinating
mis
sion
s.
•Program
mingtasksusedinunexpected
way
s. (F
or th
is c
ateg
ory,
2 o
f the
4 a
bove
ar
e de
mon
stra
ted.
)
•Basicunderstandingofdesign
proc
ess,
evi
denc
e of
con
cept
ual
plan
ning
, bu
ildin
g, t
estin
g, r
efin
ing
of
robo
t, m
anip
ulat
ors,
pro
gram
s.
•Effectivestrategicplanning,combining
mis
sion
tas
ks,
plot
ting
rout
es,
usin
g m
anip
ulat
ors
and/
or p
rogr
am s
lots
.
•Goesdefineddistancesmostoftime.
•Nottoofastforaccuracyortooslow
to
acc
ompl
ish
mis
sion
.
•Turnsreasonablyaccurateandconsistent.
•Allowsforvariables.
•Movesbetweentwopointswith
reas
onab
le a
ccur
acy
and
cons
iste
ncy.
•Program
sorganized.
•Program
sefficientatcom
pletingmosttasks.
•Program
ssomew
hatunpredicatble.
•Program
sdowhatthey’reexpectedtodo.
•Sensorsusedeffectively,ifused.
•Variables,loops,subroutinesand
cond
ition
s, if
use
d, a
re n
eede
d.
•Kidscandescribemostofmission.
•Knowledgeofrobotstructureand
prog
ram
min
g sh
ows
mod
erat
e un
ders
tand
ing
of u
nder
lyin
g de
sign
, sc
ienc
e, a
nd t
echn
olog
y (
age
spec
ific
expe
ctat
ions
).
•Building/programmingmostlydirectedby
team
mem
bers
, with
hel
p fro
m c
oach
.
•Slowrobotassem
bly,withnoerrors.
•Robotbasestable,butnotrobust.
•Attachments,ifused,modular;
func
tion
mos
t of
the
tim
e; a
nd/o
r ta
ke
som
e tim
e to
ass
embl
e; s
omew
hat
prec
ise
and/
or r
epea
tabl
e.
•Robotdesignedbyteam.
•Robotlackssomecriticaldesign
com
pone
nts:
w
orks
, st
ays
toge
ther
, ef
ficie
nt p
arts
use
, at
tach
men
ts e
asy
to
add/
rem
ove,
sim
pler
tha
n co
mpa
rabl
e ro
bots
.
•Mostcom
ponentsworktogether;m
ost
com
pone
nts
look
like
they
bel
ong
toge
ther
.
•Designcreative,uniqueuseof
driv
e tr
ain
or s
truc
ture
.
•Manipulators/sensorsusedin
unex
pect
ed w
ays,
if u
sed.
•Unique/creativestrategyfor
coor
dina
ting
mis
sion
s.
•Program
mingtasksusedin
unex
pect
ed w
ays.
(F
or t
his
cate
gory
, 1
of t
he 4
abo
ve is
dem
onst
rate
d.)
•Som
eforethoughtininitialdesign.
•Refinem
entofrobotandprogram
sno
t com
mun
icat
ed.
•Strategyoftenbasedoneaseoftask
- fe
w r
isks
take
n.
•Som
econsiderationoftim
e,mission
com
bina
tions
or
max
imiz
ing
poin
ts.
•Goesdefineddistancess
omet
imes
.
•Turnssom
etimesaccurate.
•Som
etimesmovesbetweentwo
poin
ts c
onsi
sten
tly.
•Littleornoefforttoknow
position
on t
able
bey
ond
dist
ance
and
ac
cura
te t
urns
.
•Som
ewhattoofastforaccuracy
or s
omew
hat
too
slow
to
acco
mpl
ish
mis
sion
.
•Program
ssomew
hatorganized
•Program
sefficientatcompleting
som
e ta
sks
•Resultssom
ewhatunpredictable
•Program
sdosom
eofwhatis
expe
cted
•Variables,loops,subroutines
and
cond
ition
s, if
use
d, n
ot
unde
rsto
od.
•Childrencandescribepartofthe
mis
sion
.
•Knowledgeofrobotstructure
and
prog
ram
min
g sh
ows
min
imal
un
ders
tand
ing
of u
nder
lyin
g de
sign
, sc
ienc
e, a
nd t
echn
olog
y (a
ge s
peci
fic e
xpec
tatio
ns).
•Buildingandprogrammingseem
spr
imar
ily d
irect
ed b
y co
ach.
•Robotassem
blydonewithfewerrors.
•Robotbasestructurehassome
stab
ility
.
•Attachments,ifused,difficultto
appl
y; a
nd/o
r no
t m
odul
ar;
not
prec
ise
or n
ot r
epea
tabl
e.
•Robotshowssignsofteamís
desi
gn id
eas.
•Robotlacksmanycriticaldesign
com
pone
nts:
w
orks
, st
ays
toge
ther
, ef
ficie
nt p
arts
use
, at
tach
men
ts e
asy
to a
dd/r
emov
e,
sim
pler
tha
n co
mpa
rabl
e ro
bots
.
•Som
ecomponentsworktogether;
som
e co
mpo
nent
s lo
ok li
ke t
hey
belo
ng t
oget
her.
•Design,drivetrain,and
stru
ctur
e ar
e st
anda
rd.
•Manipulators/sensorsused
in e
xpec
ted
way
s, if
use
d.
•Strategyforcombining
mis
sion
s ex
pect
ed.
•Program
mingwrittenas
expe
cted
.
•Usesstandarddesign.
•Nodesignprocess(frominitial
conc
ept t
hrou
gh b
uild
, tes
t, re
finem
ent)
com
mun
icat
ed.
•Strategybasedonlyonease
of ta
sk -
did
not
max
imiz
e tim
e, c
ombi
ne m
issi
on ta
sks
or c
onsi
der
poin
ts.
•Difficultygoingsam
edi
stan
ce
on r
epea
ted
mis
sion
s.
•Toofastforaccuracy,ortoo
slow
to a
ccom
plis
h m
issi
on.
•Turnsinaccurateorinconsistent.
•Movesbetweentwopoints
inco
nsis
tent
ly.
•Noefforttoknowpositionon
tabl
e be
yond
dis
tanc
e an
d ac
cura
te tu
rns.
•Program
sdisorganized
•Program
sinefficient
•Resultsunpredictable
•Sensorsinadequatelyused
•Program
sdonotaccom
plish
expe
cted
tas
ks
•Variables,loops,subroutines
and
cond
ition
s de
fined
but
un
used
•Childrencan’tdescribewhat
run
will
do.
•Littleknow
ledgeofwhysom
epa
rts a
re lo
cate
d as
they
are
on
the
robo
t.
•Littleornounderstandingof
wha
t pie
ces
did.
•Building/programmingappears
prim
arily
don
e by
coa
ch.
•Difficultywithrobotassem
bly
durin
g de
mo.
•Baseweak,fallsapartwhen
hand
led
or r
un.
•Attachments,ifused,weak
and
fall
apar
t ofte
n; d
iffic
ulty
co
mpl
etin
g ta
sk; o
r ov
erly
co
mpl
ex. R
obot
des
ign
from
bo
ok, l
ittle
mod
ifica
tion
by
team
.
•Robotlacksmostcritical
desi
gn c
ompo
nent
s: w
orks
, st
ays
toge
ther
, effi
cien
t par
ts
use,
atta
chm
ents
eas
y to
ad
d/re
mov
e, s
impl
er th
an
com
para
ble
robo
ts.
•Few
com
ponentswork
toge
ther
; few
com
pone
nts
look
like
they
bel
ong
toge
ther
.
O
kay
for
team
mem
bers
to
have
diff
eren
t ro
les,
as
long
as
wor
k is
don
e by
chi
ldre
n.
g
g
g
g
92 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x A
•Researchproblemisexplained
clea
rly a
nd c
onci
sely
, in
tegr
ates
w
ell w
ith F
LL t
hem
e
•Citedmultiplesourcesusedin
rese
arch
incl
udin
g co
mm
unic
atio
n w
ith a
pro
fess
iona
l(s)
(or
atte
mpt
s to
)
•Impactofproblemthoroughly
exam
ined
and
app
lied
to s
olut
ion
•Clearlyresearchedexisting
solu
tions
and
tec
hnol
ogie
s,
appl
ied
know
ledg
e w
hen
deve
lopi
ng s
olut
ion
•Alternativetheoriesor
inte
rpre
tatio
ns p
rese
nted
and
ad
dres
sed
in p
ersu
asiv
e ar
gum
ents
•Dem
onstratedandshareda
com
plet
e un
ders
tand
ing
of
tech
nica
l ter
ms
•Solutionisconciselydescribed
and
clea
rly a
ddre
sses
the
pro
blem
•Substantialdatasupports
prop
osed
sol
utio
n
•Solutionisinnovativeandapplies
know
ledg
e of
sci
ence
and
/or
tech
nolo
gy
•Shared
thei
r pr
ojec
t, re
sear
ch a
nd
solu
tion
with
oth
ers
such
as
thei
r sc
hool
, co
mm
unity
or
expe
rts
in
thei
r fie
ld
•Consideredhowthisimpacts
othe
rs a
nd im
plem
ente
d a
plan
to
prod
uce
chan
ge
•Organizedpresentationwithclear
begi
nnin
g, m
iddl
e an
d en
d; w
ell-
inte
grat
ed;
logi
cal p
rogr
essi
on•Alloralmostallteammem
bers
part
icip
ated
•Com
prehensiveanswerstojudges’
ques
tions
•Collaborationofgroupisseamless
•Carefullychosenvisualaidsand/
or s
uppo
rt m
ater
ial c
lear
ly a
dd t
o pr
esen
tatio
n •Excellentuseofcreativity
•Clearlytheworkofthechildrenfrom
be
ginn
ing
to e
nd in
clud
ing
all v
isua
l ai
ds a
nd m
ater
ial
•Noevidenterrorsandwell
rehe
arse
d•Excellentuseoftim
e•Notechnicaldifficulties
p
ROjE
CT R
ubRi
CResearch
n
eeds
impro
vem
ent
Fair
G
ood
exc
ellent
Innovative Solution
•Researchproblemisfairly
clea
r an
d co
ncis
e, a
nd r
elat
es
fairl
y w
ell w
ith F
LL t
hem
e
•Citedadiversevarietyof
outs
ide
sour
ces
used
in
rese
arch
•Impactofproblemclearly
rese
arch
ed
•Presentsolutionsand
tech
nolo
gies
cle
arly
re
sear
ched
but
not
con
side
red
in d
evel
opin
g so
lutio
n
•Consideredalternative
theo
ries
or in
terp
reta
tions
and
pr
esen
ted
clea
r ar
gum
ents
•Dem
onstratedunderstanding
of t
echn
ical
ter
ms
but
didn
’t ex
plai
n th
em c
lear
ly
•Solutionisdescribedbutnot
clea
r ho
w it
add
ress
es t
he
prob
lem
•Adequatedatasupports
prop
osed
sol
utio
n
•Solutionisinnovativeand
appl
ies
som
e kn
owle
dge
of
scie
nce
and/
or t
echn
olog
y
•Shared
thei
r pr
ojec
t, re
sear
ch
or s
olut
ion
with
oth
ers
beyo
nd
pare
nts
such
as
a cl
ass,
sp
onso
rs o
r ot
her
team
s
•Consideredhowthismight
impa
ct t
hem
selv
es a
nd t
heir
fam
ily a
nd r
ecom
men
ded
chan
ges
•Presentationorganizationis
clea
r, in
tegr
atio
n an
d/or
logi
cal
prog
ress
ion
coul
d be
impr
oved
•Mostoftheteamparticipatedin
the
pres
enta
tion
•Adequateansw
erstojudges’
ques
tions
•Projectisagroupeffort
•Visualaidsorsupportmaterial
com
plem
ent
pres
enta
tion
•Team
usescreativitydoing
pres
enta
tion
•Noapparentadultintervention
but
diffi
culty
with
set
up/
take
do
wn
with
in a
llotte
d tim
e•Veryfewevidenterrors,well
rehe
arse
d•Properlength
•Veryminortechnicaldifficulties
•Researchproblemisvague
or r
elat
es p
oorly
to
FLL
th
eme
•Limitedoutsidesources
used
in r
esea
rch
or f
ew
men
tione
d
•Limitedresearchonthe
impa
ct o
f th
e pr
oble
m
•Limitedresearchonexisting
solu
tions
or
tech
nolo
gies
us
ed to
add
ress
the
prob
lem
•Alternativetheoriesor
inte
rpre
tatio
ns d
ism
isse
d an
d/or
arg
umen
ts o
bscu
red
by ja
rgon
•Dem
onstratedalim
ited
unde
rsta
ndin
g of
tec
hnic
al
term
s
•Solutionisunclear
•Weakorlimiteddatato
supp
ort
prop
osed
sol
utio
n
•Solutionissom
ewhat
inno
vativ
e, o
r lim
ited
know
ldeg
e of
sci
ence
and
/or
tec
hnol
ogy
appl
ied
•Shared
thei
r pr
ojec
t, re
sear
ch o
r so
lutio
n w
ith
team
par
ents
•Consideredhowthismight
impa
ct t
hem
selv
es o
r th
eir
fam
ily,
but
did
not
cons
ider
ch
ange
s
•Presentationorganizationis
wea
k•Lessthenhalfoftheteam
part
icip
ated
•Weakansw
erstojudges’
ques
tions
•Team
mem
berideasnotwell-
inte
grat
ed•Ineffectivevisualaidsor
wea
k su
ppor
t m
ater
ial
•Informationpresentedwith
limite
d cr
eativ
ity•Adultinterventionisapparent
•Few
errorsorshouldhave
rehe
arse
d m
ore
•Slightlytoolong
•Severaltechnicaldifficulties
•Noclearlydefined
rese
arch
pro
blem
or
it do
es n
ot r
elat
e to
the
F
LL t
hem
e
•Nooutsidesources
used
in r
esea
rch
•Noresearchonthe
impa
ct o
f th
e pr
oble
m
•Noresearchon
exis
ting
solu
tions
or
tech
nolo
gies
use
d to
ad
dres
s th
e pr
oble
m
•Alternativetheoriesor
inte
rpre
tatio
ns ig
nore
d,
no c
lear
arg
umen
ts
•Didnotdem
onstrate
unde
rsta
ndin
g of
te
chni
cal t
erm
s
•Nosolutionpresented
•Nodatapresentedin
supp
ort
of p
ropo
sed
solu
tion
•Solutionisnot
inno
vativ
e or
new
•Didnotsharetheir
proj
ect,
rese
arch
or
solu
tion
with
any
one
outs
ide
team
•Didnotconsiderhow
thei
r pr
oble
m a
nd/o
r so
lutio
n m
ight
impa
ct
them
selv
es o
r co
nsid
er
wha
t ch
ange
s to
mak
e
•Presentationrambles
•Limitednumberofteam
mem
bers
par
ticip
ated
in
proj
ect
pres
enta
tion
•Unabletoanswerjudges’
ques
tions
•Team
mem
berideaswere
not
inte
grat
ed•Novisualaidsorsupport
mat
eria
l•Lacksexcitementor
crea
tivity
•Excessiveadult
inte
rven
tion
•Manyerrorsornot
rehe
arse
d•Toolong
•Plaguedwithtechnical
diffi
culti
es
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 93C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x A
•Researchproblemisexplained
clea
rly a
nd c
onci
sely
, in
tegr
ates
w
ell w
ith F
LL t
hem
e
•Citedmultiplesourcesusedin
rese
arch
incl
udin
g co
mm
unic
atio
n w
ith a
pro
fess
iona
l(s)
(or
atte
mpt
s to
)
•Impactofproblemthoroughly
exam
ined
and
app
lied
to s
olut
ion
•Clearlyresearchedexisting
solu
tions
and
tec
hnol
ogie
s,
appl
ied
know
ledg
e w
hen
deve
lopi
ng s
olut
ion
•Alternativetheoriesor
inte
rpre
tatio
ns p
rese
nted
and
ad
dres
sed
in p
ersu
asiv
e ar
gum
ents
•Dem
onstratedandshareda
com
plet
e un
ders
tand
ing
of
tech
nica
l ter
ms
•Solutionisconciselydescribed
and
clea
rly a
ddre
sses
the
pro
blem
•Substantialdatasupports
prop
osed
sol
utio
n
•Solutionisinnovativeandapplies
know
ledg
e of
sci
ence
and
/or
tech
nolo
gy
•Shared
thei
r pr
ojec
t, re
sear
ch a
nd
solu
tion
with
oth
ers
such
as
thei
r sc
hool
, co
mm
unity
or
expe
rts
in
thei
r fie
ld
•Consideredhowthisimpacts
othe
rs a
nd im
plem
ente
d a
plan
to
prod
uce
chan
ge
•Organizedpresentationwithclear
begi
nnin
g, m
iddl
e an
d en
d; w
ell-
inte
grat
ed;
logi
cal p
rogr
essi
on•Alloralmostallteammem
bers
part
icip
ated
•Com
prehensiveanswerstojudges’
ques
tions
•Collaborationofgroupisseamless
•Carefullychosenvisualaidsand/
or s
uppo
rt m
ater
ial c
lear
ly a
dd t
o pr
esen
tatio
n •Excellentuseofcreativity
•Clearlytheworkofthechildrenfrom
be
ginn
ing
to e
nd in
clud
ing
all v
isua
l ai
ds a
nd m
ater
ial
•Noevidenterrorsandwell
rehe
arse
d•Excellentuseoftim
e•Notechnicaldifficulties
Creative PresentationSharing
•Researchproblemisfairly
clea
r an
d co
ncis
e, a
nd r
elat
es
fairl
y w
ell w
ith F
LL t
hem
e
•Citedadiversevarietyof
outs
ide
sour
ces
used
in
rese
arch
•Impactofproblemclearly
rese
arch
ed
•Presentsolutionsand
tech
nolo
gies
cle
arly
re
sear
ched
but
not
con
side
red
in d
evel
opin
g so
lutio
n
•Consideredalternative
theo
ries
or in
terp
reta
tions
and
pr
esen
ted
clea
r ar
gum
ents
•Dem
onstratedunderstanding
of t
echn
ical
ter
ms
but
didn
’t ex
plai
n th
em c
lear
ly
•Solutionisdescribedbutnot
clea
r ho
w it
add
ress
es t
he
prob
lem
•Adequatedatasupports
prop
osed
sol
utio
n
•Solutionisinnovativeand
appl
ies
som
e kn
owle
dge
of
scie
nce
and/
or t
echn
olog
y
•Shared
thei
r pr
ojec
t, re
sear
ch
or s
olut
ion
with
oth
ers
beyo
nd
pare
nts
such
as
a cl
ass,
sp
onso
rs o
r ot
her
team
s
•Consideredhowthismight
impa
ct t
hem
selv
es a
nd t
heir
fam
ily a
nd r
ecom
men
ded
chan
ges
•Presentationorganizationis
clea
r, in
tegr
atio
n an
d/or
logi
cal
prog
ress
ion
coul
d be
impr
oved
•Mostoftheteamparticipatedin
the
pres
enta
tion
•Adequateansw
erstojudges’
ques
tions
•Projectisagroupeffort
•Visualaidsorsupportmaterial
com
plem
ent
pres
enta
tion
•Team
usescreativitydoing
pres
enta
tion
•Noapparentadultintervention
but
diffi
culty
with
set
up/
take
do
wn
with
in a
llotte
d tim
e•Veryfewevidenterrors,well
rehe
arse
d•Properlength
•Veryminortechnicaldifficulties
•Researchproblemisvague
or r
elat
es p
oorly
to
FLL
th
eme
•Limitedoutsidesources
used
in r
esea
rch
or f
ew
men
tione
d
•Limitedresearchonthe
impa
ct o
f th
e pr
oble
m
•Limitedresearchonexisting
solu
tions
or
tech
nolo
gies
us
ed to
add
ress
the
prob
lem
•Alternativetheoriesor
inte
rpre
tatio
ns d
ism
isse
d an
d/or
arg
umen
ts o
bscu
red
by ja
rgon
•Dem
onstratedalim
ited
unde
rsta
ndin
g of
tec
hnic
al
term
s
•Solutionisunclear
•Weakorlimiteddatato
supp
ort
prop
osed
sol
utio
n
•Solutionissom
ewhat
inno
vativ
e, o
r lim
ited
know
ldeg
e of
sci
ence
and
/or
tec
hnol
ogy
appl
ied
•Shared
thei
r pr
ojec
t, re
sear
ch o
r so
lutio
n w
ith
team
par
ents
•Consideredhowthismight
impa
ct t
hem
selv
es o
r th
eir
fam
ily,
but
did
not
cons
ider
ch
ange
s
•Presentationorganizationis
wea
k•Lessthenhalfoftheteam
part
icip
ated
•Weakansw
erstojudges’
ques
tions
•Team
mem
berideasnotwell-
inte
grat
ed•Ineffectivevisualaidsor
wea
k su
ppor
t m
ater
ial
•Informationpresentedwith
limite
d cr
eativ
ity•Adultinterventionisapparent
•Few
errorsorshouldhave
rehe
arse
d m
ore
•Slightlytoolong
•Severaltechnicaldifficulties
•Noclearlydefined
rese
arch
pro
blem
or
it do
es n
ot r
elat
e to
the
F
LL t
hem
e
•Nooutsidesources
used
in r
esea
rch
•Noresearchonthe
impa
ct o
f th
e pr
oble
m
•Noresearchon
exis
ting
solu
tions
or
tech
nolo
gies
use
d to
ad
dres
s th
e pr
oble
m
•Alternativetheoriesor
inte
rpre
tatio
ns ig
nore
d,
no c
lear
arg
umen
ts
•Didnotdem
onstrate
unde
rsta
ndin
g of
te
chni
cal t
erm
s
•Nosolutionpresented
•Nodatapresentedin
supp
ort
of p
ropo
sed
solu
tion
•Solutionisnot
inno
vativ
e or
new
•Didnotsharetheir
proj
ect,
rese
arch
or
solu
tion
with
any
one
outs
ide
team
•Didnotconsiderhow
thei
r pr
oble
m a
nd/o
r so
lutio
n m
ight
impa
ct
them
selv
es o
r co
nsid
er
wha
t ch
ange
s to
mak
e
•Presentationrambles
•Limitednumberofteam
mem
bers
par
ticip
ated
in
proj
ect
pres
enta
tion
•Unabletoanswerjudges’
ques
tions
•Team
mem
berideaswere
not
inte
grat
ed•Novisualaidsorsupport
mat
eria
l•Lacksexcitementor
crea
tivity
•Excessiveadult
inte
rven
tion
•Manyerrorsornot
rehe
arse
d•Toolong
•Plaguedwithtechnical
diffi
culti
es
94 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x A
•Clearlydefinedroles
•Workloadisdistributedfairlyand
team
mem
bers
und
erst
and
each
ot
her’
s ro
les
•Team
mem
bersfilleachother’sroles
(hap
pily
!),
if ne
eded
•Team
mem
bersgiveconcrete
exam
ples
of
lear
ning
tim
e m
anag
emen
t
•Team
mem
bersgiveconcrete
exam
ples
of
resp
ect
for
team
mat
es
•Team
mem
bersshowincreased
awar
enes
s of
the
ir sc
hool
/com
mun
ity
incl
udin
g co
ncre
te e
xam
ples
•Team
mem
bersclearlydiscusshow
th
is in
crea
sed
awar
enes
s tr
ansl
ates
in
to o
ther
are
as o
f th
eir
lives
•Team
mem
bersgiveconcrete
exam
ples
of
how
the
y ha
ve h
elpe
d ea
ch o
ther
/oth
ers
•Aproblem
wasidentifiedandtheteam
w
orke
d to
geth
er to
find
a s
olut
ion
•Varioussolutionsweretestedand
then
inco
rpor
ated
•Team
acceptsinputfrom
allandsees
the
big
pict
ure
in t
heir
over
all g
oals
•Team
mem
bersshowequalityand
valu
e ea
ch o
ther
’s r
oles
by
deci
sion
s be
ing
mad
e by
the
ent
ire t
eam
•Collaborationandco-ownershipare
dom
inan
t th
emes
with
the
mem
bers
re
cogn
izin
g in
terd
epen
denc
e
•Allteam
mem
bersspeaktothe
judg
es s
how
ing
conf
iden
ce in
th
emse
lves
as
wel
l as
the
team
•Team
mem
bersshowequal
inve
stm
ent
in F
LL
•Mem
bersenthusiasticallywork
toge
ther
to
incl
ude
each
oth
er
•Grouparticulatesaclear
unde
rsta
ndin
g of
the
FLL
exp
erie
nce
•Team
givesconcreteexam
plesof
new
ski
lls a
cqui
red
and
thei
r in
tere
st
in t
he s
ubje
ct a
reas
T
EaM
WOR
K aN
d Fl
l Va
luES
Rub
RiC
Gracious ProfessionalismRoles & Responsibilities
needs
impro
vem
ent
Fair
G
ood
exc
ellent
•Definedroles
•Workisdistributedfairly-but
with
indi
vdua
l foc
us o
nly
•Team
mem
bersassisteach
othe
r w
ithou
t be
ing
aske
d
•Team
mentionslearningtime
man
agem
ent
•Team
mem
bersshow
resp
ect
for
team
mat
es
•Team
mem
bersim
ply
incr
ease
d aw
aren
ess
of
scho
ol a
nd/o
r co
mm
unity
•Team
mem
bersarevague
abou
t ho
w t
his
awar
enes
s tr
ansl
ates
into
oth
er a
spec
ts
of t
heir
lives
•Team
impliesthattheyhave
help
ed e
ach
othe
r/ot
her
team
s
•Aproblem
wasidentifiedand
ther
e is
com
prom
ise
evid
ent
in t
he s
olut
ion
•Team
testedvarious
solu
tions
to
solv
e th
e pr
oble
m
•Cooperationisadom
inant
them
e
•Decisionsmadebymostof
the
team
, ho
wev
er f
ocus
es
on in
divi
dual
tas
ks
•Team
collaborateswell
•Everyonewasreadyto
answ
er a
t le
ast
one
ques
tion
from
the
judg
e(s)
•Mostoftheteamappears
exci
ted
and
inte
rest
ed
•Mem
bersareenthusiastic,
but
talk
ove
r on
e an
othe
r
•Team
showsakeeninterest
in s
ubje
ct m
atte
r, bu
t lim
ited
use
of c
oncr
ete
exam
ples
•Team
impliesnewskills
acqu
ired
•Looseroleassignm
ents
•Unevenworkdistribution
•Team
mem
berswillhelp
each
oth
er,
if as
ked
•Timemanagem
entskills
are
wea
k
•Team
mem
bersshow
limite
d re
spec
t for
eac
h ot
her
•Team
mem
bersshow
limite
d aw
aren
ess
of
scho
ol /
com
mun
ity is
sues
•Team
isawareofgracious
prof
essi
onal
ism
, bu
t gi
ves
no c
oncr
ete
exam
ples
of
wha
t th
ey h
ave
done
to
help
oth
ers
•Team
didnothelpeach
othe
r/ot
her
team
s
•Aproblem
wasidentified,
but
the
chos
en s
olut
ion
was
inad
equa
te t
o so
me
team
mem
bers
•Som
eteam
mem
bers
didn
’t ac
cept
the
sol
utio
n
•Simplemajorityhadinput
at m
eetin
gs
•Decisionsmadeby
sim
ple
maj
ority
with
out
colla
bora
tive
disc
ussi
on
•Team
coexistspeacefully
•About½theteamspoketo
the
judg
e(s)
•About½theteamseems
inte
rest
ed
•Mem
bersarenotpaying
atte
ntio
n to
one
ano
ther
•Som
emem
bersshow
an in
tere
st in
sci
ence
, en
gine
erin
g or
tec
hnol
ogy
•Limitedattentionpaidto
new
ski
lls a
cqui
red
•Noclearly-definedroles
•Notclearwho
com
plet
ed w
hich
tas
ks
and/
or v
ery
unev
en
dist
ribut
ion
of w
ork
•Team
mem
bersnot
colla
bora
tive
•Timemanagem
entis
poor
or
pure
ly d
irect
ed
by t
he c
oach
•Team
mem
bersshow
little
/no
resp
ect
for
each
ot
her
•Team
mem
bersshow
no a
war
enes
s of
sch
ool/
com
mun
ity is
sues
•Team
doesn’t
unde
rsta
nd t
he
conc
ept
of g
raci
ous
prof
essi
onal
ism
•Team
mem
bers
com
pete
with
eac
h ot
her
to b
e he
ard
durin
g ju
dgin
g
•Aproblem
was
iden
tifie
d, b
ut n
o st
eps
wer
e ta
ken
to id
entif
y a
solu
tion
•Oneteammem
berused
pow
er t
o re
ach
thei
r de
sire
d ou
tcom
e
•Oneperson’sideasare
used
•Team
mem
bersworking
agai
nst
each
oth
er
•Coercionand/or
conf
ront
atio
n do
min
ate
•Onlyoneteam
mem
ber
spok
e to
the
judg
e(s)
•Som
eteam
mem
bers
seem
dis
inte
rest
ed
•Mostteam
mem
bers
are
dise
ngag
ed
•Noclearenthusiasm
for
scie
nce,
eng
inee
ring
or
tech
nolo
gy
•Team
doesn’tmention
new
ski
lls a
cqui
red
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 95C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x A
•Clearlydefinedroles
•Workloadisdistributedfairlyand
team
mem
bers
und
erst
and
each
ot
her’
s ro
les
•Team
mem
bersfilleachother’sroles
(hap
pily
!),
if ne
eded
•Team
mem
bersgiveconcrete
exam
ples
of
lear
ning
tim
e m
anag
emen
t
•Team
mem
bersgiveconcrete
exam
ples
of
resp
ect
for
team
mat
es
•Team
mem
bersshowincreased
awar
enes
s of
the
ir sc
hool
/com
mun
ity
incl
udin
g co
ncre
te e
xam
ples
•Team
mem
bersclearlydiscusshow
th
is in
crea
sed
awar
enes
s tr
ansl
ates
in
to o
ther
are
as o
f th
eir
lives
•Team
mem
bersgiveconcrete
exam
ples
of
how
the
y ha
ve h
elpe
d ea
ch o
ther
/oth
ers
•Aproblem
wasidentifiedandtheteam
w
orke
d to
geth
er to
find
a s
olut
ion
•Varioussolutionsweretestedand
then
inco
rpor
ated
•Team
acceptsinputfrom
allandsees
the
big
pict
ure
in t
heir
over
all g
oals
•Team
mem
bersshowequalityand
valu
e ea
ch o
ther
’s r
oles
by
deci
sion
s be
ing
mad
e by
the
ent
ire t
eam
•Collaborationandco-ownershipare
dom
inan
t th
emes
with
the
mem
bers
re
cogn
izin
g in
terd
epen
denc
e
•Allteam
mem
bersspeaktothe
judg
es s
how
ing
conf
iden
ce in
th
emse
lves
as
wel
l as
the
team
•Team
mem
bersshowequal
inve
stm
ent
in F
LL
•Mem
bersenthusiasticallywork
toge
ther
to
incl
ude
each
oth
er
•Grouparticulatesaclear
unde
rsta
ndin
g of
the
FLL
exp
erie
nce
•Team
givesconcreteexam
plesof
new
ski
lls a
cqui
red
and
thei
r in
tere
st
in t
he s
ubje
ct a
reas
FLL ValuesConfidence & EnthusiasmProblem-Solving & Team Dynamics
•Definedroles
•Workisdistributedfairly-but
with
indi
vdua
l foc
us o
nly
•Team
mem
bersassisteach
othe
r w
ithou
t be
ing
aske
d
•Team
mentionslearningtime
man
agem
ent
•Team
mem
bersshow
resp
ect
for
team
mat
es
•Team
mem
bersim
ply
incr
ease
d aw
aren
ess
of
scho
ol a
nd/o
r co
mm
unity
•Team
mem
bersarevague
abou
t ho
w t
his
awar
enes
s tr
ansl
ates
into
oth
er a
spec
ts
of t
heir
lives
•Team
impliesthattheyhave
help
ed e
ach
othe
r/ot
her
team
s
•Aproblem
wasidentifiedand
ther
e is
com
prom
ise
evid
ent
in t
he s
olut
ion
•Team
testedvarious
solu
tions
to
solv
e th
e pr
oble
m
•Cooperationisadom
inant
them
e
•Decisionsmadebymostof
the
team
, ho
wev
er f
ocus
es
on in
divi
dual
tas
ks
•Team
collaborateswell
•Everyonewasreadyto
answ
er a
t le
ast
one
ques
tion
from
the
judg
e(s)
•Mostoftheteamappears
exci
ted
and
inte
rest
ed
•Mem
bersareenthusiastic,
but
talk
ove
r on
e an
othe
r
•Team
showsakeeninterest
in s
ubje
ct m
atte
r, bu
t lim
ited
use
of c
oncr
ete
exam
ples
•Team
impliesnewskills
acqu
ired
•Looseroleassignm
ents
•Unevenworkdistribution
•Team
mem
berswillhelp
each
oth
er,
if as
ked
•Timemanagem
entskills
are
wea
k
•Team
mem
bersshow
limite
d re
spec
t for
eac
h ot
her
•Team
mem
bersshow
limite
d aw
aren
ess
of
scho
ol /
com
mun
ity is
sues
•Team
isawareofgracious
prof
essi
onal
ism
, bu
t gi
ves
no c
oncr
ete
exam
ples
of
wha
t th
ey h
ave
done
to
help
oth
ers
•Team
didnothelpeach
othe
r/ot
her
team
s
•Aproblem
wasidentified,
but
the
chos
en s
olut
ion
was
inad
equa
te t
o so
me
team
mem
bers
•Som
eteam
mem
bers
didn
’t ac
cept
the
sol
utio
n
•Simplemajorityhadinput
at m
eetin
gs
•Decisionsmadeby
sim
ple
maj
ority
with
out
colla
bora
tive
disc
ussi
on
•Team
coexistspeacefully
•About½theteamspoketo
the
judg
e(s)
•About½theteamseems
inte
rest
ed
•Mem
bersarenotpaying
atte
ntio
n to
one
ano
ther
•Som
emem
bersshow
an in
tere
st in
sci
ence
, en
gine
erin
g or
tec
hnol
ogy
•Limitedattentionpaidto
new
ski
lls a
cqui
red
•Noclearly-definedroles
•Notclearwho
com
plet
ed w
hich
tas
ks
and/
or v
ery
unev
en
dist
ribut
ion
of w
ork
•Team
mem
bersnot
colla
bora
tive
•Timemanagem
entis
poor
or
pure
ly d
irect
ed
by t
he c
oach
•Team
mem
bersshow
little
/no
resp
ect
for
each
ot
her
•Team
mem
bersshow
no a
war
enes
s of
sch
ool/
com
mun
ity is
sues
•Team
doesn’t
unde
rsta
nd t
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96 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x A
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 97C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x B
A P P E N d i X B : A d d i t i o n a l R e s o u r c e s
www.usfirst.orgThis is the primary site for providing an integrated presentation of FLL within the context of FIRST .
www.firstlegoleague.orgThis site serves the international community and provides all in-season communication such as the annual Challenge Kickoff and event information .
Duckworth, Eleanor . The Having of Wonderful Ideas & Other Essays on Teaching and Learning . New York: Teachers College Press, 1996 .
Erwin, Ben . Creative Projects with LEGO MINDSTORMS . Boston: Addison-Wesley Professional, 2001 .
Ferrari, Mario, Ralph Hempel, ed ., Giulio Ferrari . Building Robots with LEGO MINDSTORMS . Syngress Publishing, 2001 .
Wang, Eric . Engineering with LEGO Bricks and ROBOLAB . 2nd ed . Knoxville: College House Enterprises, LLC, 2004 .
www.ceeo.tufts.edu Tufts University Center for Engineering Educational Outreach (CEEO)
www.legoengineering.com
www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon National Robotics Engineering Center
Useful Books
Fundraising resources LeGo parts resources
program-Specific information
General engineering & Career resources
programming and Building advice
www.fundraising-ideas.orgLoads of fundraising ideas
www.fundraiserhelp.comFundraising ideas and resources
www.stepbystepfundraising.com
www.legoeducation.com/storeLEGO Education Division
www.bricklink.comUnofficial LEGO Marketplace
www.jets.orgJunior Engineering Technical Society
www.robotics.nasa.govNASA Robotics Alliance Project
www.kids.govLots of links with career information for children
www.engineergirl.orgCreated by the National Academy of Engineering
98 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x B
product Billing, Shipping, invoicing:
FLL Support
Spectrum Educational Supplies LTD (Canadian teams)
FLL Team Support & General Information: 1 800 871 8326
E-mail: fllteams@usfirst .org
FLL websites: www .usfirst .org www .firstlegoleague .org
FLL Partner Information: Go to www .firstlegoleague .org to locate local contact information
General FLL program Support, registration, Teams, Tournaments:
Phone: 1 800 362 4308
Fax: 1 888 534 6784
E-mail: fllhelp@pitsco .com
Address: LEGO Education PO Box 1707 Pittsburg, KS 66762-1707
Phone: 1 800 668 0600
Fax: 1 800 668 0602
E-mail: fllinfo@spectrumed .com
Address: SPECTRUM Educational Supplies Ltd . 150 Pony Drive Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 7B6 Canada
LEGO Education (U .S . teams)
damaged or replacement LeGo pieces:
Questions on Challenge missions and rules:
E-mail: Go to www .LEGO .com, click on Customer Service . Refer to set number 9699 for FLL Mission Model Set .
Phone: 1 800 422 5346
E-mail FLL Engineering: flltech@usfirst .org
FLL Engineering: 1 800 871 8326
LeGo mindSTormS Software (nXT, roBoLaB and riS) Support:
E-mail: support@legoeducation .com
Phone: 1 866 349-LEGO or 1 866 349 5346
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FIRST LEGO League Website ChangesThis past year, FLL made the decision to enhance and improve the FLL website, www.firstlegoleague.org. In 2007, we did an extensive assessment of the existing site in order to define ways to better serve team needs and bring community participants together in new and innovative ways. Now we are actively working behind-the-scenes to create a better web experience that will serve both the FIRST LEGO League and Junior FIRST LEGO League programs.
Beginning in August of 2008, the FLL website will be transformed into a community site that will provide you with the Challenge information and resources you’ve come to expect from FLL, and will also include an enhanced forum to help you ask and find answers to your FLL questions, and areas for FLL teams to connect.
We ask that in this interim time you continue to use the existing FLL website for all your program needs, and keep a look out for emails from FLL about web updates. Since the site is currently under construction, specific instructions for how coaches and teams can use the site are still being developed. As the launch date nears, all registered FLL teams can expect to receive email communications with the information they need to access and use the new site.
Kickoff documents The Challenge is unveiled in September.The Challenge and associated materials will be available on our website at www.firstlegoleague.org
robot Game related documentsImportant—All teams must read, understand, and refer to the following four main areas that define the "robot game" portion of the Challenge. Information from all four of these sources will serve as the basis for referee decisions and performance scoring.
1. Field Setup Instructions The specifics about the placement, operation, and care of the field mat and mission models are provided in the field setup instructions. (Instructions for building the mission models themselves are found on the CD that comes in the Field Setup Kit.)
2. Rules The rules define what to expect at a competition, the exact boundaries the team and robot must conform to, and how the referee will govern the action.
3. Missions The missions identify exactly what results your robot must achieve on the field to earn points in performance.
4. Questions and answers (Q&a) — Web postings Q & A pertaining to clarifications, new or previously missing information, and early referee decisions will be posted throughout the season, so check this area of the site often.
The project project assignment The Project assignment will outline the expectations for the project. The project gives teams the background information they need to understand the Challenge mission, and it is a part of the judging process for qualifying and Championship tournaments.
Links to useful websites are included as resources for the project.
100 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x B
S A M P L E P R E S S R E L E A S E FOR iMMEdiATE RELEASECONTACT: (NAME) (PHONE) (EMAIL) (LOCATION) “(Challenge Name)”
Teams solve real-world problems through robot design and research at FIRST LEGO® League (EVENT NAME), (DATE), (CITY, STATE or PROVINCE). Children from 38 countries and the (CITY) area have been tasked with the challenge and excitement of designing and building an original robot in the FIRST LEGO® League program (www.firstlegoleague.org). This weekend, at (VENUE LOCATION), eight weeks of research and design will culminate in the FIRST LEGO® League (TOURNAMENT NAME) where teams of children and mentors will demonstrate their problem-solving skills, creative thinking, teamwork, competitive play, sportsmanship, and sense of community. Among the participants are the 9-14 year-old boys and girls of Team # (XXX) from (YOUR TOWN), also known as (TEAM NAME). This action packed event is free and open to the public. This year’s Challenge, “(CHALLENGE NAME)”, calls for teams to research and present robotics technology solutions in the field of (INSERT THEME OF CURRENT CHALLENGE). The competition is judged in five areas: research and presentation; robot performance; technical mechanics of the robot’s construction; teamwork; and gracious professionalism. The highest honor will go to the team that best exemplifies the spirit and values of the program. Every participant will receive a medallion to commemorate the experience and dedication to the eight-week process. Founded by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was created to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. FIRST LEGO® League is an international program for 9 to 14 year-old children created in a partnership between FIRST and The LEGO Company in 1998. Each September, FIRST LEGO® League announces the annual Challenge to teams, which engages them in authentic scientific research and hands-on robotics design. Using LEGO MINDSTORMS™ technologies and LEGO bricks, children work alongside adult mentors to design, build, and program robots to solve real-world challenges. After eight intense weeks, the competition season culminates at high-energy, sports-like tournaments. Since its beginning, FIRST has had a positive impact on students and academic communities. “We need to show children that it’s more fun to design and create a video game than it is to play one,” said Dean Kamen, FIRST founder. “In FIRST LEGO® League, children discover career possibilities and learn to make positive contributions to society.” Currently in its tenth year, the FIRST LEGO® League anticipates its largest season ever with over 106,000 children from around the world competing in qualifying events and Championship tournaments.
ABOuT FIRSTAccomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, NH, FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With the support of many of the world’s most well-known companies, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST Tech Challenge for high school students, the FIRST LEGO® League for children 9-14 years old, and the Junior FIRST LEGO® League for 6 to 9 year olds. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org
TipA sample press release is
also available electronically on
the FIRST website under "FLL
Communications Resource Center.”
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arbitraryAn arbitrary decision is one that is not made analytically, but is based on personal taste or style. Arbitrary decisions in robot design are normally about characteristics that do not affect how the robot performs, such as color.
autonomousA robot is said to be autonomous if it is programmed to operate on its own, with no remote control.
BiasWhen you hear someone else’s idea about something before you have had a chance to think about it for yourself, you are biased. When you are biased, your capacity for origi-nal thought is reduced.
BrainstormingThis is a process for generating many varied ideas. One method: a person stands at the front of the room and records everyone’s ideas until no one can think of any more ideas. What seems like a crazy idea at first is often seen to have possibility later.
Center of massAn object’s center of mass is an internal spot under which the object could be balanced.
Challenge Each year the FIRST LEGO League focuses on a set of real-world problems facing scien-tists and engineers. The Challenge has two parts: the robot game and the Project.
CircumferenceThis is the length around the edge of a circle.
Clarifying the problemIt is important in any problem solving exer-cise to hear the wording of the problem for what it is, break the problem down, and focus on the real desired outcome.
For example: Someone hands you a tennis ball and challenges you to get the ball in a crate on the ground about 80 feet away. Do you take the challenge? Do you ask how many bounces are allowed? Do you worry if you can throw that far, or how your aim is, or how many shots you get? No! You clarify the problem in terms of the desired results, walk to the crate, and drop in the ball.
In this example, the actual problem was “get the ball in the crate.” No one said it had to be thrown. No one said it had to be done from where you were standing. Do not add unnecessary restrictions to the solution approach, and do not take it for face value that you can only do things as they have been done before.
ControlA process under control is one for which you can set parameters, and predict the process outcome. Systems with a lot of variability in them are not under control.
dead reckoningA robot is said to navigate by dead reckoning if it is relying on sensors that cannot detect
T E R M S & C O N C E P T SThis section is included to help your team adopt and understand some engineering terminology — with an emphasis on how the terms apply to the FLL experience of completing the Project and building and programming LEGO robots. Try to use these terms and concepts at the beginning of the process and add others when opportunities present themselves.
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features of the playing field, or if it is relying on no sensors at all.
drive vs. drivenThe drive component is the one where torque is coming from, and the driven component is linked to the load.
dynamicChanging over time.
efficiencyAn efficient solution is one that works with-out wasting time, material, or energy.
energyThis is the ability to do work.
engineerEngineers study the sciences and use knowl-edge to manipulate energy and materials to solve problems and to produce the products and systems we use every day.
engineering solution A method or act of solving a problem using scientific and mathematical principles to design, manufacture, and develop opera-tions of efficient and economical structures, machines, processes, and systems.
experimentationExperimentation is the process of learning by trying different things. With enough knowledge and work, a scientist or engineer can make predictions about what will hap-pen under certain conditions. Sometimes it is easier to try each condition and see what happens directly. For example, a chemist may be able to analyze the composition of two different types of paint and figure out which one will dry first, but the easier way get the information would be to just try the paints next to each other, aim a fan at them, and touch them every once in a while.
FailureFailure is a temporary situation and a learn-ing tool we encounter when things do not work as expected. If we take a lesson from every failure and never quit, sooner or later things will work out. True failure only comes when we give up.
Feasible Can be done with the materials and knowl-edge available.
FrictionFriction makes it difficult to slide surfaces on each other. The harder the surfaces are pressed together, the more friction there is between them. Friction also depends on the materials in contact. For example, ice slides on glass easily and rubber slides on ice easily, but it is hard to get rubber to slide on glass. When surfaces slide despite friction, energy is lost in heat and the surfaces also begin to wear out. LEGO axles are designed to spin freely with little friction, as long as they are not bound or bent. When building your robot, make sure that every axle turns freely, otherwise the motors will be working to fight friction instead of producing torque or speed, and your battery energy will be wasted.
Gear ratioThe gear ratio of a set of linked gears is the big gear’s number of teeth divided by the small gear’s number of teeth (diameters work too). If the driven gear is the smaller one, you are “gearing up,” and if the driven gear is the bigger one, you are “gearing down.” Example: 16-tooth drive, 64-tooth driven... the system is “geared down, 4:1” (four to one). In other words, if your robot is a vehi-cle and you gear it down, it will be strong like a tank with lots of torque at the wheels, but if you gear it up, it will be fast like a sports car with lots of speed at the wheels.
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Gracious professionalism A manner that leaves everyone feeling valued and respected.
Ground ClearanceThe height of the tallest object your robot can go over without touching it or jumping it is your robot’s ground clearance. If parts of your robot extend forward beyond its front axle and you want the robot to climb from a level surface to an inclined surface, it is important for the overhanging parts to have plenty of ground clearance.
innovative A new idea or improvement on an existing idea. A solution that is not already in use by someone else.
ir (infrared)Infrared is a type of electromagnetic wave. Electromagnetic waves can transmit signals across distances, as the remote control for your television does, without having to travel through cables. Radio is another type of elec-tromagnetic wave. You will use an IR tower to download programs from your computer to your robot.
iterationA temporary failure that gets you measurably closer to a solution can be called iteration.
LeverA lever turns sideways force into torque (see TORQUE). In the example of a wrench and a nut, you push sideways on one end of the wrench, and the other end twists the nut. In fact, the longer the lever you push on, the more torque you can get from the same sideways force. For example: hold a wooden 12-inch ruler level by pinching the first half inch. Now try the same thing with a wooden yardstick. The yardstick exerts nine times the torque on your fingers than the ruler does,
because it is three times longer and three times as heavy.
LinkageA linkage is a sequence of parts that transmits force from where it is produced to where it is needed.
mentor Any person who works with the team in her area of expertise
mission A job the robot can complete for points.
parametersThe parameters of a system are the things you can set to certain values to control the outcome.
partner Key volunteer who manages the FLL pro-gram in a region by running tournaments, sometimes holding workshops, fundraising, marketing FLL and recruiting and support-ing volunteers and teams.
problem Solving modelWhether the solution to your problem is a design, an object, a piece of information, or a process, the steps for finding a solution usu-ally look the same:
• Focus on the desired results, and clarify the problem in terms of those results.
• Break up the problem into simpler parts if possible.
• Brainstorm for solution ideas for each part.
• Choose the two or three best solution ideas for each part and develop them in detail.
• Mix and match the solution ideas into the best overall solution.
• Test and improve the solution thoroughly.
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project Research on a real-world problem and existing solutions related to the Challenge theme, creation of an innovative solution to the problem and sharing of the research and solution with others.
prototypeAn example, model or something that serves to illustrate the qualities of an invention or creation.
randomRandom means by chance only and not controlled. The more variability there is in a process, the more randomness there will be in the outcome. For example, it is harder to predict the outcome from rolling a six-sided die than a two-sided coin.
realistic Based on what is real or practical although it may not presently exist.
research The act of gathering information (verb) or information gathered (noun).
reverse engineeringSometimes called benchmarking, this is the process of taking something apart and analyz-ing it to understand how it works.
robotRobots are a special class of machines, distinguishable by their human-like abilities to manipulate objects or move about, and the fact that they can perform different functions depending on how they are programmed. A robot is the solution to many precise, strenuous, monotonous, and sometimes dangerous challenges.
robot Game A series of tasks or missions to be accomplished by an autonomous robot designed and built by each FLL team.
robustA robust design or process is one that yields consistent results in spite of changing condi-tions. For example, if you practice in a room with a window, the lighting can be much different at 4:00 PM than it was at noon. In a robust design, the light sensor would be placed and shielded so that the robot would not notice the differences in light.
rubric A brief explanation of the various criteria used to evaluate something.
Scientific methodA process based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. It is the collection of data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses. Sometimes called the scientific process.
Scientific research Investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery of new theories or laws and the discovery and interpretation of facts or revi-sion of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts.
ScientistScientists study the world around them to learn how things happened and what is going to happen next. Their knowledge has accumulated over the centuries to formulate the sciences of physics, chemistry, geology, biology, astronomy, and so on.
Solution A method or act of solving a problem.
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StabilityA stable robot is shaped so that it does not fall over easily. Typically, flat, long, wide robots are stable. Tall, short, narrow robots are unstable. Be careful when designing with large wheels. They are a good way to boost ground clearance, but as your robot gets taller, it loses stability. Maintain stability by increas-ing robot width and length as robot height increases.
SubassemblyA subassembly is a portion of your robot that has a specific purpose, but can be taken off or put back onto the robot very easily.
StressAn object under stress experiences inter-nal forces that could result in the object deforming or breaking.
Types of stress include: Tension as a result of pulling
Compression as a result of pushing
Torsion as a result of twisting
Shear as a result of bending
Technical Terms The specialized vocabulary of a field of study. These words have specific definitions within the field, which is not necessarily the same as their meaning in common use.
TechnicianTechnicians study the products and systems developed by engineers and are uniquely qualified to run and maintain them.
Technological solution A method or act of solving a problem using scientific knowledge and specific methods, materials, and devices.
TheoryIn science, a mathematical or logical expla-nation, or a testable explanation of a set of occurrences, capable of predicting future events or observations of the same kind, and capable of being tested or proved false through experimentation or observation.
TorqueTorque is twisting force. Get a broom and hold it level, as if it were the handle of a shop-ping cart. Your left hand should be near the sweeping part, and your right hand should be at the very far right end of the handle. Now let go with your left hand, and try to keep the broom level. It is pretty hard, right? You just experienced torque. The broom exerts a coun-ter clockwise torque on your right hand, and your arm exerts a clockwise torque to balance it. Torque is often exerted on shafts (like your right arm) by levers (like the broom). In turn, shafts exert torque on levers.
Torque-Speed Trade-offThe longer a lever is, the farther you have to push its end to make it go around. To turn a 6-inch wrench once around, your finger will push sideways about 38 inches. For a 12-inch wrench, you would have to push 75 inches. It is the same for gears: a 16-tooth gear will go around twice for every time a 32-tooth gear does when they are meshed. Here is what this means:
A small driven gear will spin faster than the gear driving it, but it will make less torque.
A large driven gear will turn slower than the gear driving it, but it will make more torque.
TransportTo transport an object is to carry it to a new location. The need to transport objects is a common FLL Challenge problem. If your robot is designed to transport something,
106 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE C O A C H E S ' H A N D B O O K : A p p e n d i x B
make sure to run tests over a variety of speeds and direction changes, and with a variety of obstacles, to make sure the carried object does not interfere with other robot functions and that the robot maintains possession of the object.
Universal design Products and environments that are usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or special-ized design.
VariabilityVariability in a system makes it hard to repeat outcomes. If you were asked to drop a piece of notebook paper into a trash barrel on the ground while you stood on top of a roof, it would take a long time, and you may never see the paper land in the same place twice. But if you crumpled it into a tight ball first, you would reduce the variability of the drop-ping process, and would probably make the shot in just a few tries. Think of variability sources like playing field flaws, lighting, bat-tery power, wear, dirt, etc., and design your robot and your strategy robustly, to minimize the effects of variability.
WheelbaseThe wheelbase is the distance between the extreme front and rear axles.
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