By now, you should have registered your team on the worldwide FIRST LEGO
League site and have ordered your team kit. Remember to register for this event
as soon as possible. See the Registration page on this site for more
information. Now the hard work begins:
1. Register with FIRST LEGO League first. Then register for a competition as
soon as possible. You'll find more information on registering for ours or any
of the other Colorado competitions on the
Registration page of this site.
2. You'll have a lot more fun if you have a team theme. Pick one early so you
can craft your uniforms, presentations and cheers around it. (P.S.
Thanks to AC/DC, The Knano Knights, The D.C. Divers, The Da Vin Cheezies, and The
LeoNanos for letting us use their pictures throughout this site!)
3. Download and use all of the reference materials at the worldwide FIRST
LEGO League
Body Forward
site. If you know and observe the competition objectives, rules and regulations,
you'll have a much better time.
4. Teams are limited to no more than 10 kids each.
5. Get started early. Building and programming a robot takes time. Refer to the sections below for more information on
Successful Robot Building,
Successful Technical Interviews,
Successful Project Presentations
and Event Day Preparation. You'll be a lot more
rested on Event Day if you're not up to 2:00 a.m. the night before trying to get
your robot working.
6. Remember that this program is for and about the kids. The Judges will be
looking for evidence that the kids really did design and build their robots,
did programming and researched the projects. They will dramatically lower scores for teams where it
looks like the Coaches, Mentors or Parents did all of the work.
7. Time management is critical before and during the event. Coaches and
Mentors, this is where the kids really need your help. They'll need help
planning out the design and programming processes and will be way
to excited to ensure they are in the right place at the right time during the
competition.
8. All sporting competitions depend on a common set of rules. So do we. Be
sure to familiarize yourself with the rules in advance. They specify how the
field is to be set up, what the kids are allowed and not allowed to do, how the
scoring works, what violates a rule, etc. These rules evolve right up to the
competition too, so be sure to check the latest Q&A -- we will!
OK. The big day is here. Rushing Referees, Jumping Judges, Volumes of
Volunteers, and Hundreds of Hyped up Kids -- It will be exciting, challenging
and exhausting! Here are some thoughts to help you survive the day:
1. Team Spirit makes the event fun for everyone. Think of something your team
can do or wear to demonstrate their unique theme and personality. Besides,
dressing everyone in the same uniform makes it much easier to find them!
2. Kids need time to burn off energy during the day. We've been careful to
leave enough time in the day for them to decompress. You might consider
activities to accelerate that process and help build team spirit.
3. Make a checklist before you come, and like Santa, check it twice. It would
be a shame to travel all the way here only to find you left your robot at home!
Here are some things to think about: Your kids. Team uniforms. Your robot. Your
primary programming computer. Extra batteries. Battery chargers. Extra parts.
Your programming printouts. Your presentation props. Your presentation outfits.
Snacks. Money for food. Team handouts. Jackets (it's Colorado -- it could be
cold!). Your mentors. Your photo releases. A watch. (And finally, maybe some
aspirin for your exhausted coaches.)
4. Don't assume you can load your Windows Mindstorms programs on a Macintosh
or vice-versa. They may not be the same format. (Trust us on this one. We got
burned ourselves.)
5. This event is about the kids. There are many restrictions on what Coaches
and Mentors can say or do during the competition rounds, technical interviews
and project presentations. Be sure to read the rules carefully. You'd hate to
see a great performance downgraded because you were overenthusiastic and tried
to answer one of the questions yourself!
6. Remember, this competition is about the experience, not the awards. Focus
on the fun and excitement of the event, not the trophies. From our own
experience, the kids quickly forget about who won what and just savor the fun
and surroundings. Reinforce this attitude by complimenting the things that go
right and ignoring the things that go wrong. The real prize in FIRST LEGO League
is the journey itself!
7. Team Spirit and Teamwork doesn't just happen during the competition round.
We're going to have secret judges roaming the floors, pits and hallways
observing how your team interacts with others and itself. A team that shows
enthusiasm throughout the day is much more likely to win Team Spirit or the
Champion's Award than one that is extremely loud, but only during competition
rounds.
8. Robot Performance is only one of many areas in which you will be graded.
Our top award is the Champion's Award. Don't assume this will go to the team
that performs best during the rounds. We're looking for the best all around
team, not the best robot.
9. Arrive early and carefully watch the clock -- There are absolutely NO
MAKE-UPS for missed competition rounds, project presentations or technical
interviews.
Looking at the Mindstorms box, you'd think this would be easy, wouldn't you?
But have you looked at this year's competition? Fourteen different events
each with its own unique requirements. If this were easy, we wouldn't be having
this competition. Here are some hints from past coaches for improving your robot
and its performance:
1. Get the kids programming as early as possible! Playing with the LEGO
pieces is a big lure, but doesn't usually help you get to a working solution.
Remember, a simple robot with great programming usually beats an elaborate robot
with simplistic programming!
2. For more information on successful programming, refer to the worldwide FLL
site's
Programming Page. You'll find programming tutorials and tips along with
information on using the sensors.
3. Don't depend on timers to control the distance the robot moves. As your
batteries start wearing down, you'll find the robot covers less distance in the
same amount of time. Use sensors or rotation counters instead.
4. Resist adding unnecessary features to your robot. Putting voices, sound
effects or music in your robot may be fun, but they eat up valuable program
space. Better to use that space to improve the performance of your robot
instead.
5. Carefully placing your robot will help improve the predictability of its
operation. Have the kids think of ways to ensure they start their robot in the
same place each time for a particular task. They are welcome to use LEGO pieces or
a jig to position the robot -- just make sure it is not touching the robot when the
task begins.
6. Some of tasks give bonus points for getting there first. Think carefully
about all of the tasks you'll be attempting and in what order you want to do
them. Are there tasks you'd rather do
first?
7. This year's challenge is designed so that it's unlikely that any team will be able to complete all of the tasks. Carefully review all of the tasks and do the ones you think your robot is
best suited for first.
8. You are welcome to do more than one task in a single run. Look for tasks
that you can easily group. Maybe it's easier to deploy the satellite solar panel
and empty the oil rig in the same run. Or maybe you can move the vehicles and and
plant the trees in the same run.
9. Think about dependability when building your robot. It won't be much fun
if your robot keeps falling apart every time it leaves home base. Solid bracing
is just as important as a fancy arm or attachment! For more on the art of
designing LEGO robots, see the worldwide FLL site's
Building
Page.
10. Carefully read the competition rules. You are NOT allowed to add any sort
of paint or stickers other than the ones supplied in the kit. The rules also
tell you which LEGO pieces are legal and which are not. For more information on
this year's competition and rules, see the worldwide FIRST LEGO League
Body Forward
site.
Coming up with a good idea. Doing extensive research. Interviewing experts.
Finding a creative way to get your point across. Getting everyone to remember
their lines. Remembering to bring your props. Easy?? No Way! Come here for
hints and tips on making a successful presentation:
1. Be sure to read the project instructions completely. (You can bet the
Judges will.) In this year's project, you will be evaluating a building for
energy efficiency, talking to experts about ways to improve it, doing your own
research, compiling recommendations, and presenting them back to the community.
You need to demonstrate that you did each of these steps.
2. We'll be giving awards for the Best Overall Project, Best Research, Most
Creative Presentation and Most Innovative Solution. This is also an opportunity
to demonstrate your Teamwork and Team Spirit!
3.
There will be enough room for your team, props and demonstration units. We hope
to have seating for 15-20 parents and supporters too.
4. We hope to have a computer projector in every room, but you'll need to
bring your own computer if you want to use it. Bring your own easels,
whiteboards, paper pads, etc. if you need them. For any
other special requirements, please email our competition director, Marie Bush,
at marie@50robots.com.
5. Allow 20 minutes for the presentation time slot and arrive 10 minutes
early. Please be careful with your time! You have five minutes to come in
and set up, five minutes to do your presentation and five minutes for the Judges
to ask questions. The Judges will have to ask you to stop if you run too long.
Please be respectful of the other teams and be QUIET while waiting in the
hallway for your turn!
6. The Judges will be asking questions about how you did your research, where
you got your ideas, what each team member did for the project and how you came
up with your solutions. Don't be shy! They want to see all of your team members
participate.
7. Coaches and Mentors: The Judges are looking to the kids for answers. You
are NOT supposed to answer any questions and are not supposed to be prompting
the kids. Same goes for parents and supporters.
8. Creative presentations make the event fun and are much more effective in
getting across your point. Instead of just presenting your information in
PowerPoint, is there a way you can turn it into a TV show? A melodrama? A
detective drama?
9. Sometimes, the best solution is not obvious. A great example is the Segway
Personal Transporter (www.segway.com)
created by FIRST founder Dean Kamen. He came up with a very unique way to solve
a difficult problem -- quickly moving people in densely crowded urban areas. For
this year's project, virtually every building would benefit from better
insulation and solar electric cells, but are there other ways you could improve
the energy usage of your target building? Is there anything unique to the
building's location that you could utilize to improve the building in a better
way?
10. BE PROMPT AND WATCH THE CLOCK! THERE ARE NO MAKE-UPS IF YOU
MISS YOUR PRESENTATION SLOT, FORGET YOUR PROPS, LOOSE YOUR COACH, OR CAN'T FIND ALL OF YOUR TEAM
MEMBERS! We've been careful to give you enough time to get from the
competition floor to your presentation room. You need to be careful with time.
Every team will be required to present their robot and programming to our
technical judges. Expect the judges to ask a lot of questions about how you
designed your robot, what it does well, what you would like to improve, who did
what, etc. They'll also be challenging you to solve a new problem you haven't
seen before. Here are some hints for the technical interview:
1. Please bring a copy of all of your Mindstorm programs on a notebook
computer or in printed format. Be ready to explain how the programs work.
Remember, FLL Rules prohibit programming in textual (JAVA, C, C++, etc.)
languages. See the Rules Tab at the
Body Forward site for more information.
2. Be sure to bring your robot. Don't forget to bring fresh batteries and
load your programs on it first.
3. Don't be shy! You've done great work getting your robot ready for
this competition. Be proud of your work! The judges will be expecting everyone
to participate in the interviews!
4. There will be enough room for your team, coaches and mentors, but parents
and supporters are NOT allowed. If you have a team photographer or camera
person, ask the Judges for permission to bring them in too.
5. The room will have a competition table so you can show your robot in
action. Don't forget to bring your robot arms and attachments too. Sorry, there won't be any computer projectors in the room.
6. The Judges will be asking you to solve a problem you've never seen before.
Please don't tell anyone else what that task was until after the competition!
How you solve the problem adds to your overall technical and teamwork score. If
you tell someone else, you'll be giving them an unfair advantage.
7. Coaches and Mentors: The coaches are looking for answers from the kids.
You CANNOT prompt them. Ask in advance if you'll need some duct tape for your
mouth.
8. Plan on 30 minutes total for the technical interview. Be sure to arrive at
least 10 minutes early. Please be respectful of the other teams and be QUIET
while waiting in the hallway!
9. BE PROMPT AND WATCH THE CLOCK! THERE ARE NO MAKE-UPS IF YOU
MISS YOUR INTERVIEW SLOT, FORGET YOUR COMPUTER OR PRINT-OUTS, DRAIN YOUR
BATTERIES OR CAN'T FIND ALL
OF YOUR TEAM MEMBERS! We've been careful to give you enough time to get
from the competition floor to your interview room. You need to be careful with
time.
OK. There must be something else we forgot. Come here to find last minute
hints and tips to make the event less stressful and more fun for all.
1. Register now!
2. Start early!
3. Start programming now! A simple robot with great programming almost
always beats an elaborate robot with weak programming.
4. When in doubt, apply the KISS rule: Keep it Simple Scientist! A really complex
mechanical arm isn't much fun if it falls off each time your robot leaves Home
Base.
5. Oh! And did we tell you? THERE ARE NO MAKE-UPS IF YOU MISS YOUR COMPETITION
ROUND, TECHNICAL INTERVIEW OR PROJECT PRESENTATION SLOT, CAN'T FIND ALL OF YOUR
TEAM MEMBERS, DRAIN YOUR BATTERIES, BREAK YOUR ROBOT OR FORGET TO BRING
SOMETHING!
