FLL coach's meeting notes-

I have the pleasure of sharing some of my experience with other FLL coach's tomorrow. Here's my outline and general overview of of the responsibilities as I see them for coach's and team members.

Three parts of the tournament- coach's and student's responsibilities

Tournament judging sections-

The coach, co-coach and a historian can come into any judging room. They ask that random parents not come in just for fun. I designate a different parent for each judging section so parents who want can come and watch and have a job :) 

Research judging- 

Coaches-

                 help take the students through the steps-

                      idea generating, helping set up meetings with or send emails to specialists,

                       and building in time during meetings.

                practice for the skit to be created and rehearsed at meetings.

Students-

                 to research for ideas, be open to team suggestions

                 to generate the skit and solution,

                 to work earnestly on creating and rehearsing the skit

                 to come up with the costumes and props

Parents-

                 to allow time for research & skit rehearsal and to help make or gather costume pieces.

                 Make sure team member can attend as many meetings as possible.

Teamwork judging-

Practice at least once each meeting. Allow kids to decide who is the rule keeper, idea solicitor, and time keeper before going into the judging area. Have the kids practice introducing themselves to you as you start the ICs from about 3 weeks out from the tournament.

Robot game- Two parts-

Table run-

        How we set it up-

                 We rotate, but if your team is larger than 6 to 8, you might want to designate a set of students

                  to go to the table.

Table tips-

                 Start the missions at the same place each and every time!

                 Moving it around is difficult to constantly recreate.

                Create lego rulers for yourself to mark off where to start the mission off if you must move it.

                 Have all your programs on the NXT in the order you want to run them.

                Consider using a single program, where all the programs are bundled in one program,

                           and using a touch sensor to start each new mission.

                 Use the guide lines on the start pad to help you find your mark. 

                                           DON'T start in the middle of the block.  The robot will mess it's mission.

                 Can bring your own table stand to set your pieces up.

Design judging-

The judges want to know that YOU, the coach or parents, didn't actually make the programs. The design judging section is so your kids can show case their ideas and skills. The judges will ask them about process, ask to see a program, and see a sample of the code. Don't necessarily do your fanciest one. If you have a program that works 100%, show that one.

FLL members' responsibilities-

                Deciding before the tournament which program they wish to show the judges.

                Dividing up who will speak about what areas.

                Deciding who will run the mission in front of the judges.

Coach's responsibility-

                 Print out one or more of the code images for the tournament book.

                You can snip, or copy and paste the program lines to a word document for printing.

Tournament necessities-

The “ team book”. Not a scrap book, per-say. Judges don't even look at it really. More for the team and keeping track of their progress and success.

Must have 4 copies of the team form, one for each judging station and one to turn in at the beginning of the tournament. Use tabs so the kids can quickly turn to the pages and give the forms to the judges.

Coach's- 

                Take a team photo of the kids, include a 3x5 or 4x6 on the forms so the judges can see the kids as they make their final considerations. The research photo is of the kids in their full costumes, but the other three are of the kids in their team shirts or color. 

                Bring snacks and drinks for your team (or assign this task).

                Organize someone to get a table covering at the very least. 

                Many teams deck their tables out, and give out small tokens that talk about their research. 

                Designate a camera person / historian for the robot game runs. 

Team members-

                 Create a backboard that talks about your research. 

                          These often resemble science fair backboards with the problem 

                           and solution stated on the board, as well as relevant facts.

                 Bring something to do at the tournament. 

                           The tournament is like being a goalie at  soccer match- 

                           1 hour of boredom punctuated by 10 minutes of intensity. 

                            I do like tournaments, but really active kids can find them 

                           stressful in the down times.  

                 Sleep well before the tournament!

                 Remember to have fun.

 

The importance of instant challenges and team challenges

This came up on thread last year and is the opinion of some coaches that you can't practice or plan for the team challenge judging.

(One coach to another) > "Don’t worry about it – they can’t plan for it or practice for it. "

(my response-) I respectfully disagree.  The core value area, aka team building, is one where the kids gain insight into how they can best communicate with each other and work together with the upmost respect.  I do think kids (and some adults) have a lot to be taught, or practiced is probably the better word, in this area.   You can practice this event by giving them any simple to complex task that they attempt to solve in 5 minutes.
Here's a page that can give you some ideas-
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze2z83j/ic/id1.html
You have to download the challenges, but they are virus free and chuck full of great challenges to try with your team.
http://rosevilledi.bwweb.org/DataFiles/Docs0708/IC_Practice_Set.pdf 
Here's a pdf file that has some more challenges.
The most important part to remember is that the challenge itself doens't matter, it's how they worked together.  Debrief your team after each exercise-

DEBRIEF

Always be sure to debrief at the end of each instant challenge or set. Keep your questions friendly and positively focused, not judgmental. Allow each TEAM to answer the questions and draw it's own conclusions.

1. How do you think you did as a team? What did you learn about teamwork by doing this challenge?

2. How well did you manage your time? How might you have used it it differently?

3. What were some of the strengths of your solution? What worked well?

4. If you were asked to solve this problem again, how would it change?

5. Did your everyone on the team feel heard? What can we do to make sure everyone gives, or has a chance to offer, an idea?

6. How well do you feel you used the materials given? Is there any thing you wished you had more of?

7. Did your team follow the rules? (If not, what can help you follow the rules next time?)

8. If the solution didn't work, what could you do differently as a team to make it work?

9. Could your solution have been more creative, novel or unique?

10. Finally, and most importantly: What did you learn?!

(Optional: when you're checking on the group roles {defined below}-

Did the time keeper ask at least once, “how much time is left?”

Rule keeper/s, did you check your solution against the rules towards the end?

Idea solicitor, were you able to get an idea from each team member? (there shouldn't be blaming (stop the conversation if it starts), but they can explain if not everyone gave an idea.)

A good way to make sure the teams understand and grow their these challenges is to make sure the three basic roles in the group are determined before the challenge begins. Give your team a super quick, 20 secs to determine who has these roles. (It is ok to have more than one child doing each of tasks for a given challenge). -

The “rule keeper”- This person has the job of reminding the group of the rules. They will try to make sure he knows the rules to check at the end of the challenge.

The “time keeper”- this person has the job of making sure the team knows how much time there is left. This person may ask the judges at any time how much time is left. In the beginning of learning this job, team members should be told to ask twice during the challenge, “How much time is left?”

The “idea solicitor” - This person has the job of making sure each team member suggests a solution to the challenge and that every offers input.

Everyone's job- the “thanker”- it is every team members job during each challenge to thank at least one person for their contribution.

If the kids ask you can questions say, “Did the rules say you couldn't do that? If the rules don't say you can't, then you can!”

We practice productive communication- no blaming or focusing on the negative. Everything is phrased as a positive as much as possible.  You only have to have to do afew of these before your team starts to get a little better at talking to each other and making sure everyone feels involved.  My kids practice different jobs- one person is the time keeper of the activity, one person is the rule keeper- (what was the task at hand?), one person is the idea elicitor- they need to make sure everyone spoke up about their idea, or ask, "does any one have any other ideas?" Before the group proceeds to the creation of the task, and each person is responsible for sharing or thanking another team member for putting their idea out there. After a while, it becomes habit and they will do it in the instant challenges without being reminded as well as in the regular meeting times. :)
  They also learn to talk to each other in a way that helps get more responses from each other.  My team regularly says, "That's one good idea. Are there any others?" or, "Can we consider x, y, z idea?" as a way to introduce ideas without putting your teammate's idea down.  I saw how my new members this year came to these practice challenges and my old team members who had practiced these skills were clearly more diplomatic, helped the entire group work together better and generated more success at the tasks compared than the newer members. So I do think there is something to be said for practicing core values. Not to mention, this is a life skill that can really help people throughout their lives.
  We try to have one drama and one building challenge, or we alternate between them. Here are some challenges we worked on recently in our camp. -

Building- “spaghetti tower challenge”

tools- Each team gets 25 pieces of spaghetti, a marshmallow and 5 pieces of tape, or address labels to build their tower. Scissors are available but are not allowed to used in the structure.

Rules:

The tower should be self standing and have the marshmallow on top. Scissors are available for use, but are not allowed to used in the structure. Those are the rules :)

Time: Each team will have 8 minutes to build a tower.

Goal: The tallest tower, that follows the rules, is the victor.

(Debriefing notes: Teams new to instant challenges may not complete this challenge. Assure them that's ok, and they have more challenges to come. Emphasize what could have been differently to produce a positive change. )

Drama- News reporter challenge

Pre- Set-up- Create a lego structure for each team to be viewed by the “reporter”. Make each one unique and in a place where the rest of team can't see it. Number it so the reporter knows which one is his/her.

Rules:

A reporter was out in the field and sees an alien ship land. S/He sees the alien come out of the spaceship and rushes back to tell her/his fellow reporters at the station- BUT s/he is so dumbstruck by the experience that s/he has forgotten how to TALK!

Your task is to create a new, non-known language (so no English, Spanish or Russian if you know it! :). The language can have sounds and can certainly be non-verbal as well. Look at your bag of alien parts and try to come up with a language you can use to put together the alien the reporter saw. You have 8 minutes to create your language and then 3 minutes to build it. (Run the exercise for 3 minutes or until all teams have put together their alien.)

Time: 8 minutes to create language, 3 minutes to build.

Goal: Be the first to report on an alien species by building a LEGO alien before the other reporters.

Drama: “Bi-centennial statues”

tools: your team's imagination

Rules: The mayor has called your team to create a statue for the city's bi-centiennal celebration. The statue you create will placed in the city park for all to see.

- Use your team members to “make” a statue. At least one person must be the presenter of the statue and explain why it represents the town's founding. You must name your city and give a story that tells about its beginnings. Explain why your statue should be chosen to represent the town.

Time: You will have 8 minutes to create the “statue” and 3 minutes to talk about it.

Goal: Create the most imaginative statue for the town's 200th birthday.

(In this challenge you will find some teams who do not complete all the rules- naming the town or explaining why it represents the origin story of the town. The first question you ask to the groups after both have finished is- “Did each team name the town? Did each team tell me a founding story of the town? Did each team explain the statue? No need to comment, the kids will know if they did this or not. Ask the role keepers their role question. )

Building: “Bowling”

Tools: spoon, rubber band, straw, note cards, tape, other stuff :)

Rules:

Your goal is to knock down as many of the “pins” (aka t.p rolls) with the large Lego ball as possible. You may use the spoon in the blowing, but you may not touch the spoon after you start bowling. You can practice this during the time you have. The team that knocks over the most pins wins. You have three trys to knock all the pins down.

Time: 5 minutes to build the bowling device. Three trys to bowl.

Goal- knock over pins with ball :)

(After both groups bowl three times, say I'm going to bowl now. Go over the rules quick- knock pins over with ball. that was the only rule. Then take the ball and and hand knock all the pins down. Ask the teams if the rules said they had to use the equipment? Ask if the rules said they had to start at the end of the table? Talk to them about assumptions. :)

Lego CAMP- what a great week!

So, we just finished our first Lego fundraising camp ever.  What FUN!  This week has been so great, I know we'll do this camp again next year!
Here are some of the highlights from this week-

Day 1 - Getting it to move, motor and squeak :)

    Ezra helps some of the campers understand what the robots are doing.

Abby concentrates on H's first program!  

The team showed up everyday to help the kids, just a few younger then themselves, learn to the essential skills to programming Lego Mindstorm NXT.

From day one, the campers were were able to make the robots move by themselves and programmed them to successfully move through a maze! 

Day 2 - Sound and motion- let's DANCE!

 J's gets his groove on :)

Using the sound sensor to program the robot to dance to the beat of clapping, the students were introduced to the ideas of wait buttons. The motor and touch sensors were used for the afternoon maze.

Day 3- Sumo wrestling- Are you ready to RUMBBBLLLEEEE?

 

The robots had augmentations that added to their success.

  The campers learned about "parallel programming" and distinguished between programming prowess and operator efficiency.   Because all the programming was the same, the campers experimented with different engineering ideas to see how the robots reacted and conquered each other on "The Dojo of Doom!" 

This was a favorite project of the campers. 

Day 4- Light sensors- Follow the "black tape" road.

The light sensor is a wonderfully simple sensor. It sends out a light and measures the reflected light shot back to test the threshold of the surface.  White sends back 100% of the light (theoretically :) while Black absorbs all the light and gets as close to 0 as possible.  By setting the light sensor to go left when it detects black and goes right when it sees "not black".  The light sensor can't really "see" color, but can detect how much light it senses, and the programmers used "switch blocks" to help the robot switch between actions.  

Day 5- The fun must end- but the programming never stops.....

  
S's gets a big smile as his robot finished the "ultrasonic" maze. The ultra sonic used the same switch programming that allowed the light sensor to follow the line.

     

Not all programs went smoothly, but with a little perseverance-every programmer succeeded! Then it was off to free build and outfit the sumo wrestlers for the parents show.












  The morning and the afternoon camps did to interact for a while- half hour instant challenges were a favorite of many of the parents, who got to stay and watch the kids work out unique building and drama challenges.

"Camp 2" works on building the longest bridge competition. 

All the campers improved their communication skills and agreed the last challenge, a mere 5 days later, was much more fun because of the increased skills they gained and their ability top work together made the challenges more enjoyable. Each team chose a ruler keeper, idea solicitor, and a time keeper for each challenge. 

We had a great week! Thanks to our hard working team members and moms:) Here are 4 of the 6 hard workers below!

A final thanks to our parents for letting their kids come to our camp! Maybe we'll see you next year?