Yes, as Darlene said, the judging sessions are 10 minutes: 5 for the presentation (*including setup*) and 5 for questions etc.

 

The 5-minute limit on the presentation isn't like the time limit at a formal debate: if the kids aren't quite done at 5:00, they can finish, but more than a few seconds past will cost them.  So don't encourage them to go long, but make sure they understand that as long as it's clear that they're within seconds of the end, they don't have to panic if a judge's timer goes off (if the judge has a timer, that is - it will vary).

 

Which reminds me of another point: that they must not assume anything about the room: that is, they cannot assume that it will be a classroom with desks, will have available chairs or tables, etc. Also remind them that the team must do setup, not the coaches. So if they're considering something complex, they need to be able to transport it and know how to plug it in (or whatever).

 

These issues have come up in the past with teams, which is why I reiterate them.

 

Wow, the Regionals sure are coming up in a hurry.

 

My final advice: don't panic - things will work out. Every year at this time, my team was in a panic: nothing worked, the robot was misbehaving, the research wasn't done. But it always came out OK!

-- 
Phil Smith III
Virginia State Judge Advisor, 2007, 2008
Judge Advisor, Northern Virginia Regional tournaments, 2006
Division 1 Judge Advisor, Virginia State tournament, 2006

Coach, The Capital Girls, Oak Hill (retired)
Team 1900 (2002)
Team 2497 (2003)
Team 2355 (2004)
Team 1945 (2005) 

 

From: First Lego League Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Darlene Pantaleo
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 7:26 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VADCFLL-L] How long are the judging sessions ?

 

The tournament guide calls for judging sessions of at least 10 minutes. (The presentation by the team can be no longer than 5 minutes.) The rest is Q & A interviewing. Prep the kids on all of the rubric topics and they will be ready for any length session with the judges. 


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