Go for it!

For a newbie team, build a robot straight from a book, learn the basics of
programming and start solving missions.

Get some of the kids to work on building attachments while others are
building the robot.

If you can solve 3 or 4 missions, that's enough to go and have a good time a
the tournament.

The presentation of the project doesn't have to be elaborate.  If the kids
all know the project and the background info, they can do well in the
project interview.

Donna Cornwell
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On Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 9:58 AM, Brian Hardy <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I saw this response to Rajesh's book question and now I have doubts about
> competing this year.
>
> We are a division I completely rookie team - we've had our robot kit a
> couple week longer than Rajesh, but that's about it. The team is getting
> into the project and has just started building a robot, but neither is
> approaching presentable as rapidly as would be necessary to do terribly well
> (the project has had to take a radical turn, as they'd chosen a food and
> factor that don't often combine in a way that causes contamination - both
> have issues, just not with each-other - They COULD have a robot in time, but
> only if everything they try works the first time - Did I mention they and I
> are complete rookies? I'm not holding my breath).
>
> So, we're registered for a local tournament (on 11/12), should we take
> whatever we have at that point, or go as spectators? (If spectators, some
> guidance on how to cancel would also be most helpful).
>
>
>
> And, thanks to all of you who take the time to answers all these newbie
> posts - I've found them all to be most respectful and extremely informative.
>
> Brian
>
> On Oct 23, 2011, at 10:11 PM, B Bergenstock wrote:
>
> Do you mean that you *just* started your team and are registered for a
> local tournament?  Because competition is just 2 to 3 weeks away, and that's
> a pretty tall order. But good luck to you and your team.
>         If it were me and I had just started, I would not enter into this
> year's competition, but hold an after school program starting in January
> every other week, teaching them programming and then enter next fall's
> tournament.  Definitely go to this year's event, even as a spectator,
> because being at the competition teaches you a lot.
>      As for books to teach lego to your team,. I highly recommend Educate
> NXT
> http://www.educatenxt.com/
> It's the best value for your money and time.  Carnegie Mellon also has an
> excellent series called Robotic Engineering.  They started a free online
> class equivalent but I can't seem to find that link right now;  Maybe
> someone else has that link.
> Regards,
> Brandy
> .
>
> On Sun, Oct 23, 2011 at 9:48 PM, Rajesh Shah <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>
>> We are new FLL team recently registered with parents as coach and mentor.
>> We
>> are all new to LEGO Mindstroms NXT Constructions and Programming.
>>
>>
>> I was a thinking a good book will be a nice way to get a jump start for
>> our team.
>> I see a bunch of books available in Amazon.  Any suggestion ?
>>
>> http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?
>> ie=UTF8&keywords=LEGO%20MINDSTORMS%20NXT&tag=nxtprogramsco-
>> 20&index=books&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325#/ref=nb_sb_noss?
>> url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-
>> keywords=LEGO+MINDSTORMS+NXT&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3ALEGO+MINDST
>> ORMS+NXT
>>
>>
>> Thanks for your help.
>>
>> Rajesh Shah
>>
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-- 
Donna L. Cornwell
Global InfoTek, Inc.
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