A small correction. The topic for the following year is released in November, not the following May. As Brandy said, the summer is a great time to get ahead on the research. When the official rules come out in the last week of August, some fine-tuning will be necessary, but as long as the research was done in adequate depth, this should not ordinarily require a restart. Our teams usually continue on the past season game in the winter term, Dec-Mar. (to see how they could have done better) and continue learning new skills in the spring term, Apr-Jun (to create new capabilities for the following season). The off-season work is also a great time to preview potential new team-members, as good team chemistry is vital to competitive success, perhaps even more important that team (knowledge of) physics! Good luck. Nari Narayanan *---------------------------------------------------------- Anant S Narayanan Founder & Executive Director* *McLean Robotics Institute* * McLean VA 22102 202-421-3826 (cell) [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> -----------------------------------------------------------* On Tue, Oct 21, 2014 at 9:30 PM, B Bergenstock <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > The topic for the year is released in May. To date, they have not put any > perimeters on the way the kids can approach the topic so if you know the > topic, you can start researching and looking for solutions over the > summer. We found this essential for getting through our year. > Aeronia P. offered a nice schedule break down of meetings. > Brandy > > On Tue, Oct 21, 2014 at 5:29 AM, Fredrik Nyman <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > >> How do you get your teams working on their research project over the >> summer, before the challenge is known? >> >> Also, for those of you who have school-based teams, do you have your >> teams meet and practice year-round, or just during FLL season Sep-Nov? >> >> >> >> On Mon, Oct 20, 2014 at 10:32 PM, B Bergenstock <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >> >>> Core values, while it's wonderful to work on with special practices that >>> can bring a team together, many teams don't practice this skill. If you >>> have a few practices between now and your tournament, start each session >>> off or end it in a fun way that helps them work together. If you choose to >>> try it out, just to give them a taste of it, google "instant challenge". >>> But you can certainly throw caution to the wind and just let them be >>> themselves in the core value room. >>> >>> We did not have a board the year we got grand Champion, so you don't >>> need one to advance. Again, this is for the kids' benefit, but if they feel >>> confident speaking then they don't need one in the judging room for robot >>> design. I would still print out a few of their robot missions so they can >>> show the judges and talk to them. They don't have to be mounted to a >>> board. We put ours in a notebook that the kids walked into the room with >>> the book and opened while they talked about programming. >>> >>> I do not know if you can advance to state if you are missing a component >>> of the tournament? I feel there is so much to be gained from FLL, if this >>> year your team doesn't get the research, definitely try to start earlier >>> next year with your team and spend the summer starting the research >>> project. They will have the advantage of focusing on what is working well >>> this year and will have a positive association with the experience and be >>> more likely to come back. The one thing I hate to see is kids driven out by >>> pressure. FLL is great, and everyone can find their niche in the FIRST >>> family. LOL, we did the opposite the first year; we were overwhelmed by >>> the robot game and programming and put all our effort into the research >>> project. My team was excited at the end of the season, and we had 95% >>> return the following year where we got better at the robot game. Maybe your >>> team is on the other path :) >>> Brandy >>> >>> >>> >>> On Mon, Oct 20, 2014 at 10:08 PM, Jessica Chittum <[log in to unmask] >>> > wrote: >>> >>>> I am a total newbie coach here! Our 10 kids are really working very >>>> hard to learn NXT programing, figure out these missions, complete the build >>>> for the attachments and complete a project. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed >>>> by adding 3 additional tasks of completing project boards for the project, >>>> robot and core values. Are these project boards absolutely crucial or are >>>> they optional for teams to show their work? Thanks very much for your help >>>> with this. >>>> >>>> Jessica >>>> >>>> On Mon, Oct 20, 2014 at 8:07 PM, Amy Nichols <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Faith, >>>>> >>>>> When our kids got ready to create their presentation this year, I gave >>>>> them a list of things that needed to go in it...which I took from the >>>>> rubrics. So they do cover everything in the rubrics but it's in the form >>>>> of a skit. The list I gave them looked something like: >>>>> >>>>> *Clearly say what your problem is >>>>> *Talk about your sources >>>>> *Talk about your research and what you learned >>>>> *Explain your solution clearly >>>>> *Tell how your solution makes learning _____ better for kids. >>>>> *How much will your project cost? >>>>> *More imagination the better >>>>> >>>>> So because they only have 5 minutes, some of these things are covered >>>>> pretty briefly in their skit, but the judges will ask questions and let >>>>> them expand on it during the question and answer. >>>>> >>>>> And I agree with Brandy...our kids used their boards to remember the >>>>> points they want to make sure to talk about. Really, the judges can't look >>>>> at everything on the board in the time they have (other than when they're >>>>> walking around), so it's more a tool for your kids, I think. We did make a >>>>> board for each of the judging sessions, but they only ended up using two of >>>>> them. Having them was very helpful. >>>>> >>>>> Good luck, >>>>> Amy Nichols >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Monday, October 20, 2014 9:55 AM, B Bergenstock < >>>>> [log in to unmask]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> The research often comes in the form of a skit. I have seen projects >>>>> from World research winners that looked like board presentation, with the >>>>> kids in a line each speaking about their idea and a backboard for more >>>>> info. >>>>> The most important thing, no matter what format they use, is that >>>>> they be able to get out of all the information they wish to share in the >>>>> time allotment- 5 minutes. I coached a team one year and all the info and >>>>> solution was at the end of the presentation, but because the kids went >>>>> long, or very lowly in one case, they spent all their time on presenting >>>>> the issue and never got to their solution. It wasn't a great plan and while >>>>> I had stressed to them about time and we had done the skit many times, I >>>>> now just tell the teams, "Nope, you can't back load your solution." >>>>> >>>>> The function of the presentation board can be varied. It often serves >>>>> to make sure kids hit important markers that they carefully thought about >>>>> in group, but might forget in their nervousness during or after the >>>>> presentation. It also serves to tell teams in the pit area what your team >>>>> did for their presentation; Sharing ideas and allowing other adults to ask >>>>> question and celebrate their work. I have seen several very successful >>>>> boards that have 1 flap dedicated to each of the area of judging; robot >>>>> design, presentation and core values. The teams will bring the board into >>>>> each judging room and use it as a prop, sometimes talking about it, >>>>> sometimes not- but always having it there as a backup :) >>>>> To me, the main purpose of the boards is to help the kids and act as >>>>> review of the process when they need it. Using that as your guide will >>>>> help decide what goes on the board. >>>>> Good luck, >>>>> Brandy >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Oct 20, 2014 at 9:23 AM, Faith Mcgarrity <[log in to unmask] >>>>> > wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Looking for some tips on the Project and presentation. Is the skit >>>>> supposed to be informational designed to hit all the elements in the >>>>> rubric? Like a school presentation. Or should it be a story type of skit >>>>> showing our solution? If the latter will the team have opportunity to fill >>>>> in the rest of the elements ( ie the sharing or implementation) after the >>>>> skit? >>>>> >>>>> And what is the function of the presentation board? To document the >>>>> solution? Or can it incorporate core values experiences and/or robot game >>>>> progress? >>>>> >>>>> Thanks for your thoughts! >>>>> >>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>> >>>>> -- To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit >>>>> https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or >>>>> leave the list". >>>>> >>>>> -- VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via >>>>> VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit >>>>> https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-ANNOUNCEMENTS-l.html to >>>>> subscribe. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>> To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit >>>>> https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or >>>>> leave the list". >>>>> VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via >>>>> VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. 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Visit >>> https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-announcements-l.html to >>> subscribe. >>> >> >> > ------------------------------ > To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit > https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or > leave the list". > VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. > Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-announcements-l.html to > subscribe. > -- To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list". -- VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-ANNOUNCEMENTS-l.html to subscribe.