Junior Bots Challenge
This is a high level overview of our level two Junior Bot camp where students expand on LEGO robotics skills to do a shortened FIRST LEGO League season.
Day 1: Introduction to FLL and Robot Design
Objective: Introduce participants to FLL, its core values, and the basics of robot design and building.
Morning: FLL Introduction & Core Values
Welcome to FIRST LEGO League: Introduction to FLL's mission and values. Discuss the competition structure (robot game, project, and core values).
Core Values: Discuss teamwork, discovery, and fun as part of FLL’s core values. Team-building exercises to reinforce collaboration.
Afternoon: Robot Design Basics
Introduction to Robot Design: Overview of the robot design challenge. Focus on structural integrity, movement, and sensor integration.
Building the Robot: Start designing and building a robot using LEGO parts. Introduce basic motors, axles, beams, and sensors.
Programming Introduction: Introduction to the FLL robot programming environment (such as LEGO Mindstorms EV3 or Spike Prime). Create a basic program to control motor movement.
Evening Activity: Robot Functionality Challenge: Program the robot to move forward, backward, and turn using basic motor control.
Day 2: Programming, Sensors, and the Robot Game
Objective: Dive into programming, sensor usage, and the FLL robot game challenges.
Morning: Advanced Programming Concepts
Programming Basics Recap: Review robot movement and basic control using programming blocks (e.g., motor control, loops, waits).
Using Sensors: Introduce sensors such as color sensors, touch sensors, and ultrasonic sensors to the robot. Program the robot to use these sensors for more complex tasks (e.g., line following, obstacle avoidance).
Afternoon: Robot Game Practice
Understanding the Robot Game: Introduction to the official FLL robot game rules. Discuss the different missions on the game mat and the scoring system.
Mission-Based Programming: Program the robot to complete simple missions on the FLL game mat using sensor input and motor control.
Trial Run: Test the robot in the competition area to simulate real game conditions.
Evening Activity: Robot Game Practice Round: Set up the game mat and let teams run a practice round, testing out different missions and troubleshooting.
Day 3: The FLL Project & Presentation Skills
Objective: Begin working on the FLL Project and prepare for the presentation aspect of the competition.
Morning: Introduction to the FLL Project
Understanding the Project: Introduction to the FLL project, which is based on real-world problems. Discuss the current year’s theme and mission.
Brainstorming Ideas: Team brainstorming session to identify a problem related to the theme. Begin researching and gathering information for the project.
Project Planning: Guide teams in creating a project plan, identifying research goals, and assigning tasks for the project.
Afternoon: Project Development
Designing the Solution: Teams start developing their solution to the problem. Focus on innovation and practicality.
Presentation Preparation: Begin developing the team’s project presentation. Discuss the key components (problem, solution, innovation, and impact). Emphasize clear communication, creativity, and teamwork.
Mock Presentations: Each team practices their project presentation, with peer feedback for improvement.
Evening Activity: Team Building & Reflection: Encourage teams to reflect on their project ideas and share thoughts on how to improve the presentation.
Day 4: Competition Preparation and Final Practice
Objective: Finalize the robot design, project presentation, and prepare for a mock competition.
Morning: Finalizing Robot Design & Programming
Robot Optimization: Fine-tune the robot design. Focus on improving efficiency, accuracy, and speed for completing the missions.
Mission Strategy: Develop and refine strategies for completing the robot game missions. Decide on which missions the robot will focus on during the competition.
Final Robot Testing: Teams run final tests on their robot, ensuring it can reliably complete the missions.
Afternoon: Finalizing the Project Presentation
Project Refinement: Final adjustments to the project presentation, with a focus on clarity and professionalism.
Robot Game Simulation: Set up a full competition simulation with timed runs and project presentations. Teams go through the full FLL competition experience, including robot game runs and presenting their project to mock judges.
Evening Activity: Mock Competition & Feedback
Competition Run-through: Teams present their projects to coaches or mentors, run their robots on the game mat, and receive feedback.
Award Ceremony: Celebrate achievements and recognize outstanding teamwork, innovation, and effort. Encourage teams to keep up the excitement for the real competition.
Materials Needed:
LEGO Mindstorms EV3 or Spike Prime kits.
FLL Robot Game mats and mission models.
Computers with FLL programming software (e.g., LEGO Mindstorms or Spike Prime software).
FLL project resources (information about the season’s theme, research materials).
Presentation materials (posters, slides, etc.).
Key Outcomes:
By the end of the camp, participants will have:
Built and programmed a fully functional robot.
Learned how to integrate sensors and optimize robot behavior.
Developed a project based on a real-world problem.
Gained experience in presenting and communicating their ideas effectively.
Gained the confidence to participate in an FLL competition.
Last updated
Was this helpful?