Project & Core Values Presenter: Don Tippet Thinkinator’s Coach 9/10/16

INTRODUCTION

Our mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership. FIRST Mission

What are we doing today? What this is A review / how-to guide. Strategies How to be “successful” in FLL What this isn’t Technical specifications “The answers” “Secrets” “How to Win”

What are we doing today? Core Values Project What, no robot? – It’s not all about the robot.

More Than Just the Robot Judging sessions are very important PREPARE and PRACTICE Provide documentation for judges Review the judging rubrics often Work on improving weaknesses

FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®) Coaches’ Promise 1. The children come first. My role as a Coach is to inspire my team and help them get excited about science, technology, and engineering. This means that I will step in to guide and support them when they need it, but I will make sure my team’s robot, Project, and Core Values materials are the work of team members. 2. The children do the work. Adults may teach my team new skills, handle logistics for the team, ask questions to get team members thinking, and remind them of the FLL rules. Team members are the only ones who decide on strategy, build, program, research, choose a problem and innovative solution, and present at a tournament.

Who Does the Work? Team members must make all decisions and do all the work on the Robot Game and Project. This includes deciding on strategy, building, programming, researching, choosing a problem and innovative solution, and presenting at a tournament. Does this mean the coach should stand idly by while your team struggles? Absolutely not! Instead of telling the team how to solve a problem, try asking questions like: ▲ “What would happen if…?” ▲ “And then…?” ▲ “How will that affect…?” Children become problem solvers by finding solutions themselves! We understand that adults can be just as passionate about FLL as children, but adults must always remember that the children come first.

Decision Making Democracy is good in theory, but can lead to popularity contests and hurt feelings. Instead, try to build consensus Brain Storming Sub-teams that present to the full team Merit vs. emotion based decisions

CORE VALUES

Core Values Cornerstones of the FLL program. They are among the fundamental elements that distinguish FLL from other programs of its kind. By embracing the Core Values, participants learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals, and that helping one another is the foundation of teamwork. How You Approach FLL

Core Values We are a team. We do the work to find solutions with guidance from our coaches and mentors. We know our coaches and mentors don't have all the answers; we learn together. We honor the spirit of friendly competition. What we discover is more important than what we win. We share our experiences with others. We display Gracious Professionalism ® and Coopertition ® in everything we do. We have FUN!

Gracious Professionalism Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST. It's a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions. Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. They avoid treating anyone like losers. No chest thumping tough talk, but no sticky-sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended. In the long run, Gracious Professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life. One can add to society and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing one has acted with integrity and sensitivity.

Coopertition Coopertition ® produces innovation. At FIRST, Coopertition is displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition. Coopertition is founded on the concept and a philosophy that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other even as they compete.

Poster No Longer Required Still a Good Idea for Measuring Your Season and Preparing for Judging Other Ideas Bulletin Board, Blog, Web Site, Team Discussion

Creating a Team Atmosphere Be Unique Team Name Mascot Traditions T-Shirts/Costumes Team Activities Make Memories Keep it Fun! Cheers Mix up practices

Leadership Skills Facilitate discussion Don’t give orders…Learn to Delegate Good Listeners Own Their Task Motivate/Inspire…Don’t Humiliate Soft Skills: Public Speaking Collaboration & teamwork Confidence Core Values: Develop Skills for Life

Practicing for Judging Talk About Core Values Throughout Season “Core Value of the Week” Recognize application of Core Values during meetings. Do Teamwork Exercises Let the Kids be the Judge Do Q&A about how team uses Core Values Split the Group Look at Judging Rubric

Teaching Core Values Means Demonstrating Core Values Keep Meetings Fun Usually means hands on LEGO  building every meeting Cheers / traditional play time (pyramid, team games, etc..) Be Flexible Help keep them on task, but ultimately it is their project The journey is as important as the result Watch for Teaching Moments Engineers need ‘hard skills’ Mechanical Design, Programming, Analysis, Problem Solving, Experimentation, and Documentation AND ‘soft skills’ Timeliness, Teamwork, Tact and Compromise, Confidence, Courtesy, Perseverance, and Planning

Core Values Q & A Gracious Professionalism Coopertition We are a Team. We have FUN! We learn together. We share what we learn. We do the work! What we discover is more important than what we win. Friendly Competition

PROJECT

Project Getting Started How to Brainstorm (caution, it’s messy!) Narrowing it Down to THE Topic Sources/Finding experts Collaboration Developing a Solution Creating a Presentation Doing it All in 13 Weeks

Pick a situation in which people and animals interact Identify problem Develop innovative solution Research Project

For ANIMAL ALLIES, think of people and animals as allies in the quest to make life better for everyone. Sometimes people help animals and sometimes animals help people. Your team’s Project mission this season is to make our interactions with animals better – hopefully better for all of us. IDENTIFY A PROBLEM Ask your team to think about all the different ways that people interact with animals. Sometimes people purposely seek out animals (like Autumn helping Randy hike the mountain) and sometimes it happens by accident (like the lions attacking Richard’s livestock). Have your team pick a situation in which people and animals interact, then identify a specific problem they want to solve. Animal Allies

Project Documents: released August 30 th Read and re-read! Use Them as Your Starting Point Pull Out the “Deliverables” Field Trips Reach Out to Parents/Friends May Lead to Expert Field Trip May Come to You Getting Started

Warm Up Pre-Research Play a Game, Do a Teamwork Exercise Make Sure Everybody Knows the Rules No Judging Quantity Over Quality Encourage Wild or Exaggerated Ideas Build on Other’s Ideas Every Person Has Equal Say Get Creative in Organization Sticky Notes Diagrams, Mind Map Pass the List Continuous Brainstorming How to Brain Storm

Make a List of Criteria Impact, Available Research, Current Solutions Take Advantage of Opportunities Problem Close to Home Know an Expert Access to a Resource Parallel Paths Follow Multiple Ideas Set a Deadline How to Narrow it Down to THE Topic

Question to Ask When people interact with your animal, is it on purpose or by accident? Does the interaction help or hurt people, the animal, or both? What type of professionals work with or study your animal? Do you notice any ways that the interaction could be better – more productive, healthier, or happier for either the person or the animal? Once we have a topic, we need to create an innovative solution. What could be done better? What could be done in a new way? Could your solution make people and animals more productive, healthier, or happier? How can you reimagine the way we work with or study animals? Could you use an adaptation from an existing animal (biomimicry) to help solve the problem you identified?

Variety is the Key Print: Books, Magazines, Internet Experts, Documentaries Experimentation List Sources Used Throughout the Season Appoint a documentation lead How to Find Experts Look Local – Colleges, Business Professionals, Government Use Technology – , Skype Send out Feelers – Friends, Relatives Research Sources

Perfect for Background/Basic Knowledge Great for Teaching about Information Reliability, Fact Checking Great Jumping off Point References, Further Reading, External Links Use scholarly or government sources when available A Word About Wikipedia Wikipedia the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.freeencyclopediaanyone can edit

Collaboration Everyone on team participates! Organize the Research Process Everyone Knows the Organization Structure and Follows It Web Tools – Google, Yahoo, Drop Box etc. Paper Based Systems – Files, Binders, etc. Working Outside of Meeting Time Homework Online Collaboration Small Independent Groups

Developing a Solution Examine Existing Solutions Brainstorm Follow Leads Get Inside the Problem Look Around Use Nature, Technology, Everyday Items Make Connections – What is it like? Evaluate, Choose, Refine

Create a Live Presentation Format: Get Creative – Song/Rap, Skit, Game Show, Puppets… 90% of teams do skits (TV reports, dramas, re-enactments, parody) Writing: Create Interest Engage Audience…use Humor, Emotion, Passion for topic Cover the Basics: (see rubric) Problem statement Solution statement (Elevator Pitch) Mention group(s) team shared with

Technology: Technology can enhance, but should not be the focal point Beware of Technical Difficulties Display board/poster: Useful for presenting facts and research materials. Font needs to be large enough for judges to read! Props: Wigs, costumes, masks…help to establish characters Enhance the presentation, not dominate it. Designed, constructed, carried, and set up by team members. Team should practice set-up as part of presentation. Do NOT expect electricity, chairs, or tables to be available. Props & Costumes:

5 minute presentation, 5 minute Q&A Practice & Edit: 5 minute max Time limit: includes set-up and presentation Does it meet Rubric requirements? Focus on speaking clearly: Pronounce difficult words Pause for effect Do Q&A based on rubric areas: Why did you pick this problem? Where did you get your information? How did you come up with your solution? Preparing for Judging:

Requirements for Award Consideration Teams will only be eligible for Project awards if they: Identify a problem that meets this year’s criteria. Explain their innovative solution. Describe how they shared with others prior to the tournament. Presentation requirements: All teams must present live. The team may use media equipment (if available) only to enhance the live presentation. Include all team members. Each team member must participate in the Project judging session. Set up and complete the presentation in five minutes or less with no adult help.

Sample Research Project Timeline Wk 1: Understand Project, Basic Research Read project document carefully! Wks 2-3: Narrow and Select Project Topic Wks 4-5: Focused Research Wks 6-11: Write/Edit Presentation & Make Props Wks 12-13: Practice and Present to Others Present to target audience or experts and ask for feedback

FLL Research Presentations— many examples on youtube Skit with TV report: mandatory app for tornado alert News report about Nature’s Fury Thinkinator’s Senior Solutions skit ure=player_detailpage

Don’t Forget the Updates challenge-updates.pdf There are already three project updates.

Research Project Q & A

1.Don’t take this too seriously. Really. 2.Let the kids do the work. All the work. 3.Facilitate Success…but Permit Failure. 4.Enjoy the Journey! 5.My goal is to want the kids to come back next year.

Secrets Participate in a scrimmage (11/5 and 11/19). Do the project and robot design at the scrimmages even if you’re not ready. Know the program challenge rules. Continuously practice the Project and Core Values (2/3 of total score). Rehearse the skit, core values, and robot design and ask questions. Incorporate “outside” activities for growth (field trips, volunteering, mentoring, etc…). Befriend another local FLL team. Know the rubrics Solution doesn’t have to be perfect.

Secrets Team members – Listen to your coaches Coaches – Listen to your team members

Resources FLL Project Questions: FLL Judging Questions:

Resources for Further Discussion Peoria FLL Yahoo Group

THANK YOU Peoria FLL Yahoo Group