The FIRST core values learned about in session 1 and 2 were discovery and teamwork. Throughout the regional preparation students will dicover new skills while working as a team. These two values are the foundation of the FIRST philosophy.

In session 1 students were introduced to energy journeys: that energy is first sourced, then distributed/stored. and lastly consumed. Students observed their team's mat and began to identify some energy sources, some distribution/storage methods, and lastly different places and ways energy is consumed. To end session 1, students, in their teams, created a build that showed energy consumption.

In Session 2, students learned about renewable energy sources, specifically wind turbines. The teams built a wind turbine, which will be a mandatory part of their final team model. The wind turbine helps students understand that the spinning of the turbine is what generates energy. The students can concretely observe this because when they push a lever to make the turbine spin energy units are released. Lastly, teams built a different renewable energy source of their own choice.

Fun and innovation were the next two core values students reflected on. Students know that at the heart of the robotics program has to be fun. As well, as current robotics students and burgeoning future leaders in the STEM field, innovation will be a part of their daily lives.

In Session 3, students built the energy storage model, another mandatory piece of their final team model build.

Session 4 focuses on energy storage and consumption. Teams built their last mandatory piece of their final team build: the carrousel. Students attached the carrousel to the energy storage model. Next student released energy units from the storage model and placed them inside the carrousel to make the carrousel spin. In this way teams understand that energy must be consumed in order to power every day parts of their lives

The core values focused on in sessions 5 and 6 were inclusion and impact.

Inclusion is an important part of robotics however it is more abstract than other core values. As a group. students reflected on what inclusion means in robotics and what it means outside of robotics. Students talked about how they have felt when they were not included in a group activity.

Impact was a tougher concept for students. Many though of impact in the sense of when two object collide. Teams are still mastering their understanding of impact as effect our actions have.

As well, in sessions 5 and 6 students began to integrate their LEGO SPIKE Essential into the mandatory parts of their final team build. Students chose to automate either the wind turbine or the carrousel. Teams could then increase the complexity of their automation by adding a sensor that would prompt the motor to rotate in different directions.

In Session 7 students built and automated an electric car. In session 8 students began to plan their final team build. Students had to reflect first on how we currently source, store/distribute, and consume energy. Students could think about their own homes, or at school, or think on a more macro level. Next, they had to come up with a better energy journey than the one currently being used in their community. Teams had to have at least one energy source, one storage/distribution site, and one area of consumption. Teams first planned and sketched what everything in the energy journey would be and where on the mat it would located. Last, students began to build their energy journey.

Sessions 10 and 11 focused on the team poster. The team poster is the documentation of the team's journey throughout the whole regional preparation. Students should include in their documentation what skills and new concepts the team explored, the process of the creation of their team build, the codes they created and tested, and finally how they share out their team build. The poster is entirely created by the teams. Coaches just help students by printing pictures and cutting and gluing.

The teams prepare and practice their regional presentation!