Morgan Here! in 2025, I have the opportunity to Coach an FLL Challenge team. This is where I will be putting my informaiton on what I did for each of the practices to hopefully develop into a good curriculum. This is a DRAFT and made like a journal. Coaches are welcome to reference this and in the future, will be used to write a fleshed out curriculum.
2026 Update - This is where I will be posting the videos on how to run each practice if you choose to follow. It worked well for me last year, and got my team to the State Championship!
Important note: Students should take notes about what they do and what they talk about during pracitce. this should all be kept in a team binder. Good things to include:
Big decisions
Lessons Learned
Improvements made and why
How they completed things/process
During the first practice, start with having an easy introduction. Name, and one thing they like or want to know more about regarding the season theme. The Coach starts, and then they can go around the circle for each person. Generally straightforward.
During the second practice, do the same thing but have them say something they liked about the previous day. Have them still do their name.
The four aspects are the Core Values, Robot Design, Robot Missions, and Innovation Project.
What we are working towards. In this program, we are working towards ONE competition. Here this will be the only oppotunity for teams to get a chance at the State Championship. At the competition, we are judged (by judges) on four things. Each of the four things counts as 25%.
Core Values: The Core Values are the six specific Core Values of FIRST - Inclusion, Innovation, Teamwork, Impact, Discovery, and Fun. The judges will be watching how you use each of these core values at the competition and throughout your presentation. They will also be looking at your use of Gracious Professionalism - respecting your opponents, doing high quality work, and competing like crazy.
Robot Design: First I asked them, have you ever built something and it was as perfect it could ever be? No - it's important to refine what we do. We can continuously make the things we do better - that is called the Engineering Design Process. The judges will also want to know the process in which you completed your robot design. They will want to know what changes you made, why you made them, how you improved on what you were doing throughout the season. They will want to see it in your programming and throughout your attachments for the robot.
Robot Missions: You will have the opportuntity to do about THREE robot missions at the competition, and they will take your highest score. These are the 15 missions that we find on the table.
Innovation Project: This is an invention project based on the theme for this year. We will research about the theme, learn about problems that might not have a solution, and work on developing a solution or invention. This will be presented to Judges too. Its important that we continue to revise our Innovation project too - just like for the robot design.
Tips for Leading this conversation: I would start with one, and go through it. I would then ask one of the students to summarize what I said. Then I would ask, "what is the first thing you will be judged on". Then I would go on to the second item, discuss, have them summarize, and then ask: "What is the first thing, what is the second thing." etc until they can say all four.
Review the Innovation Project and Core Values
Talk about this year's challenge
Review the six FIRST Core Values that guide everything we do throughout the season:
Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas.
Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.
Impact: We apply what we learn to improve our world.
Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences.
Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together.
Fun: We celebrate and enjoy what we do!
The goal is for each student to independantly recognize when they are using Core Values. This conversation should be focused on the basics of what they mean. Motions are available, and while the kids feel dorky, they definately help them remember.
Tips for Leading: Explain that Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition are wrapped into all six core values. Remind students that judges evaluate how the team demonstrates these values both during their presentation and while working together.
Talk about how each year there is a different challenge.
1. Identify
Choose a Problem: Select an issue related to the prompt that interests your team. Clearly define what the problem is and why it matters.
Research: Investigate the problem and existing solutions using reliable sources to understand what works, what doesn't, and what challenges remain.
2. Design
Brainstorm: Work together to generate ideas. Consider creating something new, adapting technology from another field, or improving an existing solution.
Plan: Outline a project plan for how you will investigate, share, and refine your solution.
3. Create
Develop: Clearly describe how your innovative solution addresses the identified problem, including what it does and how it impacts biodiversity.
Prototype: Build a prototype model or drawing of your solution to share with others.
4. Iterate
Gather Feedback: Share your ideas with other teams, experts, or mentors, and record what you learn and change.
Refine: Show evidence of improvements made based on testing and feedback.
5. Communicate
Present: Create a 5-minute live presentation that describes your solution, using the rubric as your guide.
Share Impact: Highlight how your team uses Core Values and ensure every team member participates.
Vocab: Talk with the team to ensure everyone knows what the words mean in the problem statement.
Now have each member of the team write down things they know about the problem. It does not need to be solutions, just thoughts. Use sticky notes or pieces of paper. Have a different tought on each piece.
When they are done, have the kids share their different thoughts.
REVIEW - Four Aspects and Missions we know
Finish learning the Missions and Scoring & Review the entire table
Quiz the group on the content covered in the first day- the four aspects of FLL Challenge, and the missions that were reviewed.
Review what will happen for the Robot Design and Mission - 50% of their score at the competition (Mission Score AND Design)
1. Identify
Mission Strategy: Build the mission models and decide which missions your team will attempt, establishing a clear order and strategy.
Resources: Explore available building and coding resources to support your plan
2. Design
Skill Development: Identify necessary building and coding skills and learn them as a team. Ensure every team member contributes ideas to building, coding, and strategy.
Documentation: Document how your robot’s design evolves as you work together and adapt your mission strategy.
3. Create
Build: Build your robot and attachments using LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime or compatible sets, explaining the purpose of each design component.
Integration: Demonstrate how your code and attachments support your overall mission strategy.
4. Iterate
Testing: Test your robot repeatedly on the game field. Record what works, what doesn’t, and any adjustments made so judges can understand your design evolution.
Refinement: Use testing evidence to improve consistency, accuracy, and overall mission performance.
5. Communicate
Present: Prepare a 5-minute presentation explaining your robot design process, using the rubric as your guide.
Evaluation: Referees will score your robot's performance during the game, while judges will assess your team's process in building and coding.
Divide and Conquer: The team is split into groups. Each group receives a copy of the official rulebook and gets to choose one mission from the competition table.
Rulebook Research: Using only the rulebook, each group must thoroughly analyze their chosen mission. Their task is to understand the mission's objective and determine the specific criteria for scoring points. They should focus on identifying key phrases, diagrams, and point values within the rules.
Team Presentations: Each group presents their findings to the larger team. They explain what they believe the mission's goal is and how points are awarded. This presentation serves as a test of their comprehension and their ability to communicate complex information.
Official Reveal: Tthe group watches the official mission video. This provides a visual confirmation of the correct mission and scoring. DO NOT show the other missions.
On-the-Spot Quiz: After they present, they are quizzed on the details of their mission. This includes questions about the names of specific mission parts, scoring criteria, and any unique rules or exceptions. The group's performance is then graded out of 5 for correctness and clarity. Emphasize that the points do not matter, and it is just for fun.
Review and Refine
Group Discussion: As a whole group, the teams discuss what they saw in the video compared to their initial interpretation. This is a crucial step for correcting any misunderstandings and deepening their knowledge of the rules.
Interactive Quiz: The session leader facilitates a rapid-fire, interactive quiz. For example, they might ask, "How many points is this?" while performing a related motion, or "What is this called?" while pointing to a specific part of the mission. The entire group responds at once, reinforcing key information through repetition.
Repeat the Process: The team is then split into new pairs, and the entire process is repeated with new missions until all missions on the table have been thoroughly reviewed and understood.
Tips for Leading: Before quizzing, have the kids come up with a team name on the spot quicky. When revealing who "won" have the kids do a drumroll. You can split them into smaller groups and have it be 4 teams. Then when revealing the winner have them do a drumroll before announcing.
Have the students finish all of the missions, quizzing them and making sure they understand them all.
Then, have the entire team answer the questions for each of the missions. "How many points is this *complete movement*", "What is this part called?", "What is the name of this mission?", etc. until they can all say all the answers.
To help with solidifying each of the missions, the students take a blank piece of paper to write about the mission with the following sturcture. This may need to happen over two practices.:
Total Number of Points Possible: ##
Step 1: motion for step 1, total points
Step 2: motion for step 2, total points
Step 3: motion for step 3, total points
If time allows: Have them write notes on the page about what mechanisms could be used to complete this mission - do they need a bar to push? a hook to pull?
Keep these pages - one per mission. These will be used in later practices.
We had an awesome first practice! The kids should be able to tell you about the missions we learned and the four key aspects we will be judged on.
About FLL Challenge:
Our theme this year is BIOGLOW. In this season's emails, there may be videos, homework assignments, and other activities for you to complete with your child. Some items can be completed on their own, while others may need parent support.
The tournament this year is a full-day event starting early in the morning and concluding in the late afternoon. The tournament consists of the Robot Game, which parents can watch. The Innovation Project Presentation and Robot Build Judging are closed sessions.
The Innovation Project: A solution to a real-world problem related to ocean exploration, marine life, and technologies beneath the ocean's surface.
The Robot Design: A presentation where students discuss their robot's build, code, and overall design evolution.
Core Values: Judges observe how students demonstrate teamwork, discovery, inclusion, innovation, impact, and fun with each other and other teams.
We watched the BIOGLOW Robot Game Missions Video, which outlines all the missions on the table. At the tournament, our team will run the robot multiple times to score as many points as possible in 2.5 minutes.
Assignment for Next Week:
Rewatch the BOIGLOW Robot Game Missions Video 2 to 3 times to understand how the robot interacts with the models and the basics of scoring. Watching over different days is good to help their memory.
Tip: Turn it into a fun quiz game with points for correct answers!
We will begin this year with a base robot model due to our timeline, making changes and adding custom attachments as the season progresses. I encourage students to research attachment concepts and bring ideas to practice if they would like!
Research Note: Students are required to credit their sources. They are welcome to adapt existing ideas, but must record where they found them (e.g., YouTube channel name or website).
If you have any questions, please feel free to send an email.
Thanks for encouraging your student to participate in FLL Challenge this year—it is going to be a rewarding experience!
Talk about the 4 things they will be judged on at the competition and quiz them
Discuss the season's theme
FLL Challenge is about learning and having fun. Yes, it would be AWESOME to win, but that is not the most important thing. As we get older, winning becomes more and more important. But RIGHT NOW, we are learning so we can be smarter in the future.
Theme and problem statement for the year (the judges may ask!)
Talk about the ideas that were discussed last practice
Select ideas to research for next practice
Review the 6 core values, and talk about if any of them used any of the core values recently, and how. I reccomend to start 6 sections in your innovation project notebook and keep a list of how they used the core values at home or at practice or at school. (10 minutes). Ideally each person shares one thing, coaches too (coaches feel free to make something plausable up)
Take the ideas from last week, and put them all on individual pieces of paper. Sticky notes would probably be good, or a list and a whiteboard. If you have less than 5, take the time to come up with more. This works well with about 20 ideas. (they can be similar, they can be simple, they can feel random - that is fine.)
Start taking those items and group them into themes - this will help see what the team is most intersted in, main points, etc. and can lead the research. Groups can always be separated if they are too vague.
Lastly, as a team discuss the overarching themes that you found in your ideas, and decide which ones you want to research more. I would reccomend voting - each student gets a marker and they put a dot next to the theme they like, and everyone votes twice.
This will result in Homework that they complete with their parents before the next practice.
Look at the top most voted topics, and determine the questions we need to ask about those topics to get a better idea about everything. Some possibilities:
What causes this threat to biodiversity?
What biodiversity does this affect?
What happens if we loose this biodiversity?
What existing solutions are there?
How are those solutions helping?
Why aren't those solutions solving the issue?/How do they fall short?
Identify 1-2 types of experts/professionals we could contact.
How does their job line up with what we are researching?
Work with the team to have them come up with some questions, and use these to fill in the gaps.
Learn about how important it is to know what we are programming, why, and how accuracy is very important
Finish mission sheets
Start a discussion about pairing up the missions
First Programming Lesson
Quiz the team on all the mission, and all the scoring. Complete this very fast pased to increase excitement and engagement. When they get them right, make sure to also be excited and mention how they have been paying attention, they know their stuff, etc.
What to talk about: We are going to be programming our robot to complete these missions, and they qill be doing them autonomously. That means the robot is moving completely on it's own with programming you wrote. One thing to drill into their heads:
The robot is only as smart as you are
This is becuase the robot will do exactly what they program. If we don't take the time to carefully think things through it wont work well. What if sports teams didnt have plays? What if racecar drivers didkn't know how to drive? What if builders didn't have a drawing or plans to follow? It probably won't turn out well!
It is so important to make a plan, and then decide how it will execute that plan. You cannot just go in blind - the robot will be blind too.
Time to talk about psuedocode! Psuedocode is writing what the robot needs to do, but in "human" language. HOWEVER we must be specific in our words! Does it drive forward? How far? How fast? When does it stop? etc.
To practice this, we are going to program the coach! This activity really shows how important it is to make a plan and be specific in that plan; ALSO to remind the kids that robots are stupid until you make them smart.
Bring the kids to the HS field, and show them the course, and how to complete it. See my video in the email for how the course is intended to be completed.
On a blank piece of paper, have the kids write out EXACTLY what you should do, step by step. As a coach, it is vital to follow what they say exactly. Since the robots do have sensors, you do not need to be blindfolded. KEEP IN MIND that the more literal you follow the steps, the more it will reinforce the lesson.
As a team, or in two small teams, go through the Spike Prime programming lessons -> Open App, Open Spike Prime, Start, Unit 1
Complete all the different lessons to get a good idea of what the robot is capible of doing.
Make sure all the mission sheets are complete (from last week) for all the missions
Have them detail on the mission sheets exactly what the robot needs to do in the simplest way possible (like we don't want any grabbers). Examples: Lift the red bar 3 inches, push X to the left/right, hook on to X, etc.
If all of that is complete, it is time to start grouping missions! Use a field sheet to start discussing what missions can be grouped together and WHY.
Some examples (I made these up completely, and are unrelated to any year):
Mission 8 and 9 becuase they are nearby, and they both need to lift something
Mission 2 and 3 becuase they both need a hook to pull something
Mission 1 and 5 becuase they are close together and push an item
This will help you later on by ensuring you are building attachments for multiple purposes, and saving time by completing multiple missions in one go (usually).
Use the rest of the time to talk about all possible missions, how they can go together, and why.
Hi FLL Challenge Families,
We had another great week at practice! The kids are diving deeper into this season's theme and getting a hands-on look at how programming and problem-solving work together.
Here is a recap of what we covered during Week 2:
Innovation Project & Core Values: We reviewed the 6 FIRST Core Values (Discovery, Innovation, Impact, Inclusion, Teamwork, and Fun) and discussed how students can recognize using them during practices and at home. We also took all our initial thoughts from last week, grouped them into main project themes, and voted on the top ideas to focus on for our research.
Robot Missions & Programming: We discussed why precision is so important—remembering that the robot is only as smart as the program we give it! The team practiced writing "pseudocode" (step-by-step instructions in plain language) and completed programming lessons using LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime to explore what the robot can do. We also worked on completing our mission sheets and began discussing which missions can be grouped together on the field.
To help us narrow down our Innovation Project topic, each team member has a small research assignment to complete before our next session.
Our Selected Team Research Topics:
[Insert Selected Topic 1 / Question 1 Here]
[Insert Selected Topic 2 / Question 2 Here]
What Your Child Needs to Do:
Pick one of the topics above (or the specific question assigned to them in practice).
Spend 15–20 minutes researching with a parent or guardian using reliable sources. Look for answers to key questions like:
What causes this issue?
Who or what does it affect?
What existing solutions already exist, and where do they fall short?
What types of experts or professionals work on this problem?
Important: Write down 2–3 key facts or findings and bring them to the next practice. If you adapt an idea or fact from a website or video, please remember to note down the source/website name so we can give proper credit!
Thank you for all your support in helping our team learn and grow! Please let me know if you have any questions.
Share research findings from last week's homework.
Narrow down research to focus on a keystone species.
Identify specific problems affecting that keystone species.
Share-Out: Have each student briefly share 1–2 key facts they found during their Week 2 research assignment, including the source they used.
Core Value Spotlight (Inclusion & Discovery): Remind students that listening to everyone’s research ensures all voices are heard (Inclusion) as the team discovers new facts (Discovery). Keep updating the Core Values information/how you are using them in your project binder.
Define "Keystone Species": Explain to the team that a keystone species plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecosystem. If that species disappears, the entire ecosystem changes drastically.
Narrow Down Ideas: Review the research themes from Week 2 and ask the team to select 1–2 keystone species that align with their interests. - You may need to research what keystone species are present
Brainstorm & List Problems:
Have the team brainstorm/research specific challenges or threats that their chosen keystone species faces (e.g., habitat loss, pollution, temperature changes, food chain disruption).
Record all identified problems in the Innovation Project Binder
Identify Keystone Species and Problem
Based on the research, have the team determine what Keystone species they are focusing on, and potential problems to research further.
Discuss how the team will be outlining potential solutions in the coming weeks Prepare to outline potential solutions in the coming weeks.
Group missions into 3(ish) distinct mission sets based on shared field location or similar attachment needs.
Complete the next SPIKE Prime coding lesson.
Write pseudocode FIRST for each planned mission set before touching the computer/iPad.
Review Mission Sheets: Have students pull out their completed mission sheets from Weeks 1 and 2.
Form 3 Sets: Guide the team to select and divide their planned missions into 3 distinct sets (runs).
Grouping criteria: Missions that are near each other on the table, or missions that can use similar mechanisms/attachments (e.g., hooks, push bars, lift arms).
Goal: Limit table runs to 3 well-planned outings to maximize the 2.5-minute robot game score.
Complete the next SPIKE Prime lesson module (e.g., motor movement precision, sensor integration, or attachment control) to build skill confidence.
IMPORTANT: Pseudocode MUST be written out on paper before any student begins coding in the SPIKE Prime app. Writing explicit, step-by-step human language instructions prevents guess-and-check programming, builds strong algorithmic thinking, and keeps them from getting frustrated at the basic steps. They can use their focus to correct minor issues.
Write Step-by-Step Instructions: For each of the 3 mission sets, have the team write out line-by-line instructions in plain text on paper.
Example:
Start in Red Launch Area
Move forward 12 inches at 40% power.
Turn right 90 degrees.
Drive forward until distance sensor detects wall (3 inches away).
Lower lift arm attachment to trip lever.
Reverse 12 inches back to base.
Review & Approve: The coach must review the team's written pseudocode to ensure all movements, sensor triggers, and attachment actions are clearly detailed before approving them to move on to computer programming. The Coach should act as though their hand is the robot doing EXACTLY what the pseudocode says.
The students should also draw out what they think the attachement should look like and why (hook to grab X, Bar to pull down Y, etc)
Approved/Start Working: Once the mission set is approved by the Coach, the kids can start working on the attachment and coding. They *should* be able to copy their pseudocode and start working quite quickly if the pseudocode is good.
Subject: FLL Challenge - Week 3 Update: Keystone Species & Robot Mission Planning!
Hi FLL Challenge Families,
We had another productive week of practice as our team continues to build momentum! Here is a recap of what we accomplished during Week 3:
Innovation Project: The team reviewed their research from last week and began narrowing our focus toward a keystone species—an organism that plays a vital role in keeping its ecosystem balanced. We brainstormed and cataloged the primary threats and problems facing this species, which will lead directly into developing our solution.
Robot Missions & Strategy: The team grouped our target table missions into 3 distinct mission sets based on location and shared attachment designs.
Coding & Pseudocode: Before diving into computer programming, the team worked on writing complete pseudocode (detailed, step-by-step instructions written on paper) for our planned runs. We are instilling the rule that planning on paper comes before coding on screen, which significantly improves accuracy and logic!
Assignment for Next Week:
Ask your student about the keystone species the team discussed in practice!
Encourage them to spend 10–15 minutes thinking about (or sketching) simple attachment concepts (hooks, levers, pushers) that could help complete our 3 mission runs. (Or continue to think about the attachemnt they already designed.) The students can also spend time watching videos of other people solving their missions to get a better idea on ways they can improve. Important: If they are using someone else's work as an idea, they are required to credit that team.
Thank you for your ongoing support! Please reach out if you have any questions.
Best regards,