Dear FLL Coaches,

If you are just getting your season started, please see below for information about upcoming training, recommended resources and suggested tasks to complete with your team this week:

• Project Green
• FLL Coach Training
• Drop-in Hub
• FLL Team Timeline
• Coaches Tasks
• Core Values
• Innovation Project
• Robot Design

Project Green – You’re invited to participate in the 1st Annual Community Cleanup Challenge on Saturday, October 5, 2019. Please register and recruit people from your own and other teams to take part so we can make our public spaces cleaner and healthier places in which to work, live and play and can show the world what a positive impact FIRST teams are making in their communities! Share pictures of your team via social media wearing your FIRST or team gear during the cleanup and include the hashtag #FIRSTProjectGreen for a chance to win an eco-friendly FIRST prize pack. To learn more and to register, please visit bit.ly/FIRSTCanadaProjectGreen 

FLL Coach Training – To help prepare for the 2019 FLL City Shaper season, coaches are invited to attend one of two training and networking sessions at Scarborough Village Public School on Tuesday October 1 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (click here to register) OR at Western Technical Commercial School on Thursday, October 3 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (click here to register). These sessions are a great opportunity to ask questions, learn about the robot design, innovation project & core values components of the FLL program,  connect with other coaches and explore strategies and resources for a successful and enjoyable season. Hope to see many of you there!

Drop-In Support Hub – Kingston and area teams are invited to visit the FLL drop-in hub, most Fridays until November 8 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., where experienced volunteers from W.A.F.F.L.E.S. Community Robotics will help to clarify rules, develop building and programming skills and give feedback on your presentations. Field tables and challenge sets will be available for teams to share, but teams must bring their own robot, LEGO, laptop and extension cord. At least one adult must accompany and supervise visiting teams and teams must RSVP 24 hours in advance to info@wafflesrobotics.com to join in the fun and receive directions on how to access the downtown location.  In the meantime, please check out the W.A.F.F.L.E.S. programming tutorials and keep your eye out for a new, behind-the-scenes FLL video series coming soon.

FLL Team Timeline – These are just guidelines to help you stay on track and to prepare for your tournament, the first of which is only 7 weeks away (stay tuned for details about the date and location of your regional qualifying event)! For a more detailed description of recommended weekly tasks please refer to the Team Meeting Guide that you should have received in the mail.

Coaches Tasks:

• • Form a team of no more than 10 students, ages 9 – 14
  • Secure a time and location that you can meet at least twice/week for the next 6-12 weeks
  • Build a FIRST LEGO League table (click here for building instructions)
  • Install Robot programming software on the computer(s) or device(s) that your team will use
  • Unpack, inventory and sort the LEGO pieces in your LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Core Set

Core Values:

• Introduce the Core Values & invite students to participate in a team-building activity (click here for activity ideas)
• Have the team work together to create a team name

Innovation Project: 

• Review the Challenge by watching the City Shaper Kickoff Video and reading the City Shaper Game Guide

Robot Design:

• Build mission models using the building instructions at this link (please consider viewing the instructions online to avoid wasting paper on printing.
• Set up challenge mat to create practice table (click here for Table Overview)
• Go Teams!