Greetings FIRST LEGO League Oregon,
In today's FIRST LEGO League Oregon Update we will cover these items:
- SPIKE PRIME, my 1-hour review
- Team Financial Support Update
- Arizona July event still has space
- Adult Workshops - ORTOP and SuperQuest
- What to expect from the New Team Meeting Guide
- INTO ORBIT Project Share at OMSI
- Castilla Project Camps
- FIRST Tech Challenge Adult Training through SuperQuest
If you are new to this email or blog this is the place where you will find all of the OREGON specific FIRST LEGO League information. Coaches and team administrators in the FIRST system for the CITY SHAPER season will be added every Monday until March, automatically. Every update this season begins with CS (CITY SHAPER) and a number, that number lets you know which update it is, if you miss an update you can find it on our blog. We are currently in the Pre-Season planning and skill growing part of the FIRST LEGO League Oregon Season!
1) SPIKE PRIME, my 1-hour review
tl;dr - SPIKE PRIME is good for new learners and not technically experienced coach/teachers. You do not need to replace your EV3.
Last week I had the opportunity to get my hands on a SPIKE PRIME system for about an hour as we worked through Session 2 of the new Engineering Notebook (details on that below). The first big takeaway was how absolutely simple and inviting the system is. One of my teammates had never touched LEGO elements before. We let that person do the build as we worked through the Hopper tutorial built into the new programming environment. While it isn't a complicated build, with the help of the tutorial, we went from lid-open to a moving robot in about 5 minutes! Now Hopper, as the name implies, doesn't really do much. But we were on our way. A tweak here and there in the Scratch-like programming language and our Hopper was happily bouncing in circles, just like we told it to. This easier start has tremendous potential for younger programmers who do not have a skilled technical mentor. LEGO Education also assured us, that SPIKE PRIME has all the same potential as an EV3, including the storing of subroutines in special "MyBlocks". I didn't get a lot of time to dive into the programming system as it is still in Beta and I had to share my screen with 4 teammates. However, everything is clearly labeled and color-coded by its functionality! The drop downs are easy to see and the blocks nest into each other just like MIT Scratch which many kids use in school already!
What about the missing screen? It's really not missed. In fact, I think the LED interface, now that I've used it, is easier to use! Programs are set to a number and the operator selects the number and hits go. The number is BIG and it glows, it's so much easier to see. Sounds and lights can be used for debugging (or added fun).
The goal of SPIKE PRIME is to spark confidence in young people (and their coaches/teachers) who aren't already technically savvy. As far as I can see it has the tools to do just that. It has some remarkable new plates and pieces that will make building easier. The box is easier to connect to and around. The sensors are the same as we are used to with the EV3, even though they use a different cable and can not be used between the two systems.
The downsides, because everything has some and SPIKE PRIME isn't exempt. The control block is completely smooth. If you don't know where the buttons are to move between programs, you won't see them, and they don't have a texture. Not great when you are stressed and have sweaty fingers in a competition arena, or like me you don't have the worlds best eyesight (I had to have them pointed out to me). SPIKE PRIME software is still in Beta just a couple months from public release and Chromebook and Tablet access is expected in September, what I saw was pretty good, but they did warn us that there was no going back after we select step 4 on the tutorial because it's a glitch that hasn't been worked. This means I did not see a finished software environment to evaluate.
If your team has an EV3, you have no need to move to SPIKE PRIME, it's not an upgrade, it's just a different way to interact with a LEGO robot. In the LEGO Education product lineup, the SPIKE PRIME falls between the WeDo 2.0 system used in FIRST LEGO League Jr and the EV3 system with which it has significant overlap.
If I was starting a brand new team, I'd want to use a SPIKE PRIME. If I have a returning team that already has a good understanding of how to work with their EV3, I would stick with that. The new LEGO bricks - those may be desirable for all.This summer ORTOP Workshops will not cover the SPIKE PRIME programming environment. We will be learning it along with you to see if we can add material next year.
2) Team Financial Support Update
If you have not yet submitted an application, the applications are still open until all the funds are gone or Oregon registration closes. Please make sure you fully read the lengthy application page before applying.
3) Arizona July event still has space
We are looking for more teams (FIRST LEGO League & FIRST Tech Challenge) to join us in Flagstaff, Arizona at the Lunar Legacy Invitational. We have spots open in both programs (disregard the previous deadline). If you know of more teams that are interested, please share this information with them. We currently have teams from Hong Kong, Lebanon, Romania, Indiana, California, and Arizona. We would like to encourage more teams to join us here at 7,000 ft.
Once a team applies/registers an acceptance letter will be sent out to confirm their registration.
4) Adult Workshops - ORTOP and SuperQuest
Special Teacher/School LEGO EV3 SuperQuest three day training classes are offered free to Educators and School helpers this summer! Both Programming and Mechanical classes are available. Graduate College credit is available.- Wilsonville - June 25 - 27
- Newport - July 9-11
- Salem - July 16-18
- Eugene - July 23-25
- Southern Oregon - Aug. 6-8
Your school could receive a free EV3 Core Set (one per school)
Full On Line curriculum supports provided.
Sign up at www.oregoncsta.org
or Contact Don Domes Learning.don@gmail.com for more information.
Don't forget ORTOP workshops are running now! Click the link on the City to Sign Up Now!
5) What to expect from the New Team Meeting Guide
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| NOT AN ACTUAL FIRST LEGO LEAGUE BOOK! |
For the rest of us: You can expect twelve 90-minute plans that take your team through both robot exercises and project exercises while teaching FIRST Core Values. Your team will not immediately start working on their final products, there is time for learning and practice first! Each session in the team meeting guide ties to a session in each team members Engineering Notebook.
While a team who meets the minimum recommendation of twice a week for 90 minutes each could breeze through these lessons in just 6 weeks, I am recommending a slower approach. The guide starts with separating the team into two groups with one group doing a robot task and the other a project task each meeting (the groups switch tasks each meeting). It is completely possible to do both in a week and let all team members try the task, tasks are not repeated in future weeks (other than the day when the mission models are built for the table - then both teams work on that challenge).
Do you need to use the Team Meeting Guide, NOPE. If you have an established team that already takes ownership of their project, robot, and core values - and you have moved into that facilitator role we hope to see all coaches reach, you just keep on doing what you are doing. However, if you are new to coaching, and the kids aren't ready to go on their own yet, the guide offers you a path to get started. It also gives you some good pacing to keep track of everything through the season. It's such a good pace that I will be using the pacing in our fall emails.
Teams do not need to bring their engineering notebooks to judging, however; they are welcome to share a page or two if they would like. Engineering notebooks cannot be left with judges and will not be collected. Using these materials is completely up to your team.
6) INTO ORBIT Project Share at OMSI
We are also looking for FIRST Tech Challenge teams to bring their robots up and down from a lander (from the Rover Ruckus field) in commemoration throughout the day.
Sign up to stay informed about participating in this event here!
7) Castilla Project Camps
Programa de robótica, Verano 2019Este programa combina las habilidades de ingeniería, matemática, diseño y construcción de
herramientas, usando legos. Los chicos serán retados a buscar soluciones a problemas utilizando la
tecnología LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3.
- Duración: cuatro semanas
- Fecha: Del 8 de julio al 1 de agosto de 2019.
- Horario: De lunes a jueves Hora: de 9:30 a.m. a 1:30 p.m.
- Participantes: Niños de 8 a 16 años
- Costo: $185.00 por niño. (Cuatro semanas)
- Inscripciones: 20 y 21 de junio de 3:00pm a 7:00pm.
- En Plaza Comunitaria Encuentro.
Robotics’ Summer Program 2019
This program combines the skills of engineering, mathematics, design, and construction using
Legos. The kids will be challenged to look for solutions to problems using the LEGO
MINDSTORMS EV3 technology.
- Duration: Four weeks
- Date: July 8 to the August 1, 2019.
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
- Participants: Children ages 8 to 16 years old
- Cost: $ 185 .00 per child (Four week.)
- Registration: June 20 and 21 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00p.m.
- In Plaza Comunitaria Encuentro
8) FIRST Tech Challenge Adult Training through SuperQuest
- Is your FIRST LEGO League team moving up to FIRST Tech Challenge?
- Are you preparing to mentor a FIRST Tech Challenge team?
- ORTOP is happy to announce SuperQuest: FIRST Tech Challenge Mentor Workshops for Summer 2019. SuperQuest is a program of the Oregon Computer Science Teachers Association.
- FTC Mentor WORKSHOP AGENDA: FIRST Tech Challenge Mentor Workshops will focus on Hardware and design concepts, Programming - Blocks and Java and Electronics- wiring and debugging the phones. For rookies - an overview of basic FTC program elements will be provided.
- The 3-day workshops provide instruction and in SQ tradition, strive to "meet each participant where they are and provide what they need to go further". Lots of hands-on time. Both Veteran and Rookie Mentors encouraged to sign-up.
- Terry Alexander, HIllsboro HS Technology Teacher/FTC Mentor veteran will instruct the FTC Mentor Workshops.
- Additional Information
- WHO CAN ATTEND: SuperQuest: FTC Mentor Workshop is open to adults; teachers and non-teachers, who are or will be mentoring FIRST Tech Challenge teams in the classroom or in an after-school setting in Fall 2019.
- Three days -- 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Continental breakfast and a delicious lunch included!
- You’ll earn 21 hours of Professional Development credit (for teachers), and some classes will also offer graduate credit.
- And it’s all free (except for a fully refundable $50 deposit)! Show up and you get your $50 back.
- Clackamas Community College - Wilsonville Campus - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
- NEXT WEEK!!! June 25 - 27 (Tuesday - Thursday)
- Newport Middle School - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
- July 9 - 11 (Tuesday - Thursday)
- SQ: Pop-up Beaverton @ ORTOP office - Registration link to be posted
- July 31 - Aug 2 (Wednesday - Friday) ( send an email to cathy-swider@ortop.org to be added to the information list for this session)
OMG you made it to the end! This is more painful than the week of tournament email/blogs. WOW - I am so sorry you had to read through all of that, think of how I felt writing it all (well the bits I didn't copy and paste from others)! And we call the summer our off-season. On this first day of summer I hope you all enjoy(ed) it!Best Wishes,
Loridee
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