Greetings FIRST LEGO League Oregon,
In this post you will find:
- All the National Materials and Updates
- Teams needed to do demonstrations at Girl Fest
- Detailed look into the Project Rubric Pilot
- Share your Innovative Solution at OMSI or Cedar Mill Library
1) All the National Materials and Updates
All of the printed materials your team needs are available online! Rules and strategies are new this year. Please don't just assume the way your team did things last year is exactly how things are done this year. Make sure your team understands the Challenge Manual. Ensure your team knows the updates to the game and the project (no new updates since September!)
Make sure your team is ready for success with the documents on this page. If your team has a question make sure they identify the rules they are unsure of when submitting the question for review. Strategy will not be recommended by anyone affiliated with ORTOP, but we are more than happy to help teams understand rules fully. We will also review all of the mission models in November.
2) Teams needed to do demonstrations at Girl Fest
ORTOP will be at
Girl Scouts of Oregon & SW Washington's Girl Fest! If you are there, please come by and support our booth (Number 9) at this event. Girl Fest will take place on November 5 from 10-4 at the Portland Expo Center, Hall D. This event brings in many organizations to show a variety of skills and professions for Girl Scouts and other girls to explore.
We are still looking for more girl's teams to join us in performing demonstrations. If your team would like to sign up for a 2-hour slot
please sign up using this form before Friday, October 28. Demonstrating teams may have boys, but should be majority girls for this Girl Scout event. Your team does not need to be a Girl Scout team to do a demonstration at Girl Fest.
3) Detailed Look into the Project Rubric Pilot
This year Oregon is part of the Project Rubric Pilot. This means our judges will not be using the same rubric as last year. This year's rubric has some changes that will affect your team in the judging room if you are not prepared.
Let's start by looking at the project rubric this year:
Just like in previous years there are three sub-sections that relate to the awards that are given at the state championship. Also just like last year, there are required components that must be demonstrated before your project is considered complete and your team eligible for awards at a qualifying tournament. The first of these is the Problem Identification. If the problem is so complicated that it can not be explained in just a few seconds, it's probably not a good problem for FIRST LEGO League. Clearly identifying the problem to be solved is a critical component of FIRST LEGO League.
Next judges will be looking for the team's research into the problem and what sort of analysis was done with that information. Both of these are important components. While the category for reviewing existing solutions has been removed, it is still very important! Judges will be looking for this under Innovation, so please continue to research what else already exists to solve the problem!
In the Innovative Solution section, the Team Solution is still required. This is not just your innovative solution, but how your innovative solution will solve, or be a part of the solution to the problem the team identified. It is critical that the judges understand what your solution is and how it relates to the problem. Not only is it required, confusion over the solution will make it difficult to see how the solution is innovative.
The third item is new this year. In addition to having a solution, our judges need to see more about your solution development process. We all know that nothing innovative is perfect in its first iteration. Creating is a process. Judges will be looking into your process. This also includes considerations that are more than "it will work". Share what it would take to make your solution reality. What would it take to manufacture or enact? How has your original design improved as you continued to work on it? What research and development still needs to happen before your solution is ready? These are all questions your presentation should address.
In the final category, there are no new changes. Sharing of the team's project with at least one individual or expert is still required. Remember that at least one person you share your idea with should be able to use or help use your idea. Teams as encouraged to share with multiple groups. Sharing MUST take place before the tournament begins! Judges are still looking forward to your creative, informative, and effective 5-minute presentations!
To see the
rubrics for Core Values and Robot Design you may download them here (please discard the project rubric from this group - it is NOT the pilot rubric).
4) Share your Innovative Solution at OMSI or Cedar Mill Library
To help your team share their Innovative Solutions OMSI and Cedar Mill Library are welcoming FIRST LEGO League teams to come in and share!
On November 19th and December 3rd, your team can be the feature of the OMSI Lab for one hour. Your team will have the opportunity to bring in their innovative solution and any additional materials they need to share their solution with all the people attending OMSI that day.
Book your 1-hour slot here.
Cedar Mill Library also has several days they are welcoming FIRST LEGO League teams to share their Project. Teams must use the link above to register to participate on these days: Monday, November 28, 6:30 pm, Tuesday, November 29, 6:30 pm, Friday, December 2, 6:30 pm, Sunday, December 4, 1:00 pm, Monday, December 5, 6:30 pm, Tuesday, December 6, 6:30 pm, Friday, December 9, 6:30 pm.
I hope your teams are having a good time with the project challenge this year. In November the blog focus will shift towards the robot game and the November Mission Model Discussion will return on Facebook, with posts mirrored on the blog.
Tournament Assignments will be posted by November 7th!
Best Wishes,
Loridee
