Team Resources
Quick links to help you navigate...
- Stay Connected with FLL (Blog, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook)
- Preparation (Coaches' Handbook, Products, Table Constructions, Storage, Coach Calls, Fundraising, Brainstorming)
- Project (How-To videos, FLL Blog posts)
- Robot Game (Building, Programming, Materials in Support of the Classroom)
- General
Can't find what you are looking for? Email fllteams@usfirst.org
FLL Blog - Stories from Our Community
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe to the FLL YouTube Channel
Like Us on Facebook - FIRST Facebook page
Coaches' Handbook, version 2013
The Coaches’ Handbook is your guide to the whole FLL season. It provides information and guidance to make your first (and second, third, fourth…) season a success.
Choose the download that is right for your device:
Coaches' Handbook (PDF - for computer, Kindle, etc.)
Coaches' Handbook (ePub - for e-readers such as Android devices, iPad, Nook, etc.)
The Coaches’ Handbook is your guide to the whole FLL season. It provides information and guidance to make your first (and second, third, fourth…) season a success.
Choose the download that is right for your device:
Coaches' Handbook (PDF - for computer, Kindle, etc.) Coaches' Handbook (ePub - for e-readers such as Android devices, iPad, Nook, etc.)Important Note on Child Safety
FLL Products
Video tutorials on all the FLL products sold through the FLL team registration system (US/Canadian teams)
Table ConstructionOfficial table building instructions
Looking for a lighweight, portable table option? FLL team, The Inventioneers, created the STOW-or-GO Practice Table
Storage During CompetitionHelpful option for object storage during competition. Designed by team Brainstorm
Coach Calls - SENIOR SOLUTIONS
Call-In Information:
866-951-1151
Conference Room # - 9533018#
1000 lines per call are available, Calls are approximately one (1) hour but may run over if there are many questions after the hosts go through the agenda.
| Topic/Outline | Date/Time | Audio Recording |
| Where Do I Start? Coach Orientation |
August 15, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now! |
| Coaching a Team |
August 20, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now! |
| Basic Programming: Tips, Skills, & Resources |
September 5, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now! |
| The Robot Game (runs 2 hours) |
September 11, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now - Part I Listen Now - Part II |
| The Project |
September 17, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now! recording began 1/2 into call |
| Core Values/Teamwork |
September 20, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now! Learn more about Core Values Poster |
| Robot Design |
September 25, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now! Learn more about Robot Design Executive Summary |
| Judging: A Perspective for the Coach |
October 11, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now! |
| Preparing for an FLL Event |
October 25, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now! |
| FLL to FTC |
November 8, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now! |
| FLL Global Innovation |
November 12, 2012 - 7pm ET | Listen Now! |
Brainstorming
- Design Squad Nation - Assortment of fun activities designed to get "creativity flowing".
- Project How To Video - Official video on how to tackle the FLL Project.
- FLL Blog Posts about the Project. By Official FLL Blog correspondent, Heidi Buck.
- Which comes FIRST, the Project or the Robot?
- Engineering the Project
- Forward Thinking Field Trips
- How to Turn the Lightbulb On
- The Dragon Ate My Project!
- Elevator Pitch
- Watch this 9 webisode series on the FLL Project. Created by Official FLL Blog correspondent, Heidi Buck.
Building
- ldraw.org - Open standard for LEGO CAD programs that allow the user to create virtual LEGO models and scenes.
- brickplayer.com - Private, independent website featuring LEGO sculptures, mosaics, news, reviews, and building tips & tricks.
- brickjournal.com - BrickJournal is a magazine that spotlights the many aspects of the LEGO Community.
- brickshelf.com - Cool LEGO building stuff.
- peeron.com - More cool LEGO stuff, including a list of parts numbers and names; color chart, sets, building instructions
- classic-castle.com - For LEGO castle aficionados
- bricklink.com - Premium venue for individuals and businesses from all around the world to buy and sell new, used and vintage LEGO
- brothers-brick.com - The Brothers Brick is a LEGO blog for adult fans of LEGO
- lugnet.com - International LEGO Users Group Network, a global community of LEGO enthusiasts.
- The Art of LEGO Design by Fred Martin- A slightly outdated, but still very useful guide to building with LEGO.
Programming
- NEW! Fundamentals of NXT-G Programming - A free, self-paced introductory programming course designed to cover the fundamentals of NXT-G programming. Students have the ability to earn Badges to represent their accomplishments. There is also an optional cumulative exam that lets students earn an "NXT-G Programming Fundamentals" badge.
- NEW! NXT Programming for Beginners - courtesy of Neil Rosenberg, Excellent resource for all levels of NXT users.
- NEW! nxtprograms.com - Step-by-step instructions to build & program robots to do various simple tasks
- NXT Programming Tutorial - Downloadable, excellent introductory and advanced programming tutorials for NXT. Provides step-by-step guidance and explanations of the skills needed to create simple and more advanced NXT-G robot code.
- NXT Programming Tutorial (IN SPANISH)
- NXTLOG - from LEGO.com, Share and archive your LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT projects.
Materials in Support of the Classroom
- GEAR-Tech-21- Includes six to nine activity modules introducing robot design, building and programming for the LEGO NXT
- Carnegie Mellon- Comprehensive FIRST LEGO League robotics and engineering resources can be found at the Robotics Academy site.. The Robotics Academy also offers free online training and access to free materials for students who are members of the Robotics Academy’s Computer Science Student Network ( CS2N). The online trainings cover everything that teams need to know to be successful at programming their FLL robots. The Robotics Academy also offers free training for TETRIX robots.
- NASA Educational Robotics Matrix This is a list of robotics and engineering educational materials, collected by NASA. Not all of the materials here apply to FIRST LEGO League.
- Tufts Center for Engineering Educational Outreach - Encyclopedia of LEGO part names and uses, building and programming hints, and physics concepts. Also, about 40 classroom activities and ideas using LEGO elements and ROBOLAB to help teach subjects, from science and engineering to reading and art, are available for download. Another database of activities is below under LEGO Invent & Investigate Database.
- Trifolioum Gears Lesson - A lesson plan about gear types and uses using LEGO gears to illustrate. Introduction to gears lesson.
- How Stuff Works - Explanations of how things work. It is not a curricula, and not specific to FIRST LEGO League, but has very good explanations of general engineering concepts. For example, How Gears Work, How Gear Ratios Work, and How Differentials Work.
Engineering & Career Resources
- robotics.nasa.gov - NASA Robotics Alliance Project
- kids.gov - lots of links with career information for children
- engineergirl.org - Created by the National Academy of Engineering
- asce.org/kids - The American Society of Civil Engineering kids' pages
- civilengineeringdegree.org - Complete List of Accredited Engineering Degrees
Note: None of the websites listed above are affiliated with or sponsored by the LEGO Group.
