** All spots for this workshop have been filled and registration is closed. **

This workshop is for FLL coaches/mentors only. Pre-registration is required, space is very limited and first-come first-served.

The University of Texas at Dallas is pleased to be able to offer two full-day FIRST LEGO League training workshops for coaches.  These will be hands-on workshops reviewing many of the core aspects of a FIRST LEGO League season, including season competition, robot construction, programming, and game strategy.  Participants will be able to build and program FIRST LEGO League robots.

The workshops will be held on September 8th and September 15th.  The workshops are being offered free of charge, but space is extremely limited (first-come first-served) and pre-registration is required registration is now closed.  Details on location, parking permits, and other information will be emailed to registered participants prior to the workshop.

The agenda for each workshop are as follows:

September 8th  — SESSIONS ARE FULL

Morning (8:30am-noon): Introduction to FLL, LEGO Mindstorms, and Robot Construction
This session will provide an overview of the 2016 FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competition and hands-on training in building a robot using the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 construction set. We will introduce common LEGO EV3 elements, illustrate basic robot design and building principles, and culminate with assembling and testing a prototype competition robot.

Afternoon (1pm-4pm): Beginning FLL Programming
This session will introduce the Mindstorms EV3 software used to program robots for FLL competitions. The group will begin with an overview of the EV3 programming environment, then work on the basics of getting robots to navigate on a competition field. Common sensors for detecting lines, borders, and colors will be introduced. Finally, the use of “My Blocks” to build custom routines will be covered.

September 15th — SESSIONS ARE FULL

Morning (8:30am-noon): Chassis and Attachments; Intermediate FLL Programming 1
This session will review the 2016 FLL game challenge (“Animal Allies”), revisit basic robot building principles, and introduce techniques for creating more competitive robots. Participants will gain hands-on experience creating attachments and other chassis improvements to solve common FLL game challenges. The workshop will then focus on intermediate programming topics, including My Blocks, loop and sensor blocks, and navigation using the gyro and color sensors.

Afternoon (1pm-4pm): Intermediate FLL Programming 2; Season and Tournament Preparation
This session will continue with intermediate programming tasks using sensors and navigation, followed by a review of tournament activities and tips for improving team success in the Robot Design, Project, and Core Values aspects of the competition.

For more information about the workshops, contact Patrick Michaud at <pmichaud@pobox.com> .