We’ve got some fun, short activities for the whole family that are on theme for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday! All you need is six LEGO^® Bricks. You can use a Discover More set or other LEGO or LEGO^® DUPLO^® Bricks. If you don’t have any bricks on hand, you can choose your own building materials.

• Build it: Build something you are thankful for.  Then take turns sharing what you built and why you are thankful for it.
• Remember it: Each person builds their favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal.  Then, secretly place what you built on a table without letting the others see.  Take turns guessing what each person built, using what you know about their favorite parts of the holiday.

Take your play a step further by adding these activities and playing the Discover More Game, adding new building materials, expanding your builds, and coming up with your own activities by playing together however your family likes to have fun! Share your builds on social media and be sure to tag us @FIRSTLEGOLeague.

In December, the LEGO^® Education SPIKE App 3 will be launched, giving a faster connection flow and increased predictability in model behavior for more effective iteration and testing. After the launch of SPIKE App 3, SPIKE App 2 will prompt you to download SPIKE App 3. The Web App will automatically switch to SPIKE App 3 on the launch date, and you will be prompted to update your firmware to ensure compatibility. Your firmware needs to be coherent with the app version to be compatible. As updating to the SPIKE App 3 will affect existing code, we recommend that FIRST^® LEGO^® League teams do NOT transition to the new app in the middle of their season.

However, teams that have not yet started with their robot, or have already finished their season, can benefit from the following key attributes:

• Faster Hub Connection

Easy wireless connection allows students to focus on the learning content and spend their time more efficiently. Makes wireless connections through Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) more straightforward and faster.

• Enhanced Model Movement Prediction

Improved motor precision increases the predictability of the model movement. The motor movement blocks improve motor regulation resulting in more precise motor behavior.

• Improved Firmware Upgrade    

Updating firmware is now much faster for SPIKE Prime. Students can continue to work on their coding during the upgrade.

• Support for bigger User Programs 

More Hub memory supports bigger user programs. This allows advanced users and competition teams to string longer code together to solve missions more effectively.

• Simplified Motor and Movement Blocks

Simplified palette of motor and movement blocks makes coding more intuitive and empower students to test, debug and optimize their designs.

A new Python API will be rolled out in a coming update, but Python is not initially part of the SPIKE App 3 launch. You will be informed as soon as future updates becomes available.

We’ve got some fun, short activities for the whole family that are on theme for Halloween! All you need is six LEGO^® Bricks. You can use a Discover More set or other LEGO or LEGO^® DUPLO^® Bricks. If you don’t have any bricks on hand, you can choose your own building materials.

Build it: Choose a Halloween-themed item to build, like a pumpkin, candy, or cat.  Build it and see if someone can guess what you made.

Say it:  Have each person build their favorite Halloween character or costume, such as a witch, ghost, or skeleton.  Pick someone to start a story about what they built.  Take turns adding to the story.  Make sure to include what you built on your turn!

Take your play a step further by adding these activities and playing the Discover More Game, adding new building materials, expanding your builds, and coming up with your own activities by playing together however your family likes to have fun.

Today’s post is by Kim Wierman-Reid, Senior Director, FIRST^® LEGO^® League.

Kids are often made to feel, sometimes unintentionally, that they aren’t good enough or the “right kind of kid” for a certain school subject or afterschool activity. We talked to kids, experts, and parents all over the United States to learn about what the current barriers to success were. What we heard the most was that many kids learn to doubt themselves because of the fear of judgment or lack of acceptance. This insight drove us to create our new campaign, More Than. More Than focuses on dismantling labels and promoting self-esteem through STEM-related activities like FIRST^® LEGO^® League.

We at FIRST^® want every kid to believe in themselves and know that they are More Than the stereotypes or ‘boxes’ society has placed them in. As Senior Program Director for FIRST LEGO League, I’ve seen firsthand how kids gain confidence and develop a love of learning through the support of their teammates and coaches. We want to make sure that EVERY kid has access to these experiences and knows that they can pursue their interests and dreams, free of judgement and full of encouragement.  

Parents and educators play a critical role in building kids’ resilience, self-worth, empowerment, and academic interests; in fact, 77% of kids aged 13-18 say they would turn to a parent, teacher, or school counselor for advice if they were considering joining an extracurricular activity. As FIRST coaches, volunteers, and team parents, you can – and do – inspire kids to build the self-esteem and innovative spirit to build a strong future for themselves and the world.

Check out our PSA video and share the More Than movement with your team and community.

Thank you for supporting our movement and empowering our amazing kids! We encourage you to share your #IAmMoreThan stories on social media – our social media toolkit includes graphics, videos, and sample social posts to help you share your thoughts with your networks.

Today’s post is from Taylor Whisenant, FIRST^® LEGO^® League Program Delivery Partner and 2022 FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award presented by Qualcomm Team Learning Facilitator

In June, I had the privilege of volunteering at my first ever FIRST^® LEGO^® League Global Innovation Award Ceremony. As the event’s Team Learning Facilitator, I got to help teams connect with each other and learn from each other’s experiences from this season. As a teacher, I feel that this was the perfect job for me, and I had a BLAST!

Teams were divided into Learning Cohorts, composed of two or three teams each. These groups engaged with each other in a variety of ways during the event, but in their Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) Sessions, the cohorts had deep conversations about the ins and outs of their Innovation Projects. We started each session with a “This or That” game. (Would you rather be able to control fire or control water?) This silly activity got the teams comfortable with talking to each other and helped show them some things they have in common. Then, I shared the Socratic Method, a format for cooperative discussions, with the teams. I framed each session in the same way – every team in attendance was there due to their stellar work on the Innovation Project, and there was a lot they could all learn from each other!

Teams generated questions for each other about their Innovation Projects, sat in the conversation circle, and started their discussions. Then, the real magic happened! Team members who entered the room quiet and nervous confidently asked and answered questions about their work. I had so much fun being part of these learning experiences! (I feel like I know a lot more about delivery truck routes, organ transportation, and packing materials now after these sessions!).

After one session, I messaged the administrators at my school, telling them that I had just facilitated an incredible discussion amongst young innovators from Norway, Brazil, and the U.S. – where else could I get this kind of opportunity? Over the course of the event, I witnessed amazing displays of the FIRST^® Core Values, community, collaboration, and, of course, innovation. I hope to volunteer again next year, and I cannot wait to see what these teams innovate next!

Learn more about innovation at FIRST.

We send email blasts from FIRST^® Headquarters to FIRST^® LEGO^® League Explore and FIRST^® LEGO^® League Challenge teams in the United States and Canada biweekly. Outside of the U.S. or Canada? Your local Program Delivery Partner will send information to the teams in your region.

June 2022:

• FIRST LEGO League Explore Blast 06.10.22

As part of the CARGO CONNECT^SM Challenge, FIRST^® LEGO^® League teams from more than 110 countries identified a problem related to improving the transportation journey of products. Teams went on to research the problem they discovered and were tasked to innovate a solution in the form of a new piece of technology or by improving an existing one. As they immersed themselves in the innovation process, teams considered possible barriers to implementation, documented the evaluation of their invention, and validated their design with professionals working in relevant STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.

We are proud to announce the twenty inspiring teams from around the world that have been selected for their outstanding solutions developed during the CARGO CONNECT season. These 20 finalist teams will vie for the top honor of the 2022 FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award presented by Qualcomm Incorporated.

The annual Global Innovation Award celebrates the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers who are developing solutions for today’s societal problems. The award also honors the winning team for developing the mindsets, competencies, and inspiration to impact the world for generations to come.

“The future of our economy and workforce relies on the inspiration, development, and empowerment of young, creative problem-solvers,” said Natalie Dusi, Manager Government Affairs at Qualcomm Incorporated. “Qualcomm is thrilled to be the presenting sponsor of the 2022 FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award, and we are so proud of all of these teams whose powerful ideas and innovations deserve to be celebrated on a global stage.”

The 2022 FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award Ceremony will be held June 21-23 in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. The multi-day event of workshops, judging sessions, and meetings with industry experts, will culminate in a live award show on the FIRSTtv Twitch channel, June 23, with a pre-show starting at 5:30 p.m. ET.

This year’s award show will be co-hosted by Arwen Zhang and Trevor Langley, two FIRST^®students, Innovation Ambassadors, and prior Global Innovation Award Finalists. Arwen has been a FIRST participant for seven years and currently participates in FIRST^® Tech Challenge. Trevor has been a FIRST participant for ten years, and now participates in FIRST^® Robotics Competition.

Join the celebration of these 20 Finalist teams advancing to the 2022 FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award presented by Qualcomm!

Congrats to our 20 Finalist teams:

• AC/DC/EG from São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo, Brazil. Invention: Perlite Thermal Insulator (P.T.I)
• The Albots from St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Invention: The Road Guardian
• Baksteen Valken from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA. Invention: FalconFire
• Blue Star Robotics from Pearland, Texas, USA. Invention: Damaged Road Tracking Solution (DRTS)
• CRE8 from Mason, Ohio, USA. Invention: F.R.E.S.H. Pack
• Darth Rappers from Cary, North Carolina, USA. Invention: ‘MILE’NIUM F.A.L.C.O.N
• Eco Cargo Solutions from Hessa skole, Ålesund, Norway. Invention: Pack-man solution
• Gizmo Gang from Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Invention: HAGL Dispenser and Tote System
• The Great Gatsbys from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Invention: PAWSome Packing Product
• The Green Brick Road from Mamaroneck, New York, USA. Invention: Green Path Delivery – GPD
• Herobotics – Gold from Springdale, Arkansas, USA. Invention: Sensor Powered Organ Transportation
• iAmicos from Yorktown Heights, New York, USA. Invention: FlexShelf
• The MailMasters from Redmond, Washington, USA. Invention: Flexi-Box
• New Cats On The Block from Johnston, Iowa, United States. Invention: The Food Bank Flat
• Robo Raptors from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, USA. Invention: Cargo on the Clock (C-Square System)
• RoboPixls from San Jose, California, USA. Invention: PAC (Pixl Affordable Cooling)
• SustainaBot from Milano, Italy. Invention: FrostBox
• The Swag Hats from Waukee, Iowa, USA. Invention: OSCAR- Organ Sensing Cargo Alert Reader
• Takevians from Samsun, Turkey. Invention: DURABLE PACKAGING, SOLID CARGO
• TriTech from Dix Hills, New York, USA. Invention: SCOUTbot

Learn more about the Global Innovation Award at www.firstinspires.org/gia.

This post was written by Jillian Mordarski, FIRST® LEGO® League Project Manager and Coach

FIRST LEGO League believes that celebration is part of the team experience for many reasons. Celebrating a child’s achievements is a terrific way to encourage their development and growth. When children feel supported by their peers, coaches, and family, it increases their self-esteem and builds their confidence.

A celebration can be as simple as acknowledging a job well done. Sometimes adults put too much pressure on themselves to create the “perfect experience” for their child. When adults take the time to listen and positively affirm what a child has accomplished, it can be the biggest win of all!

Here are 5 fun and simple ideas to celebrate your team’s accomplishments:

1. Share! We encourage teams to share what they’ve learned during the season. Inviting friends and family to join in and see what the children have been working on is a fantastic way to end the season. Encourage attendees to ask team members questions about what they learned and what their favorite part of the season was.

2. Jump (or dance) it out! Did you know that we have an official FIRST LEGO League Song, “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work”? Crank up the volume and have your team dance to one of our favorite songs!

3. Play! (And help pick up, of course) Are you ready to take your team’s model, robot, or Mission Models apart? Do you have access to extra LEGO®? Host a building or taking apart session and have team members and their families play with LEGO. You can even turn cleaning up into a game like “who can find the most blue LEGO elements?”.

4. Make it official! Print participation and event certificates for all of your team members, found on our Team Resources page here. You can write a note on each certificate with a shout-out to the team member or a special memory from the season.

5. Have fun with food! Celebrations and food go together. Host a pizza or dessert party, or make it a potluck and have everyone bring their own dish.

We’d love to hear about your team’s celebration! Share your ideas and season-end celebrations on social media and make sure to tag us (@firstlegoleague on Twitter and /FLLTeams on Facebook) so we can share your joyous moments with the community.

Last week, thousands of students, coaches, volunteers, sponsors, and STEM supporters gathered in Houston, TX, USA for the first in-person FIRST^® Championship in 3 years! To say that we were excited to welcome attendees back is an understatement. The week was filled with exciting, friendly competition and examples of Gracious Professionalism^® that represented what FIRST is all about.

The FIRST^® LEGO^® League World Festival (part of the FIRST Championship) hosted 106 FIRST^®LEGO^® League Challenge teams and 49 FIRST^®LEGO^® League Explore teams from around the world. The teams in attendance displayed their inspiring CARGO CONNECT^SM robots, Innovation Projects, and Core Values – reiterating that the FIRST experience is really #MoreThanRobots.

Here is the complete FIRST LEGO League Challenge World Festival Awards list:

Champion’s Award Winner:

Legotronics Beavers, Torres de Elorz, Spain

Champion’s Award Finalists:

FIRST FUJISAN, Yamanashi, Japan

RoboTrix 1200, Kfar Yona, Isreal

Aldeatrón Robotix, S/C de Tenerife, Spain

Volunteers of the Year:

Andy Snape

Abdulmatin Adeniji

Core Values Award Winner:

Yinz Girls, Pittsburgh, PA USA

Core Values Award Finalists:

The Cryptic Cookies Bits ‘n Bot, Seattle, WA USA

SycaGo 1799, Holon, Isreal

ARRA, Pitesti, Romania

Innovation Project Award Winner:

Darth Rappers, Raleigh, NC USA

Innovation Project Award Finalists:

C.R.A.B. (Cool Robots and Builders), Big Cove, AL USA

Artificial Intelligence, Minneapolis, MN USA

FunBricks, Bordeaux, France

Robot Design Award Winner:

Team Phoenix, Lafayette, LA USA

Robot Design Award Finalists:

Lituanica X, Vilnius, Lithuania

The Gummy Bears, Westford, MA USA

TAI-BOTICS, Taichung City, Chinese Taipei

Robot Performance Award Winner:

106 Legotronics Beavers, Torres de Elorz, Spain

Robot Performance Award Finalists:

SESI CLP, Várzea Paulista, Brazil

Aldeatrón Robotix, S/C de Tenerife, Spain

TAI-BOTICS, Taichung City, Chinese Taipei

Engineering Excellence Award Winners:

SESI CLP, Várzea Paulista, Brazil

ATOMBOT, SÃO JOÃO DEL REI, Brazil

Phi Team, Amman, Jordan

Breakthrough Award Winners:

Robo Raptors, Fair Lawn, NJ USA

Darth Gators, Lexington, SC USA

WoodleyRobotics, Rockville, MD USA

Motivate Award Winners:

Jedi Bricks, Pittsford, NY USA

TechBlaze, Houston, TX USA

51 LEGO My Eggo, Meridian, ID USA

Rising All-Star Award Winners:

CIRAT, Bogota, Colombia

#PandaPower, Los Altos, CA USA

Clueless, Richmond, VA USA

World Festival Peer Award Winner:

TechBlaze, Houston, TX USA

Coach/Mentor Award Winners:

Clive Segar, Combat Wombats, Freshford, England

Heather Bioren, Cryptic Cookies Bits ‘n Bots, Seattle, WA USA

Eric Borromeo, Ctrl-Z Bayview Glen, Toronto, Ontario Canada

The FIRST LEGO League Explore Team Choice Award went to Team 25379, Team DAV Ultimate Shippers, Houston, Texas, and the FIRST LEGO League Explore Volunteer of the Year Award went to Patricia Gouws from South Africa.

Check out the scores from the World Festival Matches here. If you are unable to see them after clicking on the link, refresh your browser until they appear. All coaches assigned to a team in the World Festival registration should be able to see their team’s individual rubrics and scoresheets, and can share those with families by screenshots or saving as PDF.

Congratulations to all of the teams who attended the CARGO CONNECT World Festival! We hope to have you back for the FIRST^® ENERGIZE^SM presented by Qualcomm season.

Here’s a sneak peek at the upcoming FIRST LEGO League Challenge, SUPERPOWERED^SM:

Let us know what you think using #SUPERPOWERED on social media!

Is your team getting ready for their first tournament? Not sure what extras you should bring? We’ve got you covered!

Here are some suggestions we’ve heard from veteran coaches:

• Bring snacks! It’s helpful to stay fueled during a long and exciting day.
• It’s a good idea to bring a toolbox filled with extra LEGO elements for your robot.
• Bring a battery pack for an extra power source.
• Use a cart to keep organized! We’ve seen teams use a 3-tier craft rolling cart to stay organized and transport materials.

Attending a virtual event that’s using the Remote Event Hub? Visit our Challenge, Updates, and Resources page for info about accessing the Remote Event Hub, and contact your local Program Delivery Partner if you need login credentials or technical assistance.

We hope you have a great event! Let us know what other tips you have for coaches, and tell us about your team’s event experience using #CARGOCONNECT on social media.

This season, all registered CARGO CONNECT^SM teams and class packs in the U.S. and Canada can access digital versions of the guidebooks (Team Meeting Guide, Engineering Notebook, and fillable Engineering Notebook) through our Thinkscape portal (if you’re located outside of the U.S. or Canada, please contact your local program delivery partner for assistance with accessing digital versions of the guidebooks). Included within Thinkscape are also translated versions of the guidebooks provided by our international program delivery partners.

CARGO CONNECT guidebooks are available in the following languages:

• Dutch
• Finnish (Challenge only)
• French
• German (Challenge and Explore only)
• Italian (Challenge only)
• Russian
• Spanish

Find instructions for accessing digital materials in Thinkscape* by FIRST^® LEGO^® League division below:
*Digital guidebooks are located within the CARGO CONNECT Season Resources (21-22) module.

FIRST^® LEGO^® League Discover (Class Pack):

FIRST^® LEGO^® League Explore (Team, Class Pack):

FIRST^® LEGO^® League Challenge (Team, Class Pack):

How is your team using the digital resources? Let us know with a tweet @firstlegoleague or Facebook post!