Curriculum Collection
FIRST has reviewed curricula materials created by teams or organizations that give more in depth coverage of FIRST LEGO League robotics and engineering concepts. If you are a classroom based team, these links are a good place to look for classroom material that can give your class background knowledge in engineering and robotics. Below you will also find information on Educational Standards. If you are just getting started with your team, also look at the Building and Programming sections. If you have a suggestion to add to this page, please email firstplace@usfirst.org.
Comprehensive Curricula
Carnegie Mellon Curriculum
The most comprehensive FIRST LEGO League robotics and engineering curriculum we have seen. From the Robotics Academy of The National Robotics Engineering Center and Carnegie Mellon, there are two items available here. First, a free robotics curriculum,a project involving many teachers, university faculty, engineers, and others. The outline covers almost everything you could want, but as it is an incomplete version a few documents are missing here and there. Available in English or Spanish, this school robotics curriculum is in depth coverage of the concepts involved in building and programming a robot. Next, based on this original material, a completed curriculum is available for purchase on CD.
The Art of LEGO Design by Fred Martin (pdf - 975 KB)
A slightly outdated, but still very useful guide to building with LEGO. Most importantly for new teams, this document covers building robots that don't fall apart.
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 Curriculum
This site is an encyclopedia of LEGO part names and uses, building and programming hints, and physics concepts. Also, about 40 classroom activities and curriculum 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.
Massachussets Pre-K to 12 Grade Engineering Activities
A free resource for educators and administrators who are looking to integrate engineering concepts and activities into Pre-K through 12th grade classrooms. Although alligned for the new engineering requirements in the Massachusetts standards, the activities may be used by all.
How Stuff Works
This is a great site for 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.
Educational Standards
Listing of National Educational Standards met by City Sights! (pdf - 20 KB)
A listing of National Educational Standards met by the 2002 Challenge City Sights! This list was prepared for FIRST LEGO LEAGUE by the Wisconsin Creative Problem Solving Programs at the University of Wisconsin.
Questions, comments, or feedback on these documents? Do you have additional curricula materials you would like to submit?
Email firstplace@usfirst.org