Programming
NXT Programming Tutorial by Dale Yocum, Catlin Gabel School in Portland, Oregon
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. You may download and use the tutorials in a classroom or team setting, or distribute to the group to learn on their own.
Programming Tips (pdf - 29 KB)
Quick programming tips for any FLL coach, with answers to some commonly asked questions.
ROBOLAB Help and Information
For information on what each block does, in ROBOLAB, go to the Help menu and choose Show Context Help. Start by looking at these ROBOLAB instructions. Also, try ROBOLAB examples. Also, here is a ROBOLAB reference guide (the beginning can be confusing, but keep reading) and if something isn't working, try ROBOLAB troubleshooting or another ROBOLAB troubleshooting.
MINDSTORMS RIS Help and Information
For information on what each block does, in – RCX Specific MINDSTORMS RIS go to the Help menu and choose What's This?
There are no online trainings for MINDSTORMS RIS. Instead, use the interactive training videos that came on the CD with the Software. To use the interactive training videos, open MINDSTORMS RIS 2.0, click Run, type a user name and click Enter, click Missions, and then click Training Missions. If you wish to skip ahead, hold down Ctrl-Shift and click the checkbox of any training missions you wish to skip. If something isn't working, try MINDSTORMS RIS troubleshooting.
RCX Specific Information
FLL Policy for MINDSTORMS RCX (posted 5/09)
Team Practice Activity (Mini-Challenges) (pdf - 122 KB)
Helping the team gain the programming skills they will need is a hard job for the coach. This document will guide you, the coach, through practice sessions with your FLL team. These exercises are designed to point the way to the skills the team will need to solve the Challenge. Your team can use these exercises before the season begins, or as you see a need during the season. You may choose sections to learn specific skills, or complete the entire training. Depending on the team’s learning curve, to complete all the exercises will take from five to ten hours.
FIRST Place Scooter Instructions (pdf - 1.1 MB)
Instructions for the optional training robot to go with the above training activities.
FIRST Place Scooter Light Sensor Addition Instructions (pdf - 507 KB)
Instructions for the light sensor addition to the above robot.
FIRST Place Scooter Touch Sensor Addition Instructions (pdf - 544 KB)
Instructions for the touch sensor addition to the above robot.
FIRST Place Scooter Rotation Sensor Addition Instructions (pdf - 551 KB)
Instructions for the rotation sensor addition to the above robot.
ROBOLAB Starter Sheet (pdf - 170 KB)- Specific to ROBOLAB 2.5.4
There is now a new version of ROBOLAB 2.9 that works with NXT or RCX but this document does not cover it at this time. Reference pages to leave next to the computer for the team using ROBOLAB 2.5, since getting started can be intimidating. The first page has instructions for opening a new program within ROBOLAB. The second page shows the programming blocks that a new team is most likely to use first