Grades 5-12: Robots Alive: Robotics, Engineering & You


MOREnet and RoundTrips Present
Robots Alive: Robotics, Engineering and You

Join us live on March 6, 7 and 8 from Hale Arena in Kansas City, Missouri and be part of the action as teams from across the Midwest compete in the 2nd Annual Kansas City FIRST Robotics Regional Competition. Founded in 1989, FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is a unique varsity sport of the mind designed to help high-school-aged young people discover how interesting and rewarding the life of engineers and researchers can be. FRC stages short games played by remote-controlled robots. The robots are designed and built in 6 weeks (out of a common set of basic parts) by a team of 10 to 20 high-school-aged young people and a handful of engineers-mentors. The students pilot the robots on the field as they participate in a series of challenges designed by Dean Kamen, Dr. Woodie Flowers, and a committee of engineers and other professionals.

FRC Regional events are typically held in university arenas. They involve 40 to 70 teams cheered by thousands of fans over two and a half days. A championship event caps the season. Referees oversee the competition. Judges present awards to teams for design, technology, sportsmanship and commitment to FIRST. FIRST redefines winning for these students. Teams are rewarded for excellence in design, demonstrated team spirit, gracious professionalism and maturity, and ability to overcome obstacles. Scoring the most points is a secondary goal. Winning means building partnerships that last.

We invite you and your students to be part of the excitement on March 6, 7 and 8 by joining us live for our slate of interactive programs. Programs will be offered for viewing in three ways: 1) Interactive Videoconference (IVC); 2) View Only Videoconference (VOV); and 3) Webstream (WS).

1. Interactive videoconference (IVC) enrollment is limited to three schools per program. Participants will automatically receive preparatory materials and curriculum standards related to the program’s content and have face-to-face videoconference interaction with program participants.
2. View only videoconference (VOV) viewing is unlimited. If requested, participants will receive preparatory materials and curriculum standards related to the program’s content and be able to e-mail questions to program participants.
3. Webstream (WS) viewing is also unlimited. If requested, participants will receive preparatory materials and curriculum standards related to the program’s content and be able to e-mail questions to program participants.

All programs are not available in all formats. Please note format options as you peruse the program schedules on the next pages.

Enrollment is easy! To enroll in the format of your choice, contact Tim Gore at RoundTrips Interactive Video E-Learning via e-mail at roundtrips@clayton.k12.mo.us or via phone at 314-773-6934.

To learn more about the times and content of programs, please read on.
Thursday, March 7 (All times are listed for the Central Standard Time Zone)

Enrollment Information:
To enroll in the format of your choice, contact Tim Gore at roundtrips@clayton.k12.mo.us or 314-773-6934. Webstream viewing will be online at http://www.more.net/mets/first/.



It’s the only day of on-site practice before the competition begins March 8. Each of today’s programs will let your students explore the world of robotics engineering as they interact with both competing student engineers and professional engineers working in the field. Go live to the pits as students test and tweak their robots. Ask questions about designing and building the machines, what’s working and what’s not. Go live to the field of competition and see the robots in action. Ask questions about how the robots are accomplishing their tasks, which strategies and designs work best. Your students will also meet engineers working in the field and see other unique applications of robots. Ask engineers questions about their career, the design and creation of their robots, the challenges and opportunities available as an engineer. Are your students working on a robotics project of their own? Ask the engineer for advice, feedback, and ideas.

Program Time
Viewing Options
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. CST
IVC, VOV, WS
Noon to 1:00 p.m. CST
IVC, VOV, WS
2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CST
IVC, VOV, WS

Friday, March 8 (All times are listed for the Central Standard Time Zone)

The competition begins today with qualifying matches so our programs will be one of two types to bring you more of the live competition and action in the pits. Tier A programs will include the same elements as described in our Thursday, March 7 programs. Tier B programs will provide direct student to student interaction in the pits and field of competition as Tier A programs but WILL NOT include scheduled interaction with robotics engineers working in the field. Once again, programs will be offered in either Interactive Videoconference (IVC), View Only Videoconference (VOV) or Webstream (WS) options. Please note viewing options and Tier type for each program in the schedule below.

Program Time
Program Type
Viewing Options
9:00 to 9:45 a.m. CST
Tier B (includes Opening Ceremony)
VOV, WS
10:00 to 11:00 a.m. CST
Tier A (includes qualifying matches)
IVC, VOV, WS
11:15 to Noon CST
Tier B (includes qualifying matches)
IVC, VOV, WS
1:00 to 2:00 p.m. CST
Tier A (includes qualifying matches)
IVC, VOV, WS
2:15 to 3:00 p.m. CST
Tier B (includes qualifying matches)
IVC, VOV, WS
3:30 to 4:30 p.m. CST
Tier B (includes qualifying matches and Friday awards)
VOV, WS
Enrollment Information:
To enroll in the format of your choice, contact Tim Gore at roundtrips@clayton.k12.mo.us or 314-773-6934. Webstream viewing will be online at http://www.more.net/mets/first/.




To see even more of the FIRST Robotics excitement online you can watch live competition all day Friday, March 7 via webstream at: http://www.more.net/mets/first/.
Saturday, March 8 (All times are listed for the Central Standard Time Zone)

Today’s final day of competition includes the rest of the qualifying matches as well as the final round matches and Awards Ceremony. As a result, all of today’s programs will follow our Tier B format from Friday. Once again, programs will be offered in either Interactive Videoconference (IVC), View Only Videoconference (VOV) or Webstream (WS) options. Please note viewing options and Tier type for each program in the schedule below.

Program Time
Program Type
Viewing Options
9:00 to 10:00 a.m. CST
Tier B (includes Saturday Opening Ceremony and qualifying matches)
VOV, WS
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. CST
Tier B (includes the end of qualifying matches)
IVC, VOV, WS
1:00 to 3:00 p.m. CST
Tier B (includes all final round matches)
IVC, VOV, WS
3:15 to 4:15 p.m. CST
Tier B (includes Final Awards Ceremony)
VOV, WS
Enrollment Information:
To enroll in the format of your choice, contact Tim Gore at roundtrips@clayton.k12.mo.us or 314-773-6934. Webstream viewing will be online at http://www.more.net/mets/first/.




To see even more of the FIRST Robotics excitement online you can watch live competition all day Saturday, March 8 via webstream at: http://www.more.net/mets/first/.

To help prepare your students for any program, you’ll find more information about FIRST Robotics at http://www.usfirst.org/. The website for the Kansas City competition is http://www.kcfirst.org/. If you have additional questions about program content or student participation, contact Tim Gore at RoundTrips at roundtrips@clayton.k12.mo.us or 314-773-6934. If you have technical questions, please contact video@more.net or call 537-884-6986.

Featured National Science Curriculum Standards for this Program:

Grades 5-8

NS.5-8.1 SCIENCE AS INQUIRY
As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop--
• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understandings about scientific inquiry

NS.5-8.2 PHYSICAL SCIENCE
As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop an understanding
• Properties and changes of properties in matter
• Motions and forces
• Transfer of energy

NS.5-8.5 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop--
• Abilities of technological design
• Understandings about science and technology

Grades 9-12

NS.9-12.1 SCIENCE AS INQUIRY
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop
• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Understandings about scientific inquiry

NS.9-12.2 PHYSICAL SCIENCE
As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop an understanding of
• Structure of atoms
• Structure and properties of matter
• Chemical reactions
• Motions and forces
• Conservation of energy and increase in disorder
• Interactions of energy and matter

NS.9-12.5 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop
• Abilities of technological design
• Understandings about science and technology