Robotics Club

2024-2025 Co-Chairs: Eve Jaikhan and Sakshi Thawani

Robotics Club meets Thursdays after school, 2:45pm-3:45pm.

Students will be engaged in hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) concepts and 21st century skills using one or more of the following kits according to Grade levels:

LEGO Education SPIKE™ Essential
LEGO Education BricQ Motion Essential
LEGO Education SPIKE™ Prime
FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 MASTERPIECE – Challenge

By taking these classes, the students develop a variety of skills, including computational thinking, engineering design, scientific concepts, and social-emotional skills. The classes are taught by professional instructors and BSD staff.

Please note : Students in grades 4-5 will have the option of participating club in the 2024-2025 FLL events/tournaments.

Info Night

Arts Club, Languages Club, and Robotics Club are co-hosting an Info Night is on Tuesday, September 10th, 2024, 5pm-6pm*. The club chairs will share information about their club and answer any questions. Please join us! Both parents and students are welcome to attend!

*This page previously incorrectly listed the info night time as 6pm-7pm. 5pm-6pm is the correct time. Sorry for any confusion.

What is FLL?

FIRST® LEGO® League

FIRST® LEGO® League introduces science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to children ages 4-16* through fun, exciting hands-on learning. Participants gain real-world problem-solving experience through a guided, global robotics program, helping today's students and teachers build a better future together. Our three divisions inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding, and design skills through hands-on STEM learning and robotics.

FIRST® LEGO® League Season Challenges

Every year, FIRST® LEGO® League releases a new Challenge based on a real-world, scientific theme.

Starting with Discover (Grades K-1), children are introduced to the fundamentals of STEM while working together to solve fun challenges and building models using LEGO® DUPLO® bricks.

As participants progress into Explore (Grades 2-3), children will take their background knowledge of STEM and put it into practice as they work in teams to design and build robots using the LEGO® Education SPIKE Essential.

Once they are ready to move into a competitive setting, they join Challenge (Grades 4-5) and apply their STEM skills combined with critical thinking to work with a team, build a robot, and compete in an exciting, mission-based robotics game. Learn more about becoming a team member here.

Class Info

DISCOVER (Grades K-1):

Young children learn by doing. They will playfully discover STEM concepts by using Duplos (the big Lego blocks) and Lego Education STEM kits to create sequences and learn design processes with NO coding component and without requiring screen time. This level uses the Lego STEM Park set, the Discover Set and the BricQ Motion Essential. It helps students with critical thinking, problem solving and fine motor skill development.

Important: Fall semester will use the same curriculum as last spring's Coding Program (Spring 2024). If you have a first grader who was enrolled in Spring 2024 of Coding as a kindergartener, you are welcome to register for this class in 2024-2025, but please understand that your child will begin seeing new curriculum in the winter semester.

EXPLORE (Grades 2-3):

Our program is designed with hands-on learning projects to bring their ideas and imagination. Students take on engaging STEM building and coding challenges using a series of Lego sets: Spike Essential, BricQ Motion Essential and the FLL Masterpiece Challenge kit. Students learn and apply engineering, math, and coding concepts while strengthening their creativity, perseverance, problem-solving abilities and teamwork skills.

Important: Fall semester will use the same curriculum as last year's Coding Program (2023-2024). If you have a third grader who was enrolled in any semester (fall, winter, or spring) of Coding as a second grader, you are welcome to register for this class in 2024-2025, but please understand that your child will begin seeing new curriculum in the winter semester.

CHALLENGE (Grades 4-5):

Our program is to bring Robotics coding to the next level where students will develop their strategic planning and work as a team to create their own robots and solve engineering challenges. Students can explore more advanced creations and continue to nurture their interest in STEM learning with the LEGO Education SPIKE Prime and FLL Masterpiece Challenge.

Important: Students in Grades 4-5 have the option of participating in FLL tournaments this year (additional fees apply). One or more teams will be formed from the students enrolled in the class to compete in the 2024-2025 season challenge. Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer support to teams formed outside of Robotics Club, nor will our teams be able to include students who are not enrolled in Robotics Club. If you are interested in competing in tournaments, please thoroughly review the FLL tournaments section below.

FLL Tournaments

Important Deadlines

Teams must be formed quickly after club registration! The deadline for deciding whether your student will participate in tournaments is the day after club registration: Friday, September 20th by the end of the day.

After registration, 4th and 5th graders will be contacted by the Robotics Co-Chairs asking to confirm their decision. Questions may be answered via Zoom call at 5pm on Friday, September 20th, and a parent mentoring session will be held over the weekend.

Team assignments will be decided and communicated by the Robotics Club by Saturday, September 21st, noon.

Robotics Club FLL Tournament Season

The Robotics Club FLL tournament season runs from October 2024 through the local qualifier tournament. This year's tournament date and location are not yet announced. Last year's tournament was held at Chinook Middle School on December 2, 2023. Should your team advance beyond the qualifier tournament, your team may decide to extend the season into January/February beyond the Robotics Club FLL season.

Signing up to participate in FLL tournaments requires a large time and financial commitment! 4th and 5th grade parents, please read below before opting into FLL tournaments.

Financial Commitment

Required: 4th/5th graders who participate in FLL tournaments must pay the $550 team fee. This includes team registration with FLL, take-home robotics materials for the team (team robot, team challenge set, tabletop with map), and the local/qualifier tournament registration fee. Fees do not include tournament fees for state or national tournaments, should the team qualify.

Recommended: In addition to the $550 team fee, we recommend that families also purchase robotics materials for their own home use and practice. Additional items include:

robot set: $539 + taxes and shipping (likely reusable for the 2025-2026 FLL season)
challenge kit: $99 + taxes and shipping (new every year)
(optional) table top: costs vary, a build can be under $200, or buying a portable one from AndyMarks.

Thus, a minimum additional cost of $638 + tax and shipping is needed for a student to be most effective in helping their team succeed in the FLL tournament.

Time Commitment Required

During the season, team members should expect to devote approximately 2-5 hours per week to Robotics Club: less near the beginning of the season, but likely more during the weeks leading up to the tournament.

Team members must commit to:

Weekly team meetings with your entire team
Weekly small group meetings to work on your group's assigned mission
at-home practice

Registration

Registration Opens: Thursday, September 19 at 8:30am.

9/21/2024 UPDATE: Robotics Club is full, and the waitlist is closed. Thank you for your interest in the club!

How to Register: Please purchase/renew your PTA annual membership before registration day. Otherwise, you cannot find the registration form on 9/19.

Find the Rotobics Club registration form in My Family's Forms/Paperwork once registration opens. Complete the form and payment. Your registration is confirmed only after payment is received.

Important: To register, you must agree to all Robotics Club policies on the registration form. Read the policies now.

Club Fees: $750

Fees cover instructor’s fees, materials (Legos), FLL curriculum, year-end party, and general operating expenses.

Additional Fees: $550 for 4th-5th graders participating in FLL tournaments.

The additional fee will be charged after initial registration, once teams are formed from the registered 4th/5th graders. Additional fees include team registration with FLL, take-home robotics materials (team robot, team challenge set, tabletop with map), and the local/qualifier tournament registration fee. Fees do not include tournament fees for state or national tournaments, should the team qualify.

If you need financial assistance to pay the club fee, please choose the "pay by check" option when checking out, so your registration will not be delayed. Then, contact our counselor Ms. Geck (gecke@bsd405.org) to initiate the process.

Club Meetings

Club meetings begin October 3rd and run on Thursdays, 2:45pm-3:45pm through May.

Month	Days
Oct	3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Nov	7, 14, 21
Dec	12, 19
Jan	16, 23, 30
Feb	6, 13, 27
Mar	6, 13, 20, 27
Apr	3, 17, 24
May	1, 8, 15, 22 (makeup if needed)

Policies

Updated: September 11, 2024

FEES: For a student to participate in any after-school club, there cannot be an outstanding balance on the family's PTA's account. Tuition and all outstanding fees must be paid in full by October 3rd, 2024 (or by the next class date if registering after October 3rd). If you do not pay all fees by this deadline, your child will be withdrawn from Robotics Club and a 5% tuition processing fee will be added to your account.

To remain enrolled in Robotics Club, families must timely pay any Medina PTA fees (not just club fees) incurred during the course of the school year. You understand that failure to pay fees on time may result in your student being withdrawn from the club with no refund.

ELIGIBILITY: Our afterschool clubs (including Robotics Club) are ONLY for CURRENT-ENROLLED Medina students with ACTIVE Medina PTA membership. Your child must be enrolled with Medina Elementary school at the time they are attending the club and you must have a valid Medina PTA family or individual membership for the 2024-2025 school year. You agree that if your kid is not currently enrolled with Medina Elementary school OR you do not purchase PTA membership by the first class, your child will be withdrawn from all afterschool clubs with no refund.

PROCESSING FEE: Any student registration for an afterschool club that you cancel will incur a 5% processing fee. This includes cancelling a duplicate registration (e.g., when the parents sign up the same child twice for the same club) or cancelling one registration to sign up for a different Medina PTA club on the same day. The 5% fee applies for all transaction types (credit card, cash, or check).

BEHAVIOR:

Intentional violent behavior directed at another individual during the club (including another student, teacher, coach/instructor, parent, or volunteer) and resulting in physical harm is grounds for immediate removal from that club without refund. Medina PTA retains the discretion to remove this student from all other enrolled afterschool clubs/programs and prevent this student from registering for future afterschool programs in the same school year.

Parents and students are expected to behave respectfully to each other and the coaches/instructors:

If the club chair determines that a student’s behavior is disruptive during the program/club, or the student is consistently disrespectful, a warning will be issued to the student and parent. After the warning, a second offense will result in removal of the student from the club with no refund, unless the club chair decides to issue a second warning. The chair my also require the parent to provide full-time adult supervision of the student for the duration of the club. The adult supervisor must be a PTA member and have a BSD background check. A third offense will result in removal of the student from the club program with no refund.
If the club chair determines that a parent’s behavior is disruptive or consistently disrespectful, a warning will be issued to the parent. After the warning, a second offense will result in removal of that parent’s child from afterschool clubs with no refund.
At the discretion of Medina PTA, any withdrawal due to disruptive or disrespectful behavior may also affect the family’s ability to register for future afterschool programs.

PICK-UP: Our parent classroom volunteers are required to stay until the last child is picked up from class. Please respect our volunteers’ time by picking your child up promptly at 3:45pm unless your child is staying at Medina Elementary with the Boys & Girls Club. If you wish to permit your child to sign him/herself out from class and walk/bike home, you must complete the Medina PTA Permission Slip for Self-Checkout of Afterschool Clubs 2024-2025 found on our website, and return it to our Robotics Club Co-Chairs. If you are late or come later than 4 pm more than 3 times, your students will be withdrawn from the Robotics Club with no refunds.

ABSENCES: If your child will not be at Robotics Club, you must email roboticsclub@medinapta.org prior to that day’s class start time. You understand that two unexcused absences may result in removal of your student from the club without refund.

REFUND: If a student withdraws before the class starts, a 5% tuition processing fee applies to the refunds. 50% refund if the student withdraws before the third class. There is no refund after the third class for any reason.

Questions? Contact roboticsclub@medinapta.org