Season Syllabus: August - December 2025
This syllabus outlines the major milestones for the FLL season.
- Late August: Season Kickoff! Teams are formed, and coaches receive their rosters. Coaches should contact their teams to introduce themselves and establish a regular practice schedule.
- Week of August 25: First practices. Focus on team-building activities and introduce the annual challenge. Begin brainstorming for the Innovation Project.
- September 10, 7:00-8:00 PM: Expert interview with Professor Natalie Abell, Ph.D., a professor of archaeology at the University of Michigan. All available teammates and coaches should attend, as this is a prime opportunity to learn about potential problems for the Innovation Project.
- September: Continue to work on the Innovation Project and begin building and programming the robot. NOTE: it is helpful to get your team's base robot built as quickly as possible. Prior to having that robot, the kids have infinite impossible ideas about what the robot can do. Once it's built they start to think more concretely about what is actually possible and useful.
- October: Develop and refine the robot's design and programming. A good plan for how the robot will perform the robot game should be coming together mid-late October. Finalize the Innovation Project and prepare the presentation.
- November: Practice, practice, practice! Run the robot on a practice table, refine the innovation project and robot design presentations, and ensure all team members are confident in their roles.
- Early December (Typically the first or second Saturday): Regional Competition.
- Mid-December (Typically the second or third weekend): State Competition (for advancing teams).