FIRST LEGO League Challenge Programming
There are several ways of programming FIRST LEGO League Challenge Robots. The two most popular are EV3-G, which is also referred to as EV3 Lab, and a new language created by LEGO Education based on Scratch. The latter language was originally introduced with the SPIKE Prime set when it debuted in 2019. A version of this Scratch-based language called EV3 Classroom is now also available for programming EV3 robots on Apple Mac computers.
General
- Programming a Robot from Anywhere in the World. Information on how a team can program their robot when they can't get together in person.
- Programming Skills Quick Guide A PDF file with a series of brief guides on programming techniques with examples for both EV3 Lab and SPIKE Prime Word Blocks.
- Alternate Programming Languages For FLL A comparison table of the variety of languages that can be used to program FLL Challenge robots
Mindstorms EV3 Software
Mindstorms EV3 Lab Software
Mindstorms EV3 Lab also known as EV3-G was the main programming language provided by LEGO Education for the MINDSTORMS EV3 sets until fall 2020. EV3 Lab is graphical programming language where programming blocks are arranged horizontally. It is quite different from traditional programming languages.
Introductory Exercises
- Becoming Familiar with Your EV3
- Lab 1 – Getting Your EV3 To Move and Respond to Its Environment
- Lab 2 – Using a Color Sensor
- Lab 3 – Your Color Sensor Final Exam
- Lab 4 – Putting it All Together
- Appendix A - More Things You Will Need to Know about the EV3 Programming System
Wiki Articles
External Resources
Software
Documentation
Video Tutorials
- STEM Robotics
- Catlin Gable School
- Tufts University
Focused Tutorials
- Gyro Programming from EV3Lessons.com
- Line Following from EV3Lessons.com
Play Lists
Mindstorms EV3 Classroom (Scratch)
Mindstorms EV3 Classroom is a graphical programming language for the Mindstorms EV3 sets. It became the standard software for the EV3 Set for those running PCs with the 64-bit version of Windows 10, Chromebooks and Macs using macOS Catalina 10.15 in the fall of 2020. The Mac version also works with macOS Mojave 10.14. Those with earlier operating systems should continue to use EV3 Lab.
EV3 Classroom is based on an educational language called Scratch and is quite similar to Word Blocks, the graphical language provided by LEGO Education for its SPIKE Prime set. LEGO Education has also announced that EV3 Classroom will become available for and Chromebooks.
Videos
External Resources
- EV3 Classroom software from LEGO Education Use this link to find EV3 Classroom for
- Windows 10 computers (Version 1803 or newer)
- Mac computers with macOS 10.14 (Mohave) or 10.15 (Catalina)
- Chromebooks (Android 7.0 or newer)
- Android tables (Android 7.0 or newer)
- Fire tablets (Android 4.2 or newer)
- iPads (iOS 11 or newer)
- To install the EV3 Classroom on a Chromebook use the Chromebook Play Store app and search for EV3 Classroom. If you get a "No app running" error when you start the software, go back to Play Store and search for Webview by Google and click on Update.
- Reference Document from LEGO Education
- Gyro Programming from EV3Lessons.com
- Line Following from EV3Lessons.com
Mindstorms EV3 Python
LEGO Education also provides a version of Python, a line-by-line programming language, for the Mindstorms EV3.
External Resources
- LEGO Education's Python for EV3 page
- Line Following Programs
SPIKE Prime Software
SPIKE Prime Word Blocks (Scratch)
The main programming language for SPIKE Prime is called Word Blocks, which is based on Scratch.
Season-Independent Challenges Using Small Printable Mat
One of the best ways for team members to learn how to program a LEGO robot is to have simple challenges with guidance on how you might solve those challenges. With this in mind, ORTOP has developed a set of simple lessons that feature such challenges that are backed up by short videos that give hints on how to solve the challenges.
The lessons above assume you have a 2x3 foot mat that is not associated with any of the regular FIRST LEGO League Challenge seasons. You can have this mat printed at a local office printing store.
Most of the lessons assume that you build and place mission elements on the mat. These mission elements can be built from parts included in a LEGO Classic 11005 – Creative Fun kit.
If you have questions about these challenges or the associated lessons, please drop a note to fll-questions@ortop.org.
Lesson Plans that Feature the Challenges
1. Building mission elements. Discuss main mission: Rescuing Yellow the Cat
2. Review of driving a robot and turning
3. Circles, degrees, gyro sensor
4. Designing, building, programming an attachment
6. Intermediate use of the gyro sensor. More on circles, degrees, gyro sensor
7. Line Following. Feedback, iteration, documenting
8. Measuring Distance. Degrees, converting linear dimensions to angular dimensions
Printing the 2x3 Season-independent Mat
Building the Mission Elements for the Season-independent Mat
Introductory Exercises for Coaches
- Getting ready to use your SPIKE Prime Kit
- Exercise 1 - Building your first SPIKE Prime robot and teaching it to move
- Exercise 2 - Teaching your robot to drive
- Exercise 3 - Using a Color Sensor
- Exercise 4 - Putting it all together
- Appendix A - Walk through of SPIKE Prime Hub
- Appendix B - Walk through of SPIKE Prime Project Screen for writing programs
Videos
Videos for team members on programming a SPIKE Prime Robot
Episode 1: Introducing Eva the parrot and Eaglet the baby LEGO eagle.
Episode 2: Eva arranges for Eaglet to get a ride home while we learn more about programming turns.
Episode 3: Eaglet finds his lost cat while we learn how to use the built-in gyro to control the robot's turns.
Episode 4: Eaglet brings his lost cat home while we learn how to program an attachment for retrieving cats.
Episode 5: Eaglet's Chariot robot learns how to drive in the middle of the road while we learn how to program a color sensor.
Episode 6: Chariot makes a better turn to Yellow the cat as we use our gyro programming skills.
Episode 7: Chariot stays in the middle of the road while we learn how to use a color sensor to follow the edge of a line.
Episode 8: Chariot uses a motor's built-in rotation sensor to measure distance while it uses line following to stay in the middle of the road.
Videos for coaches: Programming Using Scratch-based Languages
External Resources
Software
Learning Resources
- List of Word Blocks from FIRST
- Lesson Plan Units from LEGO Education The official and free software package that includes Word Blocks and Python
- SPIKE Prime Lessons The PrimeLessons.org website with a variety of learning resources
- Unofficial SPIKE Prime Block Guide by PrimeLessons.org Descriptions of each block in the graphical Word Blocks Language.
Focused Tutorials
- Gyro Turn
- Lessons from LegoEducation.com
- Gyro Move Straight
- Lessons from PrimeLessons.com
- Line Following
- Video: Spike Prime Line Following Robot With Instructions & Program
- Lessons from PrimeLessons.com
Play Lists
- LEGO SPIKE Prime Tutorial videos from Creator Academy Australia
- Getting Started with LEGO Education SPIKE Prime Very short videos from LEGO Education
