About FIRST (video)
2025-2026 season teaser (video)
FIRST Vision and Mission
Not a Robot (video)
I Am FIRST: Inspiring Dreamers (video)
FIRST Impact Infographic

Michigan Progression of Programs and Grants
Michigan FIRST LEGO League Explore (grades K-3)
Michigan FIRST LEGO League Discover (Pre-K)

FIRST: Be a Leader (video)
Coach Quick Tips videos
FIRST Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Resources
Code of Conduct (YPP) video for coaches
Engineering Design Process poster

The mats are smaller now to allow storage space on the table, but tables remain the same size (longer than the mat.) Make sure to check the official building instructions first!

Official Table Building Instructions (for Competition Tables and Practice Tables):

• Official table building instructions

Alternate Plans for Practice Tables (not for Competition Table use):

• STOW-or-GO Foam Practice Table
• Just Walls Table
• Portable Modular Table

Ready-made tables to purchase (not for Competition Table use):

• Robot Competition Table from AndyMark

** Challenge Materials **
UNEARTHED Season Teaser (video)
UNEARTHED Challenge Overview
UNEARTHED Challenge Updates
UNEARTHED Season Launch Video

**Team Meeting Materials**
UNEARTHED Team Meeting Guide (and Spanish translation)
UNEARTHED Engineering Notebook (and Spanish translation)

**Robot Game Materials**
UNEARTHED Robot Game Missions Video (download video)
UNEARTHED Robot Game Rule Book (and Spanish translation)
UNEARTHED Challenge Updates
UNEARTHED Field Setup Video
UNEARTHED Wireframe & Grid
UNEARTHED Robot Game Scoresheet
UNEARTHED Score Calculator

**Event Materials**
UNEARTHED Awards (Michigan-specific)
UNEARTHED Judging Session Flowsheet
UNEARTHED Rubrics
UNEARTHED Participation Certificate – download and customize for your team members

*Additional Resources**
UNEARTHED Multimedia Resources Guide
UNEARTHED Career Connections Playlist
UNEARTHED Mission Model building instructions:

Element Overview
Prepack Overview
Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4, Book 5, Book 6,
Book 7, Book 8, Book 9, Book 10, Book 11, Book 12,
Book 13
Table Building Instructions

**Challenge Materials**
SUBMERGED Season Teaser
SUBMERGED Challenge Overview
SUBMERGED Challenge Updates
SUBMERGED Season Launch Video

**Team Meeting Materials**
SUBMERGED Team Meeting Guide
SUBMERGED Engineering Notebook

**Robot Game Materials**
SUBMERGED Robot Game Missions Video
SUBMERGED Robot Game Rule Book
SUBMERGED Challenge Updates
UNEARTHED Field Setup Video (also available as a Printable PDF)
SUBMERGED Robot Game Scoresheet
SUBMERGED Score Calculator

**Event Materials**
SUBMERGED Awards (Michigan-specific)
SUBMERGED Judging Session Flowsheet
SUBMERGED Rubrics
SUBMERGED Participation Certificate (available in September) – download and customize for your team members

*Additional Resources**
SUBMERGED Multimedia Resources Guide
SUBMERGED Thinkscape Course Code
SUBMERGED Career Connections Playlist
SUBMERGED Code for Guided Mission: (coming soon)

Code for Guided Mission (.PNG)

SUBMERGED Wireframe and Grid
SUBMERGED Mission Model building instructions:

Element Overview
Prepack Overview
Bag 1, Bag 2, Bag 3, Bag 4, Bag 5, Bag 6,
Bag 7, Bag 8, Bag 9, Bag 10, Bag 11, Bag 12,
Bag 13 Bag 14
Table Building Instructions

SUBMERGED Logos & Season Graphics

For materials related to previous seasons, visit the FIRST LEGO League Past Challenges page

Official SPIKE Prime Software
Official Mindstorms EV3 Software

SPIKE Prime Education Resources
EV3 Curriculum Resources


LEGO Education Technical Support
LEGO Education Missing Pieces Support

Unofficial Guide to FLL Programming Options – From the CARGO CONNECT Robot Game Rulebook: “Use any software that allows the robot to move autonomously (on its own), run only by programs that are loaded onto the controller or microSD card.” This guide is not from FIRST or LEGO, but it is a handy overview of some of the programming languages available from long-time, trusted FLL mentors. Please note that the robot MUST move autonomously (no remote control) and venues will not have Wi-Fi access for teams.

See just below for annotated lists of building and programming tutorials, guides, and resources for coaches and students.

Robot Design Judging with No Table

A Robot Design Executive Summary (RDES) is no longer required, but is still a good way to plan your robot design presentation. RDES resources from past years:
RDES Planning Sheet
RDES Sample Team Handout

These have been evaluated to be useful for FIRST LEGO League Challenge coaches and teachers (and free!):

• SPIKE Lessons (LEGO Education)
  • Short video lessons cover the basics of the core set and include motors and sensors. Covers both work blocks and Python.
• Prime Lessons (Seshan Brothers)
  • Beginner to advanced programming tutorials and robot designs.

These have been evaluated to be useful for FLL students (and free!):

• EV3 Tutorial (LEGO Education & Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach)
  • Short video lessons cover the basics of the core set and include motors and sensors. Covers both work blocks and Python.
• Prime Lessons (Seshan Brothers)
  • Beginner to advanced programming tutorials and robot designs.
• Additional SPIKE Prime activities for practice (Tufts University’s Robotics Playground)

There are many LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 materials available online.
These have been evaluated to be useful for FLL coaches and teachers (and free!):

 

• Getting Started with the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 (Texas Tech GEAR)
  • Build a basic robot and learn to program motor blocks and four sensors. Course starts with an excellent introduction to the pieces of the EV3. One comprehensive course to get a coach up to speed from no previous knowledge. Videos total 100 minutes.
• EV3 Programming Workshop for FLL Coaches (Tony Ayad, LA FLL)
  • Very comprehensive PDF resource for FLL that covers beginning and advanced programming. Includes everything from basic movement up through using sensors, math blocks, My Blocks, and the gyro.
• EV3 Basics for FLL (Jim Keller, GRASP Laboratory at UPenn)
  • Begins with basic parts of robot and software and ends with strategies for FLL.
• Educational Robots for Absolute Beginners – EV3 (Rowan University Laboratory for Educational Robotics)
  • Detailed course to teach educators to program the EV3. (Sign in with a Google account required, or you can watch just the videos here: YouTube Channel
• LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Programming Basics (Washington State Library)
  • Very detailed PDF covers getting started with EV3 programming software and the Move and Flow blocks. Also has 22 companion videos.
• STEM Robotics 101 EV3 (Portland State University)
  • Full curriculum for teaching robotics through the EV3, pulling together other outside resources.

There are many LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 materials available online.
These have been evaluated to be useful for FLL students (and free!):

 

• EV3 Tutorial (Dale Yocum, STEMcentric)
  • Lessons using the base education robot. Essential lessons (50 minutes of videos) cover moving, light sensor, and the loop, switch, and wait blocks. Advanced lessons (35 minutes of videos) cover using data and variables as well as multitasking.
• Introduction to the EV3 (Christy Xie, FIRST Robotics Canada)
  • Covers creating a basic program and interacting with the software and the brick in a detailed way in a 28 minute video.
• EV3 Lessons (Seshan Brothers)
  • Plans for 9 simple robots. Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced programming PDF lessons covering everything.
• EV3 Programming (Blue Angel Robotics)
  • Lessons from kids for your FLL team on the basics of movement, sensors, and following lines. YouTube Channel with 11 short 2-3 minute videos.
• FLL Programming Basics &
  FLL Advanced Programming (Matt Birkel, FIRST Illinois Robotics)
  • Beginner 55 minute video starts from the basis of introducing software and programming basics including move blocks and loops and switches. Advanced 54 minute video includes advanced programming topics such as data, sensors, math blocks, and following lines.
• EV3 Programming Videos (W.A.F.F.L.E.S. FRC Team)
  • 33 videos covering topics for FLL teams from beginner to advanced topics.
• Fun with LEGO MindStorms EV3 for Absolute Beginners (Dr. Graeme)
  • Short videos cover basics of setting up software and interacting with robot, followed by simple activities. Good source of off-season robot activities. (Material also available as a free ebook.)
• EV3 Videos (Builderdude35)
  • YouTube Channel on various topics from beginner to advanced.
• Robotics Building Blocks (Nebraska 4-H)
  • Videos and worksheets introduce EV3 to students in the broader context of robotics engineering. Simple activities to introduce movement and sensors.
• LEGO Engineering (Tufts CEEO)
  • Blog posts on various topics in EV3 programming such as design patterns, errors, sensor calibration, and driving straight.

Videos and Webinars

• FIRST in Michigan/Michigan Department of Natural Resources ‘Ask the Archaeologist’ webinar
  
• Niles History Center & Fort St. Joseph webinar for teams (October 16th)
• Archaeological Institute of America ‘Ask an Archaeologist’ webinar (September 29th)
  
• Society for American Archaeology ‘Exploring Archaeological Challenges’ (October 1st)
  
• FIRST LEGO League Around the World YouTube playlist
  

Informational Webpages

• FIRST LEGO League Challenge: Archaeology (Michigan Economic Development Corporation)
  

Organizations and Contacts

• Research and Consultant Resources (State Historic Preservation Office list)
  

FIRST Project Videos

• Project Videos from FLL – part 1
• Project Videos from FLL – part 2
• Project Videos from FLL – part 3

Some teams like to practice their teamwork during meetings using challenge activities.
Here are some pages with activities for your meetings:

• Core Values practice challenge ideas 1
• Core Values practice challenge ideas 2
• Core Values practice challenge ideas 3
• Core Values practice challenge ideas 4
• Core Values practice challenge ideas 5

All event volunteer information is now located on our Event Volunteer page

You can search the national list of teams and events at the FIRST site:

• Team Finder (enter zip code in filter at left)
• Event Finder

Also see ‘Find an existing team’ at our Run a Team page for more information.