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Week 7: Final Prep and Competition

Dates: Oct 24 - Oct 30

This final phase is where students communicate their work, prove readiness, and learn from real competition performance. The goal is to arrive prepared, calm, and able to explain the season journey.

EDP Stages

  • Communicate and Document
  • Monitor and Evaluate

What Students Should Do

  • Run dedicated driver practice and cycle drills
  • Perform a full mock inspection of size, wiring, and robot readiness
  • Print or finalize the engineering portfolio
  • Prepare the judging presentation and speaker roles
  • Pack tools, batteries, chargers, spare parts, and pit materials
  • Run a mock judging session before competition
  • After the event, reflect on robot performance and feedback

What This Looks Like in a Team Meeting

  • Practice full runs instead of isolated small tests
  • Have teammates ask judging-style questions out loud
  • Check that tools, batteries, and spare parts are packed and labeled
  • Walk through inspection items before event day
  • Hold a short post-event reflection while details are still fresh

Suggested Student Outputs

  • A judging presentation outline
  • A final inspection and packing checklist
  • A mock judging practice plan
  • A short post-event reflection or retrospective

By the End of Week 7, Students Should Be Able To Say

  • We can explain our robot and our process clearly.
  • We know what to bring and what to check.
  • We practiced as a team, not just as individuals.
  • We learned something useful from competition feedback.

Student Learning Focus

  • Learn how to explain design choices clearly
  • Practice presenting evidence of iteration and teamwork
  • Reflect on real-world results and use them to improve the next cycle

Good Weekly Questions

  • Can we explain our design decisions in a clear story?
  • Are we fully ready to inspect, present, and compete?
  • What did the real event reveal about our robot and our process?
  • What should we keep, change, or improve for the next event?

Quick Team Checklist

  • We completed a mock inspection.
  • We practiced the judging presentation.
  • We packed essential tools, batteries, and spares.
  • We planned a short reflection after the event.

Presentation Flow Idea

  • Minute 1: Team identity and outreach
  • Minutes 2-3: Robot strategy, design choices, and iterations
  • Minute 4: Control system, code, and testing
  • Minute 5: Challenges, lessons learned, and next steps