Climate Connections Explained

Challenge Number:	11
Released In:	2008
Champions:	1. 55 - Da Peeps 2. 1232 - STEELE 3. 9201 - NXT Generation^[1]
Missions:	18
Teams:	12944^[2]

Climate Connections was the 2008-09 FIRST Lego League competition. Its theme centered on understanding the effects of climate and climate change.

Project

Teams had to do a project on the subject of climate. Teams were to identify a climate problem in their area, investigate current efforts on the issue locally and in another community, and create an innovative solution to the problem. Teams then had to share their project with others in the community, and present the whole experience at competition.^[3]

Gameplay

The table performance portion of Climate Connections is played on a 4 ft by 8 ft field rimmed by wood boards. At competition, two of these fields are placed together to form an 8 ft square. In each -minute match, a team competes on each field with their robot to earn up to 400 points manipulating the mission models.

One of the mission models, Find Agreement (Align The Arrows), straddles both fields in the center. This model earns points for both teams when the arrows are aligned.

The touch penalty objects are levee models. All 8 are worth up to 5 points depending on their position on the field, but are removed from play every time the robot is touched outside of base.

Missions

There were eighteen (18) missions in the Climate Connections game.^[4] Each revolved around some topic pertaining to climate change.

• Bury Carbon Dioxide (Carbon Sequestration) - 5 points per ball
• Construct Levees - up to 5 points per block
• Test Levees - 15 points
• Raise The Flood Barrier - 15 points
• Elevate The House - 25 points
• Turn Off The Lights - 20 points
• Open A Window - 25 points
• Get People Together - 10 points per group
• Find Agreement (Align The Arrows) - 40 points for both teams
• Fund Research Or Corrective Action - 15 points
• Deliver An Ice Core Drilling Machine - up to 30 points
• Extract An Ice Core Sample - up to 30 points
• Deliver An Ice Buoy - 25 points
• Insulate A House - 10 points
• Ride A Bicycle - 10 points
• Telecommute And Research - 10 points
• Study Wildlife - up to 25 points
• Beat the Clock - up to 15 points

Notes and References

1. Web site: FIRST LEGO League World Festival Awards - Climate Connections Season . FIRST . 2 . 11 August 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110927095900/http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles/FLL_09WF_Awards.pdf . 27 September 2011 .
2. Web site: The Challenge. FIRST. 9 June 2011.
3. Web site: Winners of the Kent regional finals of FIRST LEGO League 2008. University of Kent. 17 November 2011. 28 November 2008.
4. Web site: Climate Connections: Mission, Field Setup, Rules, and Project. FIRST. 9 June 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20151208130537/http://archive.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles/Who/FIRST_History/2008%20Climate%20Connections%20Challenge.pdf. 8 December 2015. dead.