FRC "Survival Scenario" Exercise

[Allison K]

What's important to your team?

The “Desert Survival Scenario” (such as this one here) is a common team building exercise. This is the first draft of an FRC version that I may use with my team(s) as a team building exercise and to help the students understand the resource requirements of a successful FRC team (I'll add monetary value in the final draft).

The Scenario: Your team must start over with nothing but the returning students from last season and the knowledge that they carry in their heads. You have no partners/sponsors/school, no money, no mentors, no facilities, no tools or materials. A parent on your team allows you to congregate in their unheated two-car garage while you regroup. A mysterious generous and magical benefactor comes forward and will grant your team an unspecified number of resources from a given list. Your team must rank the offered items/resources in order of importance to your team's success. The list is as follows...

• Initial registration fee (1 regional OR 2 districts)
• Registration Fee for additional regional OR district championship
• Basic hand tools + Measurement tools + Electrical tools (nothing powered)
• Basic power tools (Cordless drill + bit set, Dremel, etc.)
• Drill press & bit set + Band saw
• Belt sander + grinder + arbor press
• Lathe & tooling
• Mill & tooling
• Laser OR water jet cutter
• 3 Axis CNC & tooling
• Sheet metal bending capabilities
• Welding capabilities
• An active teacher and supportive school of your choice (1)
• A mentor of your choice with CAD/Inventor expertise
• A mentor of your choice with mechanical engineering expertise
• A mentor of your choice with electrical engineering expertise
• A mentor of your choice with programming expertise
• A mentor of your choice with FRC strategic design expertise
• A mentor of your choice with expertise in all non-engineering matters
• $500 worth of raw material (aluminum, steel, polycarb)
• $500 voucher for VEX/VEX Pro
• $500 voucher for AndyMark
• $500 voucher for McMaster-Carr
• $500 voucher for Lowe’s or Home Depot
• Two Laptops with OS + Internet access
• Pit Set Up of your choice + Robot Cart
• Full Size Practice Area (Space, Carpet, Driver Stations - No Game Elements)
• Team Uniforms (sufficient quantity for all team members)
• Team Button Give Aways (sufficient quantity for all events)
• Unique Team Give Away (sufficient quantity for all events)
• Team Meeting Area (2)
• Travel expenses (hotel, transportation, food) for two competition events
• Six additional batteries and chargers
• $500 Visa Debit Card

1 - supportive in that they recognize the value in FRC and allow your team to recruit there, however they can’t provide you with any resources at all
2 - sufficient size for your team and property, if you don’t receive this resource you will continue to work and store all of your things in the unheated two-car garage. (you can not meet or store anything on the theoretical practice field. you can just drive.)

Resources are not returnable or exchangeable.

If your team qualifies for Worlds your generous and magical sponsor will pay the registration fee and travel expenses for you to compete, in addition to resources provided at the beginning of the season.

Now roll a dice. Your team gets the first D20+10 items on your list!