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Judging: Innovation Project

Coach Series

Understanding and Using the Rubrics

Disclaimer: This private training is provided by the North Texas Region and is not affiliated or operated by the LEGO® Group or by FIRST ®. The LEGO Group® and FIRST® are not responsible for any of its activities.

Updated 2025

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Learning Objectives

  • Judging Session Overview
  • Understand the Innovation Project Rubric
  • Judging Session Feedback
  • Explore a simple presentation guide

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Judging Session Overview

  • Teams are evaluated in the three core areas: Core Values, Innovation Project, and Robot Design during the Judging Session.
  • Judging Session follows the Judging Sessions Flowchart with the team spending up to 30 minutes with the judges.
  • The judges use the Rubrics to evaluate each objective and the criteria level the team met.
  • The scores are entered into the FIRST® Event Hub and teams are ranked based on cumulative scores.

Team #6078 Might-Ochondria 2023

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Judging Session Flowchart

  • Team Welcome (2 minutes)
  • Innovation Project Presentation (5 minutes)
  • Innovation Project Question and Answer�(5 minutes)
  • Robot Design Explanation (5 minutes)
  • Robot Design Question and Answer (5 minutes)
  • Final Share & Feedback (up to 8 minutes)

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Team leaves the judging session

  • Judges complete the rubrics and the Judging Session Feedback (10 minutes)

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Judges are not permitted to review any materials the team may have left behind after the team leaves the room.

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Innovation Project Rubric

  • The rubric is the guide to a successful Innovation Project.
  • It is the criteria that is used to evaluate the team’s Innovation Project development.
  • Core Values scores are integrated into the Innovation Project and Robot design rubrics.
  • Criteria rankings with the gear icon ( ) are scored in both that area and Core Values.

2025/26 FIRST® Innovation Project Rubric

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Innovation Project Judging Keys for Success

  • Each team member should have basic knowledge of the project and participate in the presentation.
    • Use creativity to address the criteria in the Project rubric.
  • Work on the Project each meeting and document your progress.
    • Documentation will ease preparation of your 5-minute Project Presentation and help you address the criteria in the rubric.
  • Show the judges how the engineering design process was used.
    • Track your research, brainstorming, plans, sharing, and iterations throughout the season, and use that information to demonstrate to the judges how you followed the engineering design process.

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Rubric Provides a Project Development Path

Identify

    • Identify more that one problem to investigate

Design

    • Generate innovative high-level concepts independently

Create

    • Select and develop an original idea or build on an existing

Iterate

    • Share ideas, collect feedback, and include improvements

Communicate

    • Share a creative and effective presentation of solution

The Innovation Project Rubric aligns to the Engineering Design Process.

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Innovation Project Rubric: Achievement Levels

BEGINNING

(1)

DEVELOPING

(2)

ACCOMPLISHED

(3)

EXCEEDS

(4)

How has the team exceeded?

EXCEEDS (4): The judges must explain “how the team exceeded” the ACCOMPLISHED requirement.

BEGINNING (1): Minimum evidence that the requirement has been met.

ACCOMPLISHED (3): Clear evidence that the requirement has been met.

DEVELOPING (2): Partial evidence that the requirement has been met.

An ACCOMPLISHED rating is an achievement to be celebrated.

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Innovation Project Rubric: Objectives and Criteria

  • There are five Objective sections are indicated by a shaded row on the Rubrics and defines the goal for the team.
  • Each Objective has two rows of Criteria.
    • Criteria sets the requirements for each Achievement Level.
    • If the team does not fully meet the next criteria level, they will be marked at the lower lever. There are no “half points”.

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Innovation Project Rubric

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The Five Objectives of the Innovation Project

Demonstrate clearly to the judges how your team meets judging criteria in the rubrics.

  • Identify:

Team had a clearly defined problem that was well researched.

  • Design:

Team worked together while creating a project plan and developing their ideas.

  • Create:

Team developed an original idea or built on an existing one with a prototype, model or drawing to represent their solution.

  • Iterate:

Team shared their ideas with others, collected feedback, and used that feedback to make improvements to their solution.

  • Communicate:

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Team shared an effective presentation of their solution, its impact on others, and celebrated their team’s progress.

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Innovation Project Rubric: Identify Objective

BEGINNING

(1)

DEVELOPING

(2)

ACCOMPLISHED

(3)

EXCEEDS

(4)

How has the team exceeded?

IDENTIFY – Team had a clearly defined problem that was well researched.

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Unclear definition of the problem

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Partially clear definition of the problem

◻

Clear definition of the problem

◻

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Minimal evident of research

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Partial evidence of research from one or more sources

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Clear, detailed research from a variety of sources

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  • Define the problem selected in a clear and precise manner.
  • Describe in detail the research and the sources.

How would you define “exceeding beyond” a “Clear definition of the problem”?

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Innovation Project Rubric: Design Objective

BEGINNING

(1)

DEVELOPING

(2)

ACCOMPLISHED

(3)

EXCEEDS

(4)

How has the team exceeded?

DESIGN – Team worked together while creating a project plan and developing their ideas.

◻

Minimal evidence of an effective project plan

◻

Partial evidence of an effective project plan

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Clear evidence of an effective project plan

◻

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Minimal evidence that development process involve all team members

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Partial evidence that development process involve all team members

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Clear evidence that development process involve all team members

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  • Explain how all team members were included in the project planning process.
  • Describe in detail the plan that was developed for the innovation project.

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Innovation Project Rubric: Create Objective

BEGINNING

(1)

DEVELOPING

(2)

ACCOMPLISHED

(3)

EXCEEDS

(4)

How has the team exceeded?

CREATE – Team developed an original idea or built on an existing one with a prototype moder/drawing to represent their solution.

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Minimal development of innovative solution

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Partial development of innovative solution

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Clear development of innovative solution

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Unclear model/drawing that represents the solution

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Simple model/drawing that represents the solution

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Detailed model/drawing that represents the solution

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  • Explain the innovative solution development clearly.
  • Include a model, drawings, or some visual concept of the solution.

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Innovation Project Rubric: Iterate Objective

BEGINNING

(1)

DEVELOPING

(2)

ACCOMPLISHED

(3)

EXCEEDS

(4)

How has the team exceeded?

ITERATE – Team shared their ideas, collected feedback, and included improvement in their solution.

◻

Minimal sharing of their solution with others

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Solution shared with at least one person/group

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Solution shared with multiple people/groups

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Minimal evidence of improvements based on feedback

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Partial evidence of improvements based on feedback

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Clear evidence of improvements based on feedback

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  • Share with multiple people or groups, especially those impacted by the solution.
  • Describe in detail improvements made to and/or planned for the solution.

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Innovation Project Rubric: Communicate Objective

BEGINNING

(1)

DEVELOPING

(2)

ACCOMPLISHED

(3)

EXCEEDS

(4)

How has the team exceeded?

COMMUNICATE – Team shared an effective presentation of their solution, its impact on others, and celebrated their team’s progress.

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Unclear explanation of the solution and its potential impact on others

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Partially clear explanation of solution and its potential impact on others

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Clear explanation of solution and its potential impact on others

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Presentation shows minimal pride or enthusiasm for their work

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Presentation shows partial pride or enthusiasm for their work

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Presentation clearly shows pride or enthusiasm for their work

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  • Have an engaging and informative presentation. Be creative.
  • Include clear explanation of the potential impact of the solution.
  • Demonstrate earnest enthusiasm for the experience.

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Judging Session Feedback

The Judging Session Feedback sheet

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  • Used to record written feedback to the team after the judging session.
  • The rubrics will be made available to coaches after the event electronically.

2025/26 FIRST® Judging Session Feedback

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Judging Session Feedback Sheet

Section for Core Values, Innovation Project and Robot Design. Each section contains two columns:

    • Great job…
      • Judges list items that stood out as especially noteworthy.
    • Think about…
      • Judges recommend possible areas where the team can improve.

For example: The team may have been close to achieving the next level of accomplishment for a particular descriptor, judges may include suggestions of how they might achieve it.

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Judging Session Feedback Sample

Innovation Project – How did the team identify and approach solving a problem connected to the season theme?

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Team evaluated multiple problems before deciding on which one to develop. Great drawings and model, they really helped in explaining the final solution!

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Consider how the solution would impact others and include feedback from those potentially impacted.

The judges will provide feedback that can help the team to improve for the next competition or season.

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Presenting Guide

    • Plan, practice, use correct pronunciation, include an introduction and ending.

Preparation

    • Maintain eye contact, good posture, speak to the judges, and wear dress appropriate.

Professionalism

    • Be aware of your volume, pace, enunciation, and inflection.

Voice

    • Include all the necessary information with supporting details.

Content

    • Must be quality, appropriate, include references, and precise (not wordy).

Visuals

    • Listen attentively, ask questions, and say thank you.

Courtesy

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Everything is awesome!

-Emmet Joseph Brickowski

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