This one is a form, not an article. Download it, print it, and bring it to the event. The TEAM Ready Inspection is a short conversation with the students, and one sheet covers all three Sphero Robotics Missions programs: indi, BOLT and RVR.
An evaluator opens with “Welcome! This is a quick TEAM Ready confirmation. We want to hear how your team worked together to solve the Missions,” then asks the students six questions and marks each one Yes or Needs Follow Up.
What the students are asked
- Building. Did students design and build the field objects and anything attached to the robots? Adults can teach or help with safety, but students do the team’s work.
- Coding. Did students create the code (BOLT and RVR) or arrange the Color Tiles (indi) that tell the robots what to do? Adults can teach coding fundamentals, but students do the final coding.
- Troubleshooting. When something did not work, did students try different ideas and make the fixes? Adults may ask helpful questions, but students choose the solution.
- Strategy. Did students choose the Mission strategy and decide how to run the robots? Students lead strategy and robot operation at the event.
- Field objects, BOLT and RVR only. Are the Field Objects and Field Elements for each Mission built as the game manual instructs, from Sphero Blueprint Snap Kit parts or similar 3D printed replacements? Students only need to confirm this out loud (BOLT-RHR2 and RVR-RHR2).
- Extra parts, BOLT and RVR only. Are any additional Blueprint Snap pieces, craft materials, 3D printed parts and decorations used only for non-functional purposes?
What the sheet records
Team number, evaluator name and student initials at the top. A Yes or Needs Follow Up for each question. Then a confirmation: TEAM Ready when every answer is a Yes, or Follow-up Needed, which sends the evaluator to the Head Evaluator and the Event Host to talk through next steps.
How it is meant to go
The sheet asks evaluators to keep it positive and assume good intent. A student who is unsure gets a friendly follow-up, such as “Tell me more about how your team did that.” Younger students, especially indi teams, can have their Team Coordinator nearby, as long as it is clear the students are the ones answering. If an adult helped too much, the evaluator explains the Student-Powered expectation, helps the students take ownership, and revisits only the questions that needed attention. The full rules are in the Student-Powered Policy.
Who needs it
Evaluators use it at the event. Team Coordinators can go through the six questions with their team beforehand, because every one of them is something the students should be able to answer in their own words.