Sphero Global Challenge

Registration for the Sphero Global Challenge 2022-2023 season is now closed. This year's theme is Sphero in the Wild. Gather your research team to compete in robotics Events for early elementary students to middle schoolers. Stay tuned for Season 4 registration opening in the Spring.

Sphero Global Challenge Season 3 Logo.

Sphero in the Wild

This year's theme is Sphero in the Wild and we will have three exciting events to choose from to allow kids and teens to go deeper with computational thinking, engineering, and programming skills.

indi: Visit the Zoo!

littleBits Invent for Good Competition badge.

SKILLS

Students will explore sequencing by creating a zoo and animal display using indi to demonstrate their understanding of:

  • Problem Solving
  • Algorithmic Thinking
  • Basic Coding Concepts
  • Pattern Recognition

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

2 Sphero indi Student Kits

Optional: Sphero Craft Pack

littleBits: Animal Kingdom

littleBits Invent for Good Competition badge.

SKILLS

Students will use littleBits to design and build an interactive museum display that engages and educates the public:

  • Circuitry
  • Engineering design
  • Debugging

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

littleBits STEAM+ Kit (recommended) or other littleBits Kit

Optional: Sphero Craft Pack

BOLT: Animal Behavior

littleBits Invent for Good Competition badge.

SKILLS

Students will use BOLT and their creativity to imitate animals and complete missions—all the while learning different programming skills including:

  • Loops
  • Conditionals
  • Variables
  • Functions

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

2 Sphero BOLT robots

City Code Mat and/or Sphero Craft Pack

littleBits Invent for Good Competition badge.
littleBits Invent for Good Competition badge.
littleBits Invent for Good Competition badge.

SKILLS

  • Students will explore sequencing by creating a zoo and animal display using indi to demonstrate their understanding of:

    • Problem Solving
    • Algorithmic Thinking
    • Basic Coding Concepts
    • Pattern Recognition
  • Students will use littleBits to design and build an interactive museum display that engages and educates the public:

    • Circuitry
    • Engineering design
    • Debugging
  • Students will use BOLT and their creativity to imitate animals and complete missions—all the while learning different programming skills including:

    • Loops
    • Conditionals
    • Variables
    • Functions

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Sphero Global Challenge logo and badges

IMPORTANT DATES

  • February 1, 2023 - Last day to register
  • February 13, 2023 - Virtual submissions due
  • March 6, 2023 - Finalists announced
  • April 24-27 & May 1-4 - Finalists compete virtually at the Sphero World Championship

WHAT COACHES GET:

Upon registration, we’ll send you everything you need to participate in the Sphero Global Challenge Season 3, including:

To receive coaching materials, be sure to finalize your registration by completing the Google form sent in your registration confirmation email!

micro:bit invention with laptop in the background.

DREAM TEAMS ASSEMBLE

Starting a team of real-life biologists is easy! Coaches do not need to be programmers, or even educators, to support students through the Sphero Global Challenge. Instead, act as a facilitator as students work to explore, solve problems, and unleash their creativity.

Sphero will provide a mission brief, lessons, and agendas for each Event, as well as a forum for coaches to provide one another support. The Sphero Global Challenge is perfect for after-school programs, STEM/STEAM Clubs, school-day science blocks, or even for students to work on at home.

Structuring Your Team

Teams can consist of 1–5 students. After purchasing the registration, you will fill out the form to finalize registration. For larger groups of students (i.e. robotics clubs), we recommend forming multiple teams. In this case, you will need to purchase a registration for each team and finalize the registration for each team separately. Coaches are welcome to lead as many teams as they'd like.

Team Roles

Coaches can encourage collaboration, communication, and team building by giving students team roles to help fulfill all of the elements of the mission objectives.
Laptop with code on the screen.
A wrench and gear.
Icon of a bug.
Camera and pencil.
List with check boxes.