2012-2013 Team Challenge Summaries

IN THE ZONE

Your vehicles are cranked and ready to tell their story. Will you push it, play it safe, or take the big risk? Just make sure you get In the Zone!
Educational Focus: Engineering, Technical Design, Strategic Planning, Decision Making and Logistics, Project Management, Time and Budget Management, Teamwork
Points of Interest

Present a team-created story about the dangers faced by vehicles, told from the point of view of one or more vehicles
Design and build small vehicles that are able to reliably and accurately travel specific distances
Use at least three different power sources for the vehicles

STEM Attributes
• Use of the engineering design process
• Exploration of physical concepts of motion and energy
• Use of mathematical concepts of geometry and measurement
• Understanding of customary and/or metric measurements
• Investigate physical concepts of motion and energy
• Consider mathematical concept of probability

WIND VISIBLE

Art can begin with a flick of the wrist, but can it ride on the wind? If you take on this Challenge, you will imagine a character so light and airy that it could slip, slide and sail away!
Educational Focus: Wind Energy, Science, Technology, Storytelling, Theater Skills, Art, Time and Budget Management, Teamwork
Points of Interest

Explore how the science of wind energy can be used to make kinetic art move
Design and create kinetic art that moves during the presentation
Create and present an original story that features an invisible visitor
Integrate wind energy research into the story

STEM Attributes
• Research the scientific concept of wind energy
• Use wind energy to start motion
• Demonstrate the collection and conversion of wind energy into usable energy

IN DISGUISE

With the right camouflage, you can become anyone or anything. Superheroes and chameleons change themselves every day! Who will you be when you take the mask away?
Educational Focus: Storytelling, Theater Arts, Fine Arts, Costume Design, and Non-Verbal Theatrical Techniques, Teamwork
Points of Interest

Present a team-created story about a character that uses a disguise
Use only non-verbal theatrical techniques to present the story
Design and construct at least two masks that enhance the story

STEM Attributes
• Use various forms of technology to produce a solution
• Use principles of geometry in design and construction of team-created masks
• Use of technology and technical methods to cause a mask to morph

CHANGE IN REALITEE

The world has undergone a dramatic change overnight! OK team, grab some T-shirts and markers and see if you can make sense of this Change in RealiTee!
Educational Focus: Research, Story Development, Improvisational Acting, Teamwork, Presentation Skills and Techniques, Teamwork, Leadership
Points of Interest

Create a 5-minute improvisational skit about life after a dramatic change and how the characters adapt to this change
Learn about different communication techniques and integrate one into the skit
Use only white t-shirts, washable markers and team members to create all costumes, sets and props
Create a slogan from three randomly selected nouns

STEM Attributes
• Use mathematical concept of probability when improvisational elements are selected

TWIST-O-RAMA

Let’s do the twist! It goes like this: Build a structure that can survive a serious hit while holding weight. That’s what we are torqueing about!
Educational Focus: Research, Architectural Design, Structural Engineering, Construction, Material Science, Innovation and Design Process, Mathematics, Theater Arts, Teamwork, Time and Budget Management, Teamwork, Quantitative Reasoning
Points of Interest

Build a structure made entirely of glue and materials the team chooses from a list
Test the structure by placing weights on it, and by subjecting it to torque-inducing impacts
Produce a “bill of materials” listing the materials used in your structure, and provide samples of these materials
Produce a prop or costume made of all the materials used in the structure
Tell a story about something or someone that causes an unexpected twist or surprising change

STEM Attributes:
• Use of the engineering design process to design and construct a structure
• Study the properties of a variety of materials in order to design and construct a structure
• Knowledge of whole number computation and ratios to determine raw scores earned for weight placement

projectOUTREACH: REAL TO REEL

LIGHTS: Find a community need.
CAMERA: Solve the problem the best way you can!
ACTION: Then unveil your documentary film to a captivated audience.
Educational Focus: Service Learning, Partnerships, Documentation, Movie Production, and Teamwork
Points of Interest

Use collaborative problem solving tools to identify and select at least one real community need
Design and carry out a project to address the real community need
Create a movie that documents the project
Evaluate the project and prepare a thorough project review
Prepare for a live press conference

STEM Attributes
• Use technology to produce photographs and recordings
• Use technology to produce a movie that outlines the team’s Service Learning Project

Rising Stars!: ROY G BIV

The colors of the rainbow are everywhere you look. In this Challenge, it is time to celebrate them all on ROY G BIV’s birthday. Pick your favorite color and join the party!
Educational Focus: Colors, Research, Storytelling, Performing in front of an Audience, Team Problem Solving, Creativity, Collaboration and Communications
Points of Interest

Learn about the seven colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet
Create a play about Roy G. Biv’s birthday party
Dress Roy G. Biv in all the colors of the rainbow, and dress the guests in their favorite colors
Have each guest bring a gift that is made mostly of the color they are wearing

STEM Attributes:
• Use of technology to produce a solution
• Understanding of customary and/or metric measurements to produce a solution
• Investigate physical concepts of light and color