2015-2016 Challenge Summaries
Technical Challenge: Pace of Change
The world is full of changes, both big and small. So grab the wheel – let’s see them all!
• Design and build a vehicle able to carry at least one team member across the presentation site multiple times.
• Change the vehicle propulsion system and the vehicle movement method during the presentation.
• Create and present a story about change. The story will include a change in a character.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Scientific Challenge: In Plain Sight
Now you see me, now you don’t! But wait…what’s the twist??
• Research the many ways that camouflage is used by organisms in nature.
• Showcase camouflage research in the visible appearance of an organism.
• Create and present a story with a plot twist that is caused by the use of camouflage.
• Apply camouflage methods to an original, team-designed and created set piece or prop.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Structural Challenge: Musical Mashup
Hold it together and let it play out in this musical mashup.
• Design and build a structure that both supports weight and is a musical instrument.
• Play a musical solo using the structure as a musical instrument.
• Tell a story with at least one musical character.
• Integrate the story with the weight placement testing of the structure.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Fine Arts Challenge: Get A Clue
Whodunnit? Reach back in time to get a clue!
• Present a mystery story set on Earth in a team-chosen time period before 1990.
• Discover, live on stage, which of the three suspect characters is responsible for the mystery.
• Include a TechniClue that helps solve the mystery.
• Present in the style of traverse staging.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Improvisational Challenge: Close Encounters
Newsflash! Stranger things WILL happen!
• Research Challenge-provided confined spaces.
• Create and perform a four-minute improvisational presentation within a confined space.
• Show how characters work together to address a news flash.
• Integrate a mysterious stranger and a team-created miscellaneous prop into the presentation.
Service Learning Challenge: projectOUTREACH: The Meme Event
Grumpy cat will be even grumpier when you out-MEME him!
• Use the creative process to identify, design, plan, and carry out a project that addresses a real community need.
• Plan and carry out at least one community event that is designed to help meet the project goal(s).
• Create an effective meme to help meet the project goal(s).
• Create a live presentation that highlights the project and the impact it made on the community.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength and talents.
Early Learning Challenge: Rising Stars! : Change in Direction
North, south, east, or west. Hmm…which way is best?
• Learn about maps and how they are helpful to people.
• Create a play that is about a journey your team is on.
• Make a change in direction at some point during your play.
• Make a map to help your team on your journey.
Instant Challenge
Instant Challenges require teams to engage in quick, creative and critical thin king. At a tournament, a team will receive an Instant Challenge and the materials with which to solve it. The team members must think on their feet by applying appropriate skills to produce a solution in a period of just five to eight minutes.
Instant Challenges are performance-based, task-based, or a combination of the two. Although each Instant Challenge has different requirements, all Instant Challenges reward teams for their teamwork and the creativity of their solutions. Instant Challenges are kept confidential until the day of the Tournament.