A: Operation Cooperation
Educational Focus: Technical Design and Construction, Innovation and Design Process, Research, Experimentation, Strategic Planning, Theater Arts, Teamwork
The Destination: Where This Challenge Will Take You! People use machines to help them every day. But can you imagine machines helping other machines – working together to get the job done? Your team will make Operation Cooperation a reality when you create two machines that cooperate to help each other. Work will be twice as easy, and play will be twice as much fun!
Points of Interest! Your team will:
- Design and construct two Machines that travel and complete Tasks.Choose up to 12 Tasks for the Machines to complete cooperatively.
- Use NO plug-in AC power for any portion of your team’s Presentation.
- Create and present a Story about cooperation that is set in part in a Nation other than your own.
- Create two Side Trips and integrate them into the Presentation.
B: Instinct Messaging
Educational Focus: Theater Arts (Play writing, Scenic Design and Construction, Performing), Animal Science (Zoosemiotics), Research, Teamwork
The Destination: Where This Challenge Will Take You! Have you ever wondered what animals “say” to each other? Dr. Doolittle knew! We humans communicate in many ways – we talk, we use gestures, symbols and devices. We can even use a mobile phone to text message our BFF ;-). Animals don’t communicate by using phones or computers, but they manage to get their message across anyway – loud and clear! They use sounds, color, movement and other tools to warn, inform and network. So get ready to create and communicate – animal style – and let your audience know what the buzz is all about.
Points of Interest! Your team will:
- Create and present a theatrical Presentation with an original Story that demonstrates creature communication.
- Learn about one Featured Creature and two real methods it uses to communicate.
- Design and build a Costume to communicate a message sent by your Featured Creature.
- Construct one or more three-dimensional set pieces that depict a real-life habitat for your Featured Creature.
- Create two Side Trips and integrate them into the Presentation.
C: ViDIo Lit Hits
Educational Focus: Playwriting, Literature, Fine Arts/Theater Arts (Music, Choreography), Technical Design and Construction, and Design Process, Teamwork
The Destination: Where This Challenge Will Take You!
Harry Potter dances the Jitterbug? Lady Macbeth sings the Blues? What?! That’s right! You’ll bring literature alive as you retell it in your original Live Music ViDIo. You can make your grand entrance or leave the audience begging for more with your spectacular exit! Whether you’re doing the Twist or singing Ragtime music from the turn of the century, you will make the world of literature fun and exciting – you’ll have the audience dancing out the doors with a song in their hearts!
Points of Interest! Your team will:
- Create a live Music ViDIo that Dramatically Retells a piece of Literature.
- Integrate Music and team-created Lyrics into the Music ViDIo.
- Dramatically portray a Character from the chosen piece of Literature.
- Create and integrate Choreography into the ViDIo.
- Create and present a Grand Entrance or Grand Exit using Technical Methods.
- Create two Side Trips and integrate them into the Presentation.
D: Private DI®
Educational Focus: Improvisational Acting, Story Development, Theater Arts, Team Work, Technical Innovation
The Destination: Where This Challenge Will Take You!
Grab some popcorn, dim the lights and make yourself comfortable; you are about to be amazed, mystified, and entertained! Your sleuth is about to solve a superstitious mystery! Using three film genres, a tantalizingly technical Superstition Origin Detector and – at the last cliff-hanging minute – a super surprise, your sleuth will lead us on a wild adventure that will have us on the edge of our seats!
Points of Interest! Your team will:
- Create a six-minute Improvisational Skit about the Origin of a randomly selected Superstition in a 30-minute timed period at the Tournament.
- Present the Skit using the styles of three different Film Genres randomly selected from a list of film genres the team has previously researched.
- Integrate a Sleuth, randomly selected from a list of historical and fictional detectives the team has previously researched, into the Skit.
- Create an Origin for the Superstition.
- Create a Superstition Origin Detector that physically moves and contributes to solving the mystery of the Origin of the Superstition
- Integrate a randomly selected Surprise!.
E: A New Angle
Educational Focus: Structural Engineering, Construction, Research, Innovation and Design Process, Mathematics, Theater Arts, Teamwork
The Destination: Where This Challenge Will Take You! The Statue of Liberty dancing the tango? Mona Lisa’s smile in origami? It’s fun to look at things from a new angle! Now you get to design, create and combine a two-part structure that has angled sides, and then see how much weight it will hold. You’ll also create a new art form by merging two different artistic media. So excite your ImagiNation by seeing things from A New Angle!
Points of Interest! Your team will:
- Design, build, and test a two-part Structure made completely of wood and glue.
- Create and present a Story about the merging of two forms of art to create a new form of artistic expression.
- Create and present a merged Art form.
- Create two Side Trips and integrate them into the Presentation.
Rising Stars!®
Educational Focus: Imagining Possibilities, Storytelling, Research, Science, Mathematics, Performing in front of an audience, Team problem solving, Working with others
The Destination: Where This Challenge Will Take You! Sh-h-h-h. Peek around. Do you see something Hidden? Did you ever wonder what goes on when you shut the refrigerator door? When an ant scurries into an ant hill? When a whale swallows a school of fish? Close your eyes! Let your imagination travel. Imagine what happens in a HIDDEN place! Make up a play. In the play the characters have to solve a problem. Keep looking! Do you see a gadget? Let the story unfold, a story to be told. It’s all up to you!
