Colorado Odyssey of the Mind

1. Colorado Odyssey of the Mind Information Meeting

2. A Glimpse Into Tournament Day

3. What Is Odyssey? • International Creative Problem-Solving Program • Creativity is a skill that can be taught and further developed with practice • Focus is to develop broad, independent-thinking abilities through a challenging, and FUN, learning process

4. Team-effort, based loosely upon a sports model Teams demonstrate their solutions at a tournament in a 8 minute performance Odyssey develops real-life communication and brainstorming skills Rewards creativity and “calculated” risk-taking in the solution of complex problems What Is Odyssey of The Mind? Every team presenting a solution is a WINNER!

5. The Three Components of Odyssey The Three Components of OOTM Long-Term Style Spontaneous • 50 Points • Elaboration of Long-Term • Pizzaz, Sparkle, Polish • Team Chosen Elements • 100 Points • On the Spot • Anything Goes • 3 Types • Verbal • Hands on- Hybrid • 200 Points • Specific Rules • Open-Ended • All Solutions Presented in Skit Form (8-min) Long-Term + Style + Spontaneous=Total Score

6. Problem 1 – Vehicle “Driver’s Test” Problem 2 – Technical “The Not So Haunted House” Problem 3 – Classics “It’s How We Rule” Problem 4 – Structure “The Stackable Structure” Problem 5 – Theatrical “Seeing Is Believing” Long Term Problems

7. Outside Assistance The Team MUST conceive, design, construct, and perform their own ideas. Help external to the team is termed Outside Assistance (OA).The solution is the Team’s design, their work, their performance, and their score. The Team is responsible for what they do, NOT the coach. Odyssey is a Hands-On Program for Kids OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE

8. SpontaneousProblems - 3Types: Spontaneous Problems • Name different uses for a sidewalk Verbalproblems require verbal responses that may incorporate improvisation or dramatization • Using 10 pieces of pasta, 1” cube of clay, 4 mailing labels, build a structure as tall as possible • Hands On problems require teams to create a tangible solution • Verbal/Hands On problems require teams to create a tangible solution and include some type of verbal component • Using a straw and a plastic cup, improvise

9. Odyssey of the Mind In Action • Problem 5: Food Court (2010) • The problem is to create and present a humorous performance where a food item is accused of being unhealthy and must defend itself among its food peers. All characters are food items and will include “the accused,” “the accuser,” a jury that is not portrayed by team members, and additional team-created characters. The jury will reveal its decision to the audience. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RO1AYH2P4I&feature=related

10. For this problem, teams will design, build, and drive a vehicle that will travel a course at least two times where a student driver attempts to complete tasks in order to pass a driver’s test. The vehicle will travel using one propulsion system and then travel in reverse using a different propulsion system that uses stored human energy. The vehicle will encounter a directional signal and have a Global Positioning System (GPS) that talks to the driver. The team will create a theme for the presentation that incorporates the vehicle, a driver’s test, a student, and the talking GPS.  Problem 1 – Vehicle “Driver’s Test”

11. The team’s problem is to create and present an original performance that includes a “pop-up-style” not-so-haunted “house” where four special effects take place. The intent of the special effects will be to scare others but, they will produce a different result instead. The performance will include at least one character that experiences the special effects and a narrator who relays the experiences to the audience. It will also include a surprise ending. The special effects will be scored for originality and engineering.  Problem 2 – Technical– “The Not So Haunted House”

12. In this Classics problem, teams will re-create a King’s Court from history and make their own Royal Court set in an original kingdom at a different time and place. The Historic Court will issue a decree that fits in with its history, while the team-created Royal Court will issue a decree that changes an everyday behavior for the people in the kingdom. The Historic court will be composed as the team wishes, but the original Royal Court will be made up of a leader, a minstrel that performs a song while playing a team-created instrument, and a jester that makes fun of the leader. The performance will include puppets and a Peoplet (a person portrayed as a puppet), and will be scored for humor.  Problem 3 Classics “It’s How We Rule”

13. Teams will design and build a structure made up of separate components stacked on top of one another. The structure components will be made of only balsa wood and glue, and will be tested by balancing and supporting weights after they are stacked. Teams will be scored for the number of components they use in their final structure. Before they are stacked, the separate components will be integrated into an artistic representation of Earth. The team will include the stacking of the components, placement of the weights, and Earth into the theme of its performance. Problem 4 – Structure “Stackable Structure”

14. In this problem teams are to create and present an original performance about a community that feels threatened by something in a location it has never visited. The community townspeople will use a creative method to select one or more Travelers to visit and explore the location. While at the location, a Traveler will use a means of communication to send a message home to convince the community that there is nothing to fear. The performance will also include a narrator character, two rhymes about the travels, and a moving set piece.   Problem 5 – Theatrical “Seeing Is Believing”

16. Spontaneous Problems • Verbal • Animal Rhymes • Your problem is to make a rhyme using a name or species of an animal. For example, you might say, "I think mice are nice" or "There's a cat in the hat.“ • Verbal Hands On • Foil Creations • Your problem is to use the materials to make a chain by linking the cups together .

17. Spontaneous Problems • Hands On • Cup Collection • Your problem is to use the materials to make a chain by linking the cups together.

18. Season Overview • October & November – Recruitment • December & January – Registration • February - Practice • March - Present • April - Advance • May

19. How Parents Can Help First Five Meetings Continued … CAN DO • Volunteer as a judge or tournament volunteer • Help provide snacks • Transport the team to buy things • Teach the team members a skill • Open attics, closets, basements, recycle bins, for garage sale value materials • Bring Spontaneous problems and supplies • Provide a place to meet and/or store props • Help carry props into the building and into the staging area for the tournament • Get everyone and everything to the tournament • Applaud A LOT and help get props offstage after the performance

20. How Parents Can Help First Five Meetings Continued … CANNOT DO • Suggest what to buy • Modify or repair props if they break for whatever reason • Sew anything, paint anything, cut anything, or do anything to contribute to the team’s problem solution. • Put emphasis on score/win rather than fun. • Suggest to the team which skills would result in a better looking or better functioning solution • Suggest what materials to use from the attic, closet, basement or recycle bins • Analyze why something failed or did not work • Suggest to the team which skills to use to solve a problem

21. Support for Coaches • Coaches Trainings • 3 offered in the fall • Coaches Mentor Program • Mary Francavilla • 15+ years experience with Odyssey of the Mind • Blog on Colorado Odyssey website • Respond to or forward coaching questions • Spontaneous problems for teams to practice • Contact Information • coaches@coloradoodyssey.org

22. Tournaments Program Structure - Memberships • Team/Tournament Requirements • Tournament Fee • Provide 1 volunteer and 1 judge • Regional Tournaments • Teams placing 1st -3rd and Ranatra Fusca Award winners advance to the State Tournament • State Tournament • 1st, 2nd, and Ranatra Fusca Award winners advance to World Finals in late May • World Finals

24. Volunteer Requirement • 80+ volunteers are needed (2-3 hours each) • 15 roles x 4 shifts • 7 problems x 3 shifts • Volunteers can select a preference for their volunteer role when registering • Volunteers are not required to attend training • Volunteers will be able to see their child’s performance • Volunteers will receive the state pin as a thank you • $50 fee assessed per tournament for a team not supplying a volunteer

25. Judge Requirement • 80+ judges are needed • 10 for each long term problem x 6 • 20 for spontaneous • <5 for score room • Judges can select a preference for their role when registering • Judges training – half day • Judges will not be able to see their child’s performance • $100 fee assessed per tournament for not supplying a judge

26. Teams per Membership • Each membership is allowed to send one team per Division in their school per Long-Term competitive problem they are eligible for AND 2 Primary • K-5 School – usually up to 5 teams + 2 Primary Teams • 6-8 School – usually up to 5 teams • 9-12 Schools – usually up to 5 teams • K-8 School – usually up to 10 teams + 2 Primary Teams • K-12 School – usually up to 15 teams + 2 Primary Teams

27. Team Structure • Teams of 5-7 students participate in their choice of the current-year Long-Term Problems • All Team Members may participate in the Long Term problem presentation • 5 Team Members only may participate in Spontaneous (team choice). Others team members may observe. • A maximum of 7 “Minds” can work on the problem • Teams participate within Age Divisions. In the U.S., these are based upon age of oldest team member and the grade level. • Primary: K-2 • Div I:5th grade or younger • Div II:6th-8th grade • Div III: 9-12 grade • Div IV: College

29. 2013-2014 Dates • Coaches Training Saturdays, AM or PM Session • Oct. 26th Mt Evans Training • Nov. 16th Longs Peak Training • Dec. 7th Poudre River Training • Problem Specific Training • Wednesday, Dec. 11th, Longmont Area • Registrations Due – January 13th • Tournament Registration • Spontaneous Workshop Registration • Judge & Volunteers – January 27th • Judge Registration • Volunteer Registration • Tournament Fee Due

30. 2013-2014 Dates • Spontaneous Workshop • Saturday, January 25th, TBD • Judges Training – Saturdays AM or PM Session • February 22nd Mt Evans Area • March 1st Poudre River Area • Tournaments • Longs Peak Region – March 15th • Mt. Evans Region – March 22nd • Poudre River Region – March 29th • State – April 12th Longs Peak Area • World Finals – May 28th – June 1st Iowa State University

31. Websites • Colorado Odyssey • www.coloradoodyssey.org • State Information • Spontaneous Workshop Registration • Coaches Corner • National Site • www.odysseyofthemind.com • National Information • Tournament, Judge & Volunteer Registration

33. Odyssey of the Mind At Our School