Odyssey of the Mind 2016-2017 School Year J. Michael Lunsford MS September 12, 2016
OVERVIEW • Definition • Benefits • Team Timeline • Requirements • Important Dates • Competition • Long – Term Problems • Spontaneous Problems • Team Formation • Conclusion
What is Odyssey of the Mind (OM)? An educational program in which students from kindergarten through college display creative problem-solving skills through local, state, and international team competition. – Supported by Creative Opportunities Unlimited
BENEFITS Participants learn: • Team-building skills by working in groups • How to effectively brainstorm • How to identify the real challenge • How to seek out-of-the-box solutions • How to think on their feet • How to present solutions and answers in a large group setting • How to “open up ” and express themselves • How to work independently , without parents
TEAM TIMELINE • Parents and students attend Information Night • Student signs up for OM • Parents sign up to coach OM team • Teams are formed by coaches and OM coordinator • Team meetings are held regularly (weekly) to create problem solution (this happens as soon as possible until date of competition) • School registers teams for competition (December) • Teams practice performance and spontaneous problems (Jan-Feb) • Teams compete (regional tournament in March)
REQUIREMENTS • Coaches • 7 members per team • Place and regular time to meet • Funds for long term problem ($125-$145/team). Divided by team, usually around $20-30 per student • Each team must provide a tournament volunteer and a judge COMMITMENT • – Students Hard work Open mind Positive attitude Encouragement Creativity Punctuality Sense of humor Teamwork Respect Time Trust – Parents Money Time Punctuality Planning Supplies Patience Trust
Important Dates Coaches Training: mandatory for all NEW coaches. Saturday Nov 5, 2016 at Tuscarora HS, Leesburg Master Spontaneous Workshop : for coaches and assistant coaches only Saturday Dec 3, 2016 at Freedom HS, South Riding Optional Spontaneous Tournament: for teams Date and Location to be announced, but usually in January Coaches Tournament Preparations workshop: for coaches and assistant coaches only Date and Location to be announced (Jan 2017) Judges Training: Each team must provide one judge in order to compete Saturday, Jan 28, 2017 at Tuscarora HS, Leesburg Regional Tournament: Saturday, Feb 18, 2017 - Region 14 Tournament at Freedom HS, South Riding * snow date: March 11 Virginia State Tournament: Saturday, April 1, 2017 at John Champe HS, Aldie World Finals: May 24-27, 2017 at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
COMPETITION Saturday, Feb 18, 2017 Freedom High School, South Riding • Preparation begins now for the regional competition • Competition consists of two parts: – Long term problem – Spontaneous problem
LONG TERM PROBLEMS P roblem 1: Catch Us If You Can Team will design, build, and run vehicles from a multi-level Parking Garage to a secret meeting place without being stopped. Vehicles will travel different routes to reach the same destination. Cost limit: $145 USD. Problem 2: Odd-a-Bot Teams will create a humorous story about a family that brings home an “Odd-a-Bot.” Instead of being programmed to perform tasks, this Odd-a-Bot robot learns from watching others. Teams will design, build, and operate an original robot that demonstrates human characteristics when performing tasks. Cost limit: $145 USD. Problem 3: Classics... It's Time, OMER Teams will create and present an original performance about time travelers looking to discover the inspiration for great works of art, little did they know – it was OMER every time! The travelers go back in time — twice into our past and once into our future. They will see OMER inspire two classical artists and a team-created artist from our future. Cost limit: $125 USD.
LONG TERM PROBLEMS Problem 4: Ready, Set, Balsa, Build! In this problem, teams will design, build, and test a structure made of only balsa wood and glue that will balance and support as much weight as possible. Teams will present a performance with a theme about using what's available and that incorporates weight-placement and assembling original team creations. Cost limit: $145 USD. Problem 5: To Be Continued: A Superhero Cliffhanger Teams will create and present a humorous performance about an unexpected superhero that encounters three different situations where it must save creativity in some way. The superhero will change appearance when it displays its superpowers and go back to blending in with society when not. The performance will also include a clumsy sidekick, a nemesis character, a choreographed battle, and a cliffhanger ending. Cost limit: $125 USD.
SPONTANEOUS PROBLEMS Teams don’t know what they’ll have to do until they enter the competition. This teaches kids to “think on their feet.” • Verbal • Hands-On • Verbal/hands-on
VERBAL Problem requiring verbal responses only • Example: Name things that are “ red ” • Student should think of all of the definitions of “ red, ” i.e.: • – an apple – a newspaper – Ready at the Switch – bread and butter – red skies at night – A map – blood – ready, set, go – Gingerbread – Giant redwoods – Readiness
HANDS-ON • The team will be given a set of supplies and will be expected to complete a project within a short timeframe. • Example: a paper bag, 10 straws, 5 pipe cleaners, 10 marshmallows and a ping pong ball. • The team has 5 minutes to construct a structure that will support the weight of the ping pong ball. • The team will typically be scored on the successful completion of the project, creativity involved, and teamwork.
VERBAL HANDS-ON Example • The team will be given a problem that will require them to utilize some supplies and give verbal responses as part of their answer. • Example: The team is given 5 objects (a necklace, a hat, a flower, a flyswatter, and a piece of string) • The team will be asked to tell a story about the objects – rotating from team member to team member. The team will have 5 minutes and will be scored on creativity, originality, teamwork, and following the directions given.
LUNSFORD TEAM FORMATION • This meeting is your first step. This is where your child is put on the waiting list. • If a team already exists, but they need additional members, we’ll fill out the team from the list. • If you’ve already participated in OM, but need a new team, please put that down on the sheet - you will be an asset to another team. • Parents must decide if they will coach a team. Without coaches, there are no teams.
LUNSFORD TEAM FORMATION • I will work with coaches to fill out the team with interested students. – My goal: Get teams organized by end of September NOTE: I cannot guarantee placement of any student on a team unless that student’s parent or guardian is a coach. • Once formed, the team must quickly decide: – When and where weekly meetings will be held – What problem is the team going to perform • Then, THE HARD WORK AND FUN Begin!
CONCLUSIONS • The Odyssey of the Mind program is limited by the number of coaches available. The coaches are the heroes in OM! • OM takes commitment and hard work from both the student and family. However, it is such a rewarding experience! • Odyssey of the Mind is an excellent program for students - teaching them the aspects of self-reliance, creativity, and team-building. • Odyssey of the Mind is the true meaning of “Thinking out of the Box”
Questions?
Join us in “ Thinking Out of the Box ” J. Michael Lunsford coordinator : Sandhya Shankar sandhyashankar.jmlom@gmail.com For more information : Lunsford PTA webpage www.odysseyofthemind.com
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