Colorado Odyssey of the Mind

www.coloradoodyssey.org

Colorado Odyssey of the

MindInformation Meeting


A Glimpse Into Tournament Day


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


WHAT IS ODYSSEY OF THE

MIND?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

Every team presenting a solution is a

WINNER!


Long-Term

200 Points• Specific Rules• Open-Ended• All Solutions Presented in Skit Form (8-min)

100 Points• On the Spot• Anything Goes• 3 Types

- Verbal- Hands on

- Hybrid

50 Points• Elaboration of Long-Term• Pizzaz, Sparkle, Polish• Team Chosen Elements

Long-Term + Style + Spontaneous=Total Score

The Three Components of OOTM

Style Spontaneous

The Three Components of Odyssey


LONG TERM PROBLEMS

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”


Outside AssistanceThe 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

OUTSIDEASSISTANCE


Spontaneous Problems

Verbal problems require verbal responses that may incorporate improvisation or dramatization

Spontaneous Problems - 3 Types:

Verbal/Hands On problems require teams to create a tangible solution and include some type of verbal component

Hands On problems require teams to create a tangible solution

Using 10 pieces of pasta, 1” cube of clay, 4 mailing labels, build a structure as tall as possible

Name different uses for a sidewalk

Using a straw and a plastic cup, improvise


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

Odyssey of the Mind In Action




Problem 1 – Vehicle

“Driver’s Test”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 2 – Technical – “The Not So Haunted House”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 3 Classics

“It’s How We Rule”

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 4 – Structure “Stackable Structure” 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 5 – Theatrical

“Seeing Is Believing”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.



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 .



Hands On› Cup Collection› Your problem is to use the materials to

make a chain by linking the cups together.



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


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

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

How Parents Can Help


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 › [email protected]

Support for Coaches


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

Tournaments



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

Volunteer 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

Judge Requirement


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

Teams per Membership


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

Team Structure



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

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

2013-2014 Dates


Colorado Odyssey › www.coloradoodyssey.org› State Information › Spontaneous Workshop Registration› Coaches Corner

National Site› www.odysseyofthemind.com› National Information› Tournament, Judge & Volunteer Registration

Websites

http://www.coloradoodyssey.org/

http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/



Odyssey of the Mind At Our School

Documents

Colorado Odyssey of the Mind