Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind is a creative competition for children in grades P - 12. Teams of 5-7 similar age groups work together to solve one of the five "problems". Each team competes in three areas: Long Term, Style, and Spontaneous. All teams compete at Regionals and from there the first four advance to State. The top two teams in each problem advance to the World Competition held in May.
Coaches are parents, grandparents, or another adult willing to challenge others to think "outside the box".
I. Long Term - This is the main portion of the competition and is worth 200 points. A specific problem reveals all the requirements while explaining the Spirit of the Problem. The items required in each of the Long Term skits must be accomplished in eight minutes with a limited and specified budget. The Long Term point scale is based on objective and subjective points. A point breakdown is provided in each problem's description. The five areas in which to compete are listed below:
Problem I: The Vehicle problem normally has a vehicle involved in the solution of the problem. The vehicle, built by the team members, normally has to accomplish certain tasks.
Problem II: The Transfer problem typically provides an opportunity for the team to create a device that will transfer items from one place to another.
Problem III: The Classics problem incorporates history, art, and literature throughout the challenge.
Problem IV: The Structure problem encourages the team to create a balsa wood structure with the set specifications to hold the most free weights possible.
Problem V: The Performance problem is designed to emphasize a performance with some interesting characters and a creative performance.
II. Style - Within the Long-Term problem, a category defined as Style is a requirement to include. This category is based on the creativity of how the items in the skit are designed and/or created. There are five pieces of Style each team submits to the judges. One and two are specified in the problem itself, while three and four are the free choice of the team members. The fifth element is the overall effectiveness of the first four items in the performance. Style is worth 50 subjective points.
III. Spontaneous - The third element in the OM Competition is Spontaneous. Only five team members may participate in this portion. Points are given for Common and Creative responses. In this part, team members enter a room where they are told the type of problem they will participate: Verbal, Verbal/Hands-On, or Hands-On. Verbal: A challenge is given to for the team to say something, i.e., "__________________ is better than ________________." Verbal/Hands-On: A problem is presented with materials. For instance, the team may be given a paperclip and the team must say how the items can be used in different ways. Hands-On: Several items are provided and a problem is presented to use the items in a creative way. This problem may be either verbal or nonverbal. The point scale for Spontaneous is 100.
Important Dates for 2015 OM Competitions
T-Shirt and Pin Design Contest - October 17th
Coaches' Training - October 25th -
Judges' Training - - Sylvan Hills
Regional Competition - Saturday, March 7 - Sylvan Hills
State Judges' Training - Friday, April - ASU Beebe (in the evening)
State Competition - Saturday, April - ASU Beebe
World Competition - May 20 - 23 - Michigan State University - Lansing, Michigan
For more information and a list of the problem synopses call 870-864-5018 or go to www.odysseyofthemind.com (world site) or www.ciarkansas.org (state site).
Coaches are parents, grandparents, or another adult willing to challenge others to think "outside the box".
I. Long Term - This is the main portion of the competition and is worth 200 points. A specific problem reveals all the requirements while explaining the Spirit of the Problem. The items required in each of the Long Term skits must be accomplished in eight minutes with a limited and specified budget. The Long Term point scale is based on objective and subjective points. A point breakdown is provided in each problem's description. The five areas in which to compete are listed below:
Problem I: The Vehicle problem normally has a vehicle involved in the solution of the problem. The vehicle, built by the team members, normally has to accomplish certain tasks.
Problem II: The Transfer problem typically provides an opportunity for the team to create a device that will transfer items from one place to another.
Problem III: The Classics problem incorporates history, art, and literature throughout the challenge.
Problem IV: The Structure problem encourages the team to create a balsa wood structure with the set specifications to hold the most free weights possible.
Problem V: The Performance problem is designed to emphasize a performance with some interesting characters and a creative performance.
II. Style - Within the Long-Term problem, a category defined as Style is a requirement to include. This category is based on the creativity of how the items in the skit are designed and/or created. There are five pieces of Style each team submits to the judges. One and two are specified in the problem itself, while three and four are the free choice of the team members. The fifth element is the overall effectiveness of the first four items in the performance. Style is worth 50 subjective points.
III. Spontaneous - The third element in the OM Competition is Spontaneous. Only five team members may participate in this portion. Points are given for Common and Creative responses. In this part, team members enter a room where they are told the type of problem they will participate: Verbal, Verbal/Hands-On, or Hands-On. Verbal: A challenge is given to for the team to say something, i.e., "__________________ is better than ________________." Verbal/Hands-On: A problem is presented with materials. For instance, the team may be given a paperclip and the team must say how the items can be used in different ways. Hands-On: Several items are provided and a problem is presented to use the items in a creative way. This problem may be either verbal or nonverbal. The point scale for Spontaneous is 100.
Important Dates for 2015 OM Competitions
T-Shirt and Pin Design Contest - October 17th
Coaches' Training - October 25th -
Judges' Training - - Sylvan Hills
Regional Competition - Saturday, March 7 - Sylvan Hills
State Judges' Training - Friday, April - ASU Beebe (in the evening)
State Competition - Saturday, April - ASU Beebe
World Competition - May 20 - 23 - Michigan State University - Lansing, Michigan
For more information and a list of the problem synopses call 870-864-5018 or go to www.odysseyofthemind.com (world site) or www.ciarkansas.org (state site).
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