Helpful Hints for Spontaneous Problems
Spontaneous problems are an important part of the Odyssey of the Mind experience. Approximately, one-third of the final tournament score is determined during a 10 to 15-minute period in the Spontaneous problem room. Here are some suggestions to help make your team's trip through Spontaneous fun and rewarding.
In an effort to have teams be more creative, several methods to control the speed in the way verbal responses to Spontaneous problems are given have been created. Here are some types of answering systems that have been used in the past. Teams may practice responding to Verbal or Verbal Hands-On problems using these systems.
Playing Cards
Assign each of the team members a number from 1 to 7. Use only the Ace and 2 through 7 from one or more decks of playing cards. Shuffle the cards and place them face down in front of the team members. The coach will turn over the first card. The card number (Ace = 1) designates which team member will then answer. After responding, that team member will then turnover the next card and so on. When all the cards are used, the deck is then turned over and the team continues until time runs out.
*3 x 5 CARDS Each team member is given 8-10 cards. When a team member gives an answer, a card is put into a container placed before the team. When all cards are used the team is finished responding, even if time remains on the clock. If a team member is unable to answer, a card is placed in the container also. If there are fewer than seven team members, distribute the cards for the missing team members to the others.
A variation is to place a stack of 35 cards (or any amount divisible by five) on the table. A card is placed in the container after each response. If the team member is stuck, the whole team is stuck. Another variation is that if the team member is stuck, a card is placed in the container and the team continues responding to the problem. A third variation, instead of using 3 x 5 cards, use beans, macaroni, checkers, or small blocks of wood.
*PASS CARDS Five PASS cards are placed before the team. If a team member is unable to answer, a PASS card is given to the judge (coach). If all PASS cards are used before time runs out, if a team member is stuck, the whole team is stuck. At the end of the time period, two points are added to the final score for each unused PASS card.
Paddle Place a Ping-Pong paddle on the table. Before giving a response the team member must pick up the Paddle and hold it over his/her head. After giving the response, the team member places the Paddle on the table before the next team member who is to respond. A variation is to place the Paddle on the table and any team member may pick it up to respond. The same team member may not respond twice in a row. The Paddle must be placed on the table before the next team member may pick it up and respond.
Ruler Have your team member line up single file. Hand the student in the front of the line a ruler. Once the problem is presented and time begins, the first student will give an answer, hand the ruler to the team member behind him/her and move to the back of the line. This process continues until time runs out.
Removal Put 35 coins, poker chips, card or wood blocks on a table in front of the team. Each team member is to remove one item and place it in a container that is on the table while giving a response. When all items are removed from the table and are in the container or time runs out (whichever is first), the team must stop.
Team members may give an answer in any order. If a member chooses not to give an answer that is OK, too. A team member may give several answers in a row. (Please make sure they know not to keep others from answering by trying to give all the answers.)
Dice Assign each team member a number from one to five. The coach will roll the dice the first time. The team member with the number showing on the dice will give a response. After giving the response, the team member will roll the dice. The team member whose number appears will then respond, and so on. If the number six appears, the team member who rolled the dice must respond again. If it is on the first roll, the coach will select the team member to respond.
Index cards. Seven colored index cards may be given to each of the five team members. For example 7 white cards will be given to a team member; 7 blue cards given to another team member; 7 green cards given to a third team member; 7 orange cards given to the 4th team member; and, 7 yellow index cards given to the 5th team member. A basket would be placed in the middle of the table. When a team member responds, in turn, he/she will place one of their colored index cards in the basket. Time is up when all 35 cards are in the basket, or the time limit has expired, whichever comes first.
http://www.pennsburyom.com/Helpful_Tips.htm
Spontaneous problems are an important part of the Odyssey of the Mind experience. Approximately, one-third of the final tournament score is determined during a 10 to 15-minute period in the Spontaneous problem room. Here are some suggestions to help make your team's trip through Spontaneous fun and rewarding.
- Practice as many Spontaneous problems as possible. The more practice the easier the time will be for the team on competition day.
- Work on good listening skills - both to listening to other team members and to the directions. (Many teams do poorly in the competition room because they did not listen to the instructions).
- Don't argue during a Spontaneous problem. It just wastes time.
- Practice giving answers loudly and clearly. Make sure the judges understand the response. Judges are human and can misunderstand a response which means they might score it as common when it was creative.
- Have team members take turns scoring and timing practice sessions. This helps them see and hear the difference between creative and common answers.
- Practice brainstorming techniques:
- No criticism - withhold judgment of ideas. Ideas are not evaluated during the brainstorming process. A critical remark or laughter from another person stops the free flow of ideas.
- Quality is desired. The larger the number of ideas, the greater the chances of reaching the best solution.
- The wilder the better. Asking for far-reaching ideas encourages group members to expand and be imaginative.
- Hitchhiking/Piggybacking is encouraged. Team members should be encouraged to combine or modify ideas of others. This leads to the improvement of ideas.
- Don't assume your team will be given a verbal or non-verbal Spontaneous problem relating to the type of long-term problem the team has chosen to solve. Any long-term problem may be given any type of Spontaneous problem at the tournament.
- Don't waste time trying to think of a creative response if the team member has a common one. Give the common response and perhaps it will stimulate other team members to give creative responses.
- Practice teamwork skills. Many of the problems have bonus points given on how well the team works together.
- Listen to the problem carefully. If the 'NO' word is not used, in other words if the team is told you cannot do something, take a chance. Judges watch for risk takers when scoring creativity.
- Practice on other types of communication besides verbal: These can be used when the problem says verbal communication is not allowed and the team is told signals may be used..
- Try tension-relieving exercises. Many teams are very nervous before they enter the Spontaneous area. Shaking of arms and legs, rolling of heads, telling of simple jokes to arouse laughter, are all ways to reduce tension. Also be careful with the pep talk as the team is ready to enter the competition room. Sometimes this puts more stress on an already stressed-out team. A relaxed team does much better in the competition room.
- Work on a team--uniting event such as:
- A special team Spontaneous hat or uniform or,
- A special song or cheer to greet the judges when they enter the problem room (not more that 15-20 seconds) or,
- A special signal or activity for the team to give when they are called for their problem (not more than 10 seconds).
- Make sure the team is aware that a copy of the problem is placed before them as it is read. They may consult it anytime while they are working on a solution to the problem.
In an effort to have teams be more creative, several methods to control the speed in the way verbal responses to Spontaneous problems are given have been created. Here are some types of answering systems that have been used in the past. Teams may practice responding to Verbal or Verbal Hands-On problems using these systems.
Playing Cards
Assign each of the team members a number from 1 to 7. Use only the Ace and 2 through 7 from one or more decks of playing cards. Shuffle the cards and place them face down in front of the team members. The coach will turn over the first card. The card number (Ace = 1) designates which team member will then answer. After responding, that team member will then turnover the next card and so on. When all the cards are used, the deck is then turned over and the team continues until time runs out.
*3 x 5 CARDS Each team member is given 8-10 cards. When a team member gives an answer, a card is put into a container placed before the team. When all cards are used the team is finished responding, even if time remains on the clock. If a team member is unable to answer, a card is placed in the container also. If there are fewer than seven team members, distribute the cards for the missing team members to the others.
A variation is to place a stack of 35 cards (or any amount divisible by five) on the table. A card is placed in the container after each response. If the team member is stuck, the whole team is stuck. Another variation is that if the team member is stuck, a card is placed in the container and the team continues responding to the problem. A third variation, instead of using 3 x 5 cards, use beans, macaroni, checkers, or small blocks of wood.
*PASS CARDS Five PASS cards are placed before the team. If a team member is unable to answer, a PASS card is given to the judge (coach). If all PASS cards are used before time runs out, if a team member is stuck, the whole team is stuck. At the end of the time period, two points are added to the final score for each unused PASS card.
Paddle Place a Ping-Pong paddle on the table. Before giving a response the team member must pick up the Paddle and hold it over his/her head. After giving the response, the team member places the Paddle on the table before the next team member who is to respond. A variation is to place the Paddle on the table and any team member may pick it up to respond. The same team member may not respond twice in a row. The Paddle must be placed on the table before the next team member may pick it up and respond.
Ruler Have your team member line up single file. Hand the student in the front of the line a ruler. Once the problem is presented and time begins, the first student will give an answer, hand the ruler to the team member behind him/her and move to the back of the line. This process continues until time runs out.
Removal Put 35 coins, poker chips, card or wood blocks on a table in front of the team. Each team member is to remove one item and place it in a container that is on the table while giving a response. When all items are removed from the table and are in the container or time runs out (whichever is first), the team must stop.
Team members may give an answer in any order. If a member chooses not to give an answer that is OK, too. A team member may give several answers in a row. (Please make sure they know not to keep others from answering by trying to give all the answers.)
Dice Assign each team member a number from one to five. The coach will roll the dice the first time. The team member with the number showing on the dice will give a response. After giving the response, the team member will roll the dice. The team member whose number appears will then respond, and so on. If the number six appears, the team member who rolled the dice must respond again. If it is on the first roll, the coach will select the team member to respond.
Index cards. Seven colored index cards may be given to each of the five team members. For example 7 white cards will be given to a team member; 7 blue cards given to another team member; 7 green cards given to a third team member; 7 orange cards given to the 4th team member; and, 7 yellow index cards given to the 5th team member. A basket would be placed in the middle of the table. When a team member responds, in turn, he/she will place one of their colored index cards in the basket. Time is up when all 35 cards are in the basket, or the time limit has expired, whichever comes first.
http://www.pennsburyom.com/Helpful_Tips.htm