Hands-On Spontaneous problems
First... a challenge!
Between the Bricks
One City Block
Builders in cities have to squeeze the most space out of a small area of ground. Mark off a 3" x 3" square on the table top.
Bridge Building
No Man's Land
This Problem Takes Courage
Marble, +1
Battery, +2
Tennis, +2
Volleyball, +3
Soccer ball, +4
Soup can, +5
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Over the Edge
Equipment: Materials to make a structure (paper, index cards, tape, string, spaghetti, marshmallows, etc.), uniform
weights (nails, marbles, coins). Divide the materials and the weights into five groups, each with a different set of some (but not all) of the materials, in different amounts. (Weights are not to be separated from the group of materials. For example you might have 5 index cards, 10" of string, 12 marshmallows, 7 nails, and 3 marbles in one group. Another group may have 20 spaghetti noodles, tape, typing paper, 2 marbles, 5 nails, and 3 coins). Your choice on materials and uniform weights.
Problem: You will build a structure that holds as much weight as possible, as high as possible above the base. There are various materials to build the structure with, divided into five groups. To build your structure, you may 'buy' two groups of materials from the store, and you may use only these materials in your structure. Luckily, this store has a liberal return policy: you may, once during the problem, return one of your selections in its entirety, in exchange for a new group of materials. Barring this one return, all 'sales' are final.
Timing: You have six minutes to build your structure and add weight.
Scoring: Measure the height of the bottom-most weight, earn ten points per inch. Earn one point per weight.
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Telephone
Brake Test
- While experimenting with structure-building materials, Matt's team found a way to hold up more than 50 nails (about 1.5"
long, with heads about 1 cm diameter) at least five inches above the table, with only eight pieces of dry spaghetti and a sheet of sticky Avery labels. Can you?
Between the Bricks
- Summary: The team will build a structure as tall as possible. The structure may touch only the vertical surfaces of two
bricks. - Equipment: Two bricks, each with one side (a long side perpendicular to the floor) painted black. Materials to build a structure. A competition area 3 feet by 3 feet. Materials to build a structure: drinking straws, toothpicks, clay, sandpaper, string, index cards, adhesive labels.
- Problem: You will have 8 minutes to design, build, and test a structure that spans a gap between two bricks. The structure may touch only the black surfaces of the bricks, not the floor, or any other side of the bricks. You may move the
bricks within the competition area, but may not turn them. - Scoring: Height of the structure times the distance spanned. If the structure touches the floor or any side of the bricks other than the painted sides, must be fixed before being scored.
- Variation: Attach a block to the black surfaces of the bricks so that there is a minimum distance that must be spanned.
One City Block
Builders in cities have to squeeze the most space out of a small area of ground. Mark off a 3" x 3" square on the table top.
- Your problem is to build a structure that supports as much weight as possible at least 5" high, and can only touch the table inside the square.
Score for weight and height of the highest weight.
Bridge Building
- Equipment: 40 index cards, 10 strands spaghetti, 4 gum labels, clay, nails
- Setup: Mark off two 6x6 squares with the masking tape, 6 inches apart.
- Problem: You must connect the squares with a bridge at least 5.5 inches off the table top (i.e. greater than the height of an index card). The structure may only touch the table inside the squares. The structure must support nails.
- Scoring: For each nail supported ABOVE A SQUARE, 1 point. For each nail supported ON THE BRIDGE, BETWEEN THE SQUARES, 4 points. The lowest point of a nail must be 5 inches (1 index card height) off the table to count for score. You get 8 minutes to build and add nails.
- Variation: Try to support marbles instead. Or give points based on the height of the highest nail.
No Man's Land
- Equipment: Masking tape (to mark the floor), any small heavy object to be supported by a structure, ruler, index cards, Scotch tape (12"), paper cups (4), straws, spaghetti, other materials to make a structure
- Setup: Mark a 6" by 6" square inside a 32" by 32" square. This means that each side of the smaller square is 13 inches from the edge of the larger square. Put the object in the center square.
- Problem: You must build a structure that supports the object. The structure must be entirely within the smaller square. The larger square is the boundary of "No Man's Land". No part of your body or clothing may cross this boundary; only the materials given to you may pass through. The object to be supported may never leave the larger square.
- Scoring: You have eight minutes to build the structure. For each inch the object is raised off the ground, you receive 10 points. For each time the boundary of No Man's Land is violated by a team member, lose 30 points. For each time the object to be supported leaves the center square, lose 15 points. If the object should leave No Man's Land, lose 50 points.
This Problem Takes Courage
- Equipment: A marble, a foam ball, a C battery, a tennis ball, a volleyball, a full soup can, a soccer ball, materials to make a bridge (paper, index cards, tape, string, spaghetti, marshmallows, etc.)
- Setup: Set up two tables 9" apart.
- Problem: In this problem you have to build a structure that bridges the two tables. No part of your bridge may descend below the plane of the table tops, and the total length of your construction must be less than 18". Once you've built your bridge, we will see how strong it is by propelling various objects across it. From a line two feet away from the hole, you will roll objects across the bridge. Each successful roll will earn you points. No part of your body, clothing, etc. may cross the plane of this line during a roll. If your bridge breaks, your time is up. A roll is defined as such: an object traverses the bridge such that whenever it is two feet or less from the closer side of the hole, the table or bridge is supporting the object's weight. (The object may not be thrown, for instance.) You may attach parts to the objects.
- Timing: You have six minutes to build and test your bridge. You have two minutes to roll objects for score.
Scoring: Once your two minutes begins, you may choose to roll any object, as many times as you want, in any order, from either direction across the bridge, until time is up or the bridge can no longer support an object. Scoring is as follows:
Team member crosses a line two feet away from the chasm, -15
Foam ball traverses the bridge, +1
Marble traverses the bridge, +2
Battery traverses the bridge, +3
Tennis ball traverses the bridge, +4
Volleyball traverses the bridge, +5
Soccer ball traverses the bridge, +7
Soup can traverses the bridge, +10
Improper roll (not touching at all times), no score
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- Equipment: A marble, a foam ball, a C battery, a tennis ball, a volleyball, a full soup can, a soccer ball, materials to make a structure (paper, index cards, tape, string, spaghetti, marshmallows, etc.)
- Problem: Build a structure or structures that support these objects as high above the table top as possible. The objects may be part of the structures.
- Timing: You have eight minutes to build your structures. Once time is over, building must stop.
- Scoring: Measurements are taken from lowest point of the objects. If a ball falls before the judge gets to measure it, it does not count. For each inch above five inches, score as follows:
Marble, +1
Battery, +2
Tennis, +2
Volleyball, +3
Soccer ball, +4
Soup can, +5
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Over the Edge
- Equipment: Materials to make a structure (paper, index cards, straws, tape, string, spaghetti, marshmallows, etc.), uniform weights (nails, marbles, coins), ruler
- Problem: Build a structure that extends off the end of the table and supports weight. The structure must be no wider than 5", and only 1/3 of its length may be on the table. The other 2/3 must extend over the edge of the table.
- Timing: You have eight minutes to build your structure and add weight.
- Scoring: For each inch the structure extends off the table, earn 10 points. For each weight it holds (on the part over the table), earn 1/2 point. For each weight it holds on the part extending off the table, earn three points. For each 1/4" or fraction thereof of excess width, lose 15 points. For each 1/4" or fraction thereof of excess length above the 1/3 permitted, lose 15 points. (If the structure is 10" long, and 4" is on the table, there is an excess of 2/3 of an inch, for a penalty of 45 points.) All lengths are measured in the horizontal plane of the table, so if the structure sags, a loss of length is incurred.
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Equipment: Materials to make a structure (paper, index cards, tape, string, spaghetti, marshmallows, etc.), uniform
weights (nails, marbles, coins). Divide the materials and the weights into five groups, each with a different set of some (but not all) of the materials, in different amounts. (Weights are not to be separated from the group of materials. For example you might have 5 index cards, 10" of string, 12 marshmallows, 7 nails, and 3 marbles in one group. Another group may have 20 spaghetti noodles, tape, typing paper, 2 marbles, 5 nails, and 3 coins). Your choice on materials and uniform weights.
Problem: You will build a structure that holds as much weight as possible, as high as possible above the base. There are various materials to build the structure with, divided into five groups. To build your structure, you may 'buy' two groups of materials from the store, and you may use only these materials in your structure. Luckily, this store has a liberal return policy: you may, once during the problem, return one of your selections in its entirety, in exchange for a new group of materials. Barring this one return, all 'sales' are final.
Timing: You have six minutes to build your structure and add weight.
Scoring: Measure the height of the bottom-most weight, earn ten points per inch. Earn one point per weight.
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Telephone
- Equipment: Choose 5 unusual objects. Make a set of index cards, each with the names of 1, 2, or 3 of the objects, in any order. Repetitions on the cards are allowed.
- Setup: Arrange 5 chairs in a circle, backs facing the center. The first chair should be within reach of the cards, the last within reach of the objects. A judge should be stationed at each end of the semicircle.
- Problem: You must devise a nonverbal communications system to communicate the name and order of the objects on the cards. Each of you will sit in a chair. The person near the cards will flip a card and communicate the objects it names to the next person. The second person will communicate them to the third person, and so on. The last person will pick
up the objects and show them to the judge, in order. - Scoring: You get 1 point for each object correctly picked up by the last person. After the first team member communicates the card's contents, someone should give the card to the scoring judge.
- Timing: You have 2 minutes to devise a system, during which all team members may talk and examine the objects, and 3 minutes to perform for score.
Brake Test
- Equipment: A ramp, tape measure, various parts with which to construct small vehicles (be creative!), weights (nails or coins)
Setup: Unroll the tape measure to a length of 72 inches, and place the end against a wall. Set up the ramp at the other end.
Problem: The team must construct two vehicles using the materials provided. When time ends, the judges will release each vehicle from the top of the ramp, and score them based on distance traveled. The vehicles must stop before hitting the wall.
Timing: The team has eight minutes to construct and test the vehicles. - Scoring: Take measurements from the front of each vehicle. For each vehicle, one point per inch past the ramp. If the vehicle hits the wall, subtract 24 points, and 6 points for each inch it bounces back. All measurements should be made in the direction of the tape measure only (i.e. if the vehicle veers off to the side, extend a line across to the tape measure.) Score 1-15 points for how well the team works together, and 1-15 points for the creativity of each vehicle.
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- Thanks to Lee and Matt Semel for their great collection! http://lsemel.github.io/odyssey/spont/submit.html