Odyssey of the MindJUDGES TRAINING 2014 OKLAHOMA
What is Odyssey of the Mind?
Team-driven creative problem solving competition
Team-driven
Creative
Problem solving
Competition
What is Odyssey specifically?
Four divisions in Odyssey Primary: K,1st,2nd grade
Division I: 1st-5th grade
Div. II: 6th-8th grade
Div. III: 9th-12th grade
Div. IV: collegiate
Three major parts to Odyssey Long Term 200 points
Style 50 points
Spontaneous 100 points
What do officials do?
Long Term Staging area judge
Long Term Judges
Style Judges
Spontaneous Judges
Long Term Problem
8 minute skit that obeys specific criteria
Worked on entire year
5 different problems Problem 1- Vehicle
Problem 2- Technical
Problem 3- Classics
Problem 4- Balsa wood
Problem 5- Performance
Vehicle Problem
Alternates between large and small vehicles
Vehicles have to complete certain tasks
Lots of “objective” scoring
Runaway Train
Up to 3 vehicles
Travel on tracks to stations
Overcome obstacles from a list
Humorous conductor character
Victory lap with banner
Technical Problem
Build devices to perform specific tasks
Objective scoring
Experiencing Technical Difficulties
Create at least 3 devices operated by rubber bands Each’s function different
Complete 7 required tasks Ring bell
Raise a flag
Open book, etc
“Technical Failure” which must be fixed
Mysterious Engineer Character
EVERYTHING MUST FIT IN TWO SUITCASES
Classics Problem
Performance based around classic works Art, literature, architecture, history, etc.
Subjective Scoring
Pandora’s Box
Video game retelling of Pandora’s Box
Prologue with “Representation of the box”
A Gamer Character
Multi-level video game
3 avatars that represent a different evil
Power meter
Hope
Balsa Wood Problem
Teams build balsa wood structures to hold as much weight as possible
Scoring for Balsa wood is crazy*
*My opinion
Lose Your Marbles
Structure holds as much weight as possible
Starts with 5 marbles in structure
Device removes part of structure, releases marble
Integrate weight placement and “losing your marbles” into performance
Performance Problem
Large emphasis on performance elements (humor, stage presence, etc)
Generally some kind of quest with 3 tasks
Subjective Scoring
Silent Movie
Show a silent movie being made in present time
Explain why
Director
Movie Critic
Humorous Villain Character
3 silly acts of villainy
Subtitles
Musical score
Short trailer
Style
Complements Long Term problem
Found in back of Long Term
5 scoring categories, 10 points each 2 dictated to you: Visual appearance, creative use of a material
2 “Free Choice”
1 “Overall Effect of the four Style elements in the performance”
Things that make you go “WOW!”
Doesn’t have to be tangible
Spontaneous
Completely independent of Long Term
No coach present, team goes into a room and do a problem
3 types of problems Verbal
Verbal-hands on
Hands on
Total secrecy about the problem
Outside Assistance
Nobody is allowed to help with the problem in any way.
No giving them ideas, no telling them their ideas are good/bad, etc.
As a judge, you can’t tell them what to improve, only hints
Dissecting a problem
INTRODUCTIONTHE PROBLEM
LIMITATIONS
SITE, SETUPCOMPETITION
SCORING
PENALTIESSTYLE
TOURNAMENTDIRECTORWILL PROVIDETEAM
WILLPROVIDE
Forms: Team Required List
3 copies
*Tells the judges what to score*
^^^IMPORTANT
Vary from problem to problem
Forms: Style
3 copies
Can’t be anything already scored in Long Term
1 and 2 are dictated by problem
3 and 4 are free choices
5 is a bit of writing to make the judges score them well
Problem 3- 2 years ago
Read through problem
Talk about problem
Look at forms
View solution
Talk about judging long term/style
Clarifications
When teams don’t understand part of the problem
General Clarifications
Team-Specific Clarifications
Competitions
3 Competitions Super Regionals-
Feb. 28, Sequoyah Middles School, Edmond
State-
March 28, Oklahoma State Student Union
World Finals-
May 20-23, Michigan State University, East Lansing
Div I teams perform in the morning, higher divisions later
Spont all day
Placement
Top 6 teams per problem per division advance from Super Regionals to State
2 teams per problem per division advance to World Competition
Scores are a combination of all three scoring categories put together
Special Awards OMER Award
Ranatra fusca Award
Ranatra fusca award winners advance automatically to World