Synopses
of Team Challenges
1999-2000
All
challenges are designated for all levels of competition
11/24/99
Please note - The names of two challenges have been changed for legal
reasons:
Eggs Over Easy has been changed to Eggsploration
and
nonLeaning Tower of Pasta has been changed to It's Not Impastable!
 It's not Impastable!
"Real world"
engineers design structures to be built using almost every imaginable
material. For this Challenge, teams are required to "play with their
food" by designing and building a structure made entirely of Pasta and
Glue. The team’s structure is scored based on how efficiently it supports
weight. There is also a scoring element for the innovation the team shows in
the design/construction of their structure. The "efficiency" of the
structure is measured by comparing how much weight t he structure supports to
how much the structure weighs. Another aspect of this Challenge is that the
weight is applied to the structure in an off-center way. This means the
structure must be designed to support this off-center load without becoming a
"lea ning tower of pasta". This Challenge also requires teams to
create a Presentation, which includes artistic, performance and
improvisational elements. Time limit is 8 minutes. The cost limit is $100.
(U.S.)
 Fruit Roller Coaster
Everybody who loves roller
coasters likes to go FAST. In this Challenge, teams are encouraged to learn
what happens as transportation systems are designed to go faster and faster by
designing a roller coaster for tennis balls that moves th e balls through the
course as fast as possible. There is no limit on the scoring for this aspect
of the Challenge – so the faster, the better! In addition to several required
"thrill events" (i.e. a loop or a jump), teams must include a
"thrill event" of their own design. The goal is to make a roller
coaster so fun and fast that the tennis ball riders can’t wait to get through
it! This Challenge also requires teams to create a Presentation, which includes
artistic, performance and improvisational elements . The time limit is 10
minutes for this FAST Challenge. The cost limit is $100 (U.S.).
 Mixing Apples and
Oranges
Since the beginning of time,
parents have met all sorts of challenges raising their young. Imagine the
predicaments when the youngster is from a completely different species! The
team's challenge is to tell an original story about an unusu al adoption that
takes place between two different species. The team will show examples of
parenting challenges and will present a baby book or visual record of the
young one's important events or milestones. The presentation must begin in
the habitat of the adopting creature and end with the return of the youngster
to its own species. Time limit is 8 minutes. The cost limit is $100 (U.S.).
 If Music Be the Food of
Life...Play On!
Music has always been an
important part of our lives and our cultures. Music can be a very creative
means of communication and often inspires images or emotions in the listener.
It can also convey a mood or even tell a story. This is often done without
the use of language or verbal communication. Just think of musical works such
as Peter and the Wolf, La Mer, or The Nutcracker Suite. The Team's challenge
is to create a musical performance that tells a story or creates a mood(s), all
wit hout the use of written or spoken language. Since music can
potentially involve more than just sight and sound, the team's performance
will include a visual representation of all 5 of the human senses. The team's
presentation must also include an orig inal musical instrument that will be
evaluated on its technical merits. In addition, there must be a prop or piece
of scenery that undergoes a change in physical appearance during the team's
presentation. Time limit is 6 minutes. Cost limit is $100
 Eggsploration
It's often said you can't
make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. However not breaking eggs may be
harder than you think, especially when you have to get them from one place to
another. In this Challenge, the team is asked to move 5 eg gs through an
obstacle course without breaking them. The eggs will have to be transported
over a wall, across a gap, and be passed through or be conveyed by a moving
device. The team will create 2 additional obstacles that will be evaluated on
their origi nality/creativity and their degree of difficulty. The method(s)
used to move the eggs through the course will be scored. The team is also
asked to create an overall theme for its performance that includes the
appearance of the 5 obstacles and the costume of at least 1 of the performing
team members. Finally, the team must build a device that will break the eggs,
if and when they make it through the course. Time limit is 10 minutes. Cost
limit is $100 (U.S.).
 Instant Pudding Improv
Sometimes, teams just don’t
have the time to spend solving one of our team Challenges, but would like to
experience and be part of our creative tournaments. Maybe a team would like
to ‘taste test’ Destination ImagiNationtm witho ut feeling like
they have to make a major commitment… well, this may be the challenge for
your team! Improv is a word that is shortened from the word IMPROVISATION,
meaning to create a performance in a very short amount of time. Your team
will be given a list of 12 famous people and 12 places and time in history to
research, but you will not know which ones you will get until you reach the
tournament. You will also get a list of ten items to bring as your only
props. After your team selects their random ‘ ingredients,’ you will be
escorted to a ‘test kitchen’ to cook up your Instant Pudding Improv within ½
hour. If your team chooses to try this unique Challenge, you may not
register for any other Challenge. So…Is your team short on time, and long
on creativity? Willing to take the risk?? Time limit is 6 minutes. Cost limit
is only the price of your 10 props.
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