HCECF - Homeschool Cooperative | Homeschool Cooperative Educating in Central Florida

2008 Odyssey of the Mind

News from January 2007,

For 2008, HCECF plans to begin our Odyssey of the Mind program to supplement our engineering adventures with creative problem solving challenges. This will complement our BRICKschoolers LEGO® programs and our SECME teams. For more information on these programs see...

http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/learn_more.php

http://www.floridaodyssey.org/main.php

Watch the HCECF Yahoo! members only discussion list in the fall for updates and sign up information!

What is it?

http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/learn_more.php

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Kids apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and World level. Thousands of teams from throughout the U.S. and from about 25 other countries participate in the program.

What makes Odyssey different?
Odyssey of the Mind is a competitive program, but it's nothing like your typical sporting event. The competitive element encourages kids to be the best that they can be, but it's a friendly competition. Kids learn from and even cheer on their competitors. Odyssey of the Mind is not a college bowl or a competition about knowledge. It's all about creativity, an often overlooked element in the growth and development of many students. Kids are rewarded more for how they apply their knowledge, skills and talents, and not for coming up with the right answer. In fact, in Odyssey of the Mind problems, there isn't one right answer. Ever.

How do students benefit from participation?
In Odyssey of the Mind, students learn at a young age skills that will last a lifetime. They work in teams so they learn cooperation and respect for the ideas of others. They evaluate ideas and make decisions on their own, gaining greater self-confidence and increased self-esteem along the way. They work within a budget, so they learn to manage their money. They see that there's often more than one way to solve a problem, and that sometimes the process is more important than the end result.

2008 Problem Synopses

2007-08 LONG-TERM PROBLEM SYNOPSES*
*Tentative as of April 6, 2007.
All problems have an 8-minute time limit.

Problem 1: Sports Cars
Divisions I, II, & III
This problem combines two popular activities -- Road Rallies and Sporting Events. Teams will design, build, and operate an original Sports Car, which they will drive in a road rally that has four checkpoints. At each checkpoint, the Sports Car will compete in a sports-related event. The team will choose three of the events from lists in the problem and will create an original sports-related event for the fourth checkpoint. The team will also develop a theme for its road rally.
Cost limit: $145 USD.

Problem 2: DinoStories
Divisions I, II, III, & IV
What might have happened to the dinosaurs that existed so many years ago? In a humorous performance, teams will present their original theory of what caused the dinosaurs to become extinct. The performance will include a dinosaur, a replica of the same dinosaur, an animal that is not a dinosaur, and a technical simulation of the team's "extinction theory." At least part of the performance will take place in a setting from the Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous periods.
Cost limit: $145 USD.

Problem 3: Classics ... The Wonderful Muses
Divisions I, II, III & IV
In Greek Mythology, muses were the source of inspiration for the creative works of artists and scientists. The team's problem is to create and present an original performance that includes one of the nine Greek muses. The Muse will inspire two people during the performance: (1) a historical person who made an actual positive contribution to the world, and (2) an original, team-created person who tries to make a positive contribution to the world. The Muse will use the art form attributed to her during two "moments of inspiration," when all the characters in the scene, except the Muse, will "freeze." The team will also create two original works in that art form to include in the performance.
Cost limit: $125 USD.

Problem 4: Tee Structure
Divisions I, II, III & IV
The team's problem is to design and build a structure using only balsa wood and glue. The team will test the structure by having it support weights that are balanced on golf balls without touching anything else. The team will receive score for the amount of weight the structure holds during testing and bonus points for each golf ball used to support the weights.
Cost limit: $140 USD.

Problem 5: The Eccentrics!
Divisions I, II, III & IV
This problem requires teams to create and present a humorous performance about three Eccentric Characters that demonstrate odd behavior, peculiar mannerisms, and unconventional dress. The performance will include a team-created "problem" within, or involving, an Earth system -- the atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, or hydrosphere. The Eccentric Characters, which seem to be misfits, will solve the problem. As a reward, a celebration is held in their honor and they end up launching a new fad.
Cost limit: $125 USD.

Sponsored by NASA.

Primary: Rude Awakenings
Grades K-2
This problem requires teams to create and present a humorous performance that includes a character that keeps waking up in a different time and/or place from where it fell asleep. This will happen at least three times before the character returns to where it started and something or someone stops the character from "traveling" in its sleep. The performance will also include a pet, a helpful character, and narration.
Cost limit: $125 USD.

Sponsor an HCECF team!

HCECF is excited about our newest offering to the homeschool community, but the initial costs are great.

Businesses who would like to contribute towards offsetting the start-up costs of this program and receive their name and website listed in both the HCECF website on the Partners in Home Education page for 2007/2008 AND next year's printed yearbook, please see the amounts above for each challenge. In-kind donations are also gladly accepted.

http://www.hcecf.net/partnersinhomeeducation.htm