Verbal: Indecisive Appliance

Indecisive Appliance

Judges Version Problem
Source: Spirit of Chicago
http://texasom.blogspot.com/

This is a verbal spontaneous problem. You have one minute to decide which 5 team members will participate.

(After the team chooses) JUDGE READS TO THE TEAM:

You will have 1 minute to think and 4 minutes to respond. You will respond in clockwise order. Before responding, you must remove one item from the container on the table and place it in front of you. You may give responses until time ends or you run out of items. Questions count against your thinking time. You may not skip your turn, nor repeat, nor pass. If one member of the team is stuck, the team is stuck.

• Common answers will receive 1 point.
• Creative answers will receive 3 points.
• Highly creative or humorous answers will receive 5 points.

The toaster named “Phil,” desperately to become another kitchen appliance. Your problem is to state what appliance Phil wants to be and why?

(Judge repeats, “Your problem is:…)

JUDGES: Be sure each team member has 7 cards. Provide a box or basket for the cards to be placed into after each response.

HO: Hanging Tennis Ball

Hanging Tennis Ball

Judges Version
Problem Source: http://www.geocities.com/nepaootmspon/

This is a hands-on problem. You have one minute to determine which team members will solve the problem.

JUDGE READS TO TEAM (after participants are determined):
You will have 7 minutes to complete this problem. You may talk or ask questions at any time; however, time continues. At the end of 7 minutes, you will present your solution.

Your problem is to design and build a device to hang a tennis ball. You may not pierce the tennis ball. You will be given materials to be used in your solution. No other materials may be used. At the end of six minutes, the judge will hang your device from a door jamb or some other suitable place using a piece of masking tape.

Score will be as follows:

• 1-20 points for creativity of the device
• 1-20 points for team work
• 5 point for every inch from the top of the device to the top of the tennis ball.

Materials and Setup

Give each team the following materials.

• 1 Tennis Ball
• 4 Toothpicks
• 2 Paper Clips
• 2 Straws
• 1 Sheet of Paper
• 2 Rubber Bands

Scoring Grid

Item	Quantity	Value	Total
Creativity of the device		1 – 20
Team Work		1 – 20
Inches from device to ball		x 5