Odyssey of the Mind ITC 525 Wendy-Lee Magnarelli-Sweet Odyssey of the Mind is a registered trademark

Odyssey of the Mind Table of contents An Overview How it demonstrates PA State Standards The state site Outline The problem The Team The Spontaneous Overview of 2009/2010 problem 1 The video Sources

Odyssey of the Mind Odyssey of the Mind, (OM), is an international competition open to students in Kindergarten through college age. The competition embraces the concepts of divergent thinking and teamwork. Students use their creativity and talents. Students must work without adult assistance and thus also develop independent thinking doing research to obtain the information they need.

Odyssey of the Mind Odyssey of the mind can be used to reinforce PA State Standards: School-Wide Area of Focus - SIS: Student Interpersonal Skills Standard Area SIS.1: Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life successes. Students work on teams of 5-7 students and must demonstrate time management skills and budgeting skills. SIS.1.A: Identify and manage one’s emotions and behavior. Students must work as a team demonstrating teamwork and communicating openly to generate ideas. SIS.1.B: Recognize personal qualities and external supports. Students rely on each other and may not use parents for any set design or creation or for any building of the set. Student must demonstrate talents and skills in their presentation. Students may seek out and utilize experts to learn skills for the problem solution. SIS.1.C: Demonstrate skills related to achieving personal, civic and academic goals. Students must demonstrate team effort and cooperative skills necessary for community living. Students must create a budget and follow it. SIS.2: Use social-awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships and respect for cultural diversity. Students must use each team member in the creation/presentation of their solution developing their interpersonal and multicultural skills.. SIS.2.B: Respect and recognize individual and group similarities and differences. The team must work together and respect their differences and uniqueness utilizing their individuality to create a distinct solution. SIS.2.C: Use communication and social skills to interact effectively with others. SIS.2.D: Demonstrate an ability to prevent, manage, and resolve interpersonal conflicts in constructive ways. SIS.3: Demonstrate decision-making skills and responsible behavior in individual, family, school, and community contexts. The team must deal with stress inducing issues as they arise and work together to overcome and be successful. If the team loses a team member for any reason, including conflict of interest, the entire team is penalized. Retrieved from

PA Odyssey of the Mind The state website does a great job at describing the processes and intents of the program. See what the state has to say...

Odyssey of the Mind So, what is involved? Student prepare for a regional competition to present solutions to a long-term problem and a spontaneous problem. – Students must select a “Problem”, which is referred to as the long-term problem. The choices are presented up to 8 months prior to competition and teams may begin work immediately. – Students must create a team of 5-7 members to work together to present a solution. The solution includes set design and construction, costumes, scripts, mandatory paperwork, directing and presentation all within a limiting budget. – Students will also demonstrate divergent thinking in the presentation of a “Spontaneous Solution”

Odyssey of the Mind Problem The Long-term Problem: Each year, 6 long-term problems are set forth. One is presented only for students in K-2. 5 other problems are presented in specific categories. – Problem 1 requires the creation of a mobile vehicle – Problem 2 is the demonstration of a technical element – Problem 3 involves classical literature or mythology – Problem 4 involves the creation of a balsa structure – Problem 5 is the development of a creative performance

Odyssey of the Mind Teams Teams may be decided by the members themselves or by adults. The competition teams are separated into age groups determined by the age of the eldest team member. Teams must provide their own adult judge for competition day or be penalized. Teams are penalized if a member demonstrates unsportsmanlike conduct at the competition. Teams may be no less than five members and no more than 7 members. All team members must demonstrate involvement in the Long-term problem. Team members may be awarded special individualized and team awards for cooperative efforts above and beyond the competition parameters.

Odyssey of the Mind Spontaneous Students do not know what type of problem they will be presented in spontaneous and must prepare for all three types MAY BE Worth half the day’s score Practiced in type but the exact problem is always a secret Any activity in one of three categories: – Hands On-using a manipulative to create an individually designed solution – Hands On Verbal-demonstrating a problem solution using a manipulative – Verbal-a spoken response graded on its uniqueness MAY NOT Be known beforehand Be talked about at all at competition Be more than 1 problem, the team gets one to solve within 8 minutes Involve more or less than 5 team members

Odyssey of the Mind Spontaneous- Examples to help you understand Hands-on- May be team or individual response Teams will be given 1 piece of construction paper, 6 blocks, 2 straws, a 6” piece of tape, 6 pieces of spaghetti, 3 marshmallows and a paper clip and must create a bridge to hold weight. Response: Score will be determined by the maximum amount of weight the bridge holds and its creative design. Verbal- individual responses What are some different types of chips? Common Responses: Potato chips, tortilla chips Creative Responses: Buffalo chips, Chips off the old block Hands-on Verbal- individual responses A wooden spoon is placed on the table. Team members are asked, “Show me ways to use a wooden spoon.” Common Response: Member demonstrates stirring saying, “I can mix batter.” Creative Response: Member demonstrates batting saying, “I can be a batter.”

Odyssey of the Mind Sometimes, an example is the best explanation The problem given in the vehicle category for 2009/2010 was: Teams had to design, create and build all elements of the problem and its solution The solution included a vehicle and trailer that could travel along a nature trail. The vehicle had to be able to carry at least one team member, tow the trailer, and be self-propelled with no engine or electricity used in its propulsion. The trailer had to be able to “convert” to a secondary form and be left behind at a camp site so the vehicle could travel. There had to be a team designed nature trail where the vehicle would travel and encounter wildlife and clean the environment. Along the trail, the vehicle had to break down, be repaired, and overcome an obstacle.

So, when a team is successful, we can see the following…

References Odyssey of the mind program guide. (2009). Sewell, NJ: Creative Competitions, Inc.. Pennsylvania department of education standards aligned system. (2010). Retrieved June 14, 2010 from | |1180 Pennsylvania Odyssey of the Mind. (2010). Retrieved June 15, 2010 from The Dukes of Dixieland. (1990). The Best of the Dukes of Dixieland [Cassette]. New York: Columbia Records.