1. Odyssey of the Mind …What is it?

2. The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students to learn creative problem-solving methods while having fun in the process.

3. Teams and skills Teams of 5 to 7 Elementary through college teams
Categorized by school level and problem the team chooses to tackle
At least one coach per team… parents?
- Students develop team-building skills by working in groups of as many as seven students per team.
-Students learn to examine problems and to identify the real challenge without limiting the possible solutions and their potential success. - The creative-thinking process is nurtured and developed as a problem-solving tool. - Students of all types will find something that will appeal to them.
- The fun of participation leads to an elevated interest in regular classroom curricula. - Teachers have a program to further provide students with a well-rounded education.
Division III -- Grades 9-12 (U.S.): Oldest team member does not qualify for Divisions I or II and is attending regular school--not a college or university or anything similar (Other International).

4. Teams choose problems to solve:
5 types of problems:
Vehicle/Mechanical
Technical performance
Performance
Classics
Structure
(Balsa Wood)
Each year, five new competitive problems are presented for the teams to solve. These long-term problems are solved over weeks and months.
Some of the problems are more technical in nature, while others are artistic or performance based. Each long-term problem rewards "Style" in the solution. This helps teach students that they should not simply try to solve problems but take the next step of enhancing their solutions.

5. Vehicle
Teams design, build and operate vehicles of various size and with various power sources. Sometimes they drive the vehicles, and sometimes the vehicles perform tasks, such as overcoming obstacles or visiting other "countries" to retrieve artifacts.

6. Technical Performance
Teams make innovative contraptions and incorporate artistic elements into their solutions. They might be asked to write an original musical score to play on a "new" type of instrument, or to build a robot with human characteristics, or to perform tasks using a chain reaction of snapping mousetraps.

7. Performance/Comedy
In this problem, teams present performances that revolve around a specific theme and incorporate required elements. Past themes include "morphing" objects, animals that express human emotions, and originating folktales.

8. Classics
The theme of this problem is based on the classical -- from literature to architecture to art. Whether it's writing an additional chapter to Moby Dick or bringing paintings to life, it's always a terrific learning experience.
Discovered Treasures –
original performance - classical character acts as a Tour Guide.
The tour will make three stops including one that will be a team-created location.
During the tour –
an inanimate object will show signs of life,
the Tour Guide will give the wrong explanation about something, and
will give a creative explanation about why it is important to guard and secure a worthless item.
$125 limit

9. Balsa Wood
Teams design and build structures, using only balsa wood and glue. They test them by supporting and holding as much weight as possible -- sometimes more than a thousand pounds! Teams usually present a skit as part of the Style presentation.

10. All constructs, costumes, sets, scripts, and creative elements are created by the team alone.
Students learn/practice new skills like paper machete; painting; building with glue, staples, nails; to sew and dye clothing; resourcefulness – using household objects in new ways, recycling almost anything; to work within a budget!
Of course, that all comes along with teamwork, sharing ideas, delegating, sharing responsibility, and the pride of independence on a complete product/production.
Skills Gained

11. Part 2: Spontaneous Problems
Students are given only moments to consider a spontaneous problem:
A verbal problem… respond creatively
A hands-on problem… create a structure
A verbal/hands-on problem…
create and respond imaginatively

12. More Information Online:
LNHS O.M. info:
Please direct questions about our LNHS teams to the Parent/Community blog, just under the “Odyssey of the Mind” left-column link
The Official O.M. site:
The North Carolina O.M. site:
The N.C. Northern Region site: