2020-21 Challenges

The Engineering Challenge asked students to explore and apply engineering skills and tools to design and build solutions to specific applications. Each team was asked to:

• Research visual art styles and architecture styles.
• Design and create a single three-dimensional physical model of a building.
• Create a video presentation that tells a story about how opposites can be complementary.
• Integrate your model of a building and a planning artifact into the video presentation.
• Present part of the video presentation using a split screen to enhance the story.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off your team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

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The Technical Challenge prompted students to complete tasks by using engineering, research, strategic planning, and related skills. Each team was asked to:

• Create and present a video presentation in the style of a video game.
• Include an adventurer who goes on a quest to win an ultimate prize.
• Portray a special ability used by the adventurer.
• Integrate 3 quest items and combine them to create a tool.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

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The Scientific Challenge blended the curiosity of scientific research with the creative expression of performance art. Each team was asked to:

• Produce a video presentation that tells a story about a Scientific Law that is bent and/or broken.
• Show how the Scientific Law is bent and/or broken.
• Include an expert and a witness in the story.
• Use documentary techniques to tell the story in the style of a documentary film.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

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The Service Learning Challenge was designed to engage students in public service that addresses real-life community issues. Each team was asked to:

• Identify, design, carry out, and evaluate a project that addresses a need in a real community.
• Create a video presentation that includes a podcast and a commercial.
• Include a cliffhanger and a quirky character.
• Integrate information about the project into the video presentation.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off your team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

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The Rising Stars for Early Learners Challenge offered simple experiences with the creative process, and it gives young kids (preschool through 2nd grade) a place to work together and make new friends. Each team was asked to:

• Create and present a story about a critter who goes on a big adventure.
• Write and illustrate a picture book.
• Integrate a special effect into the picture book.
• Create a song that helps tell the story.
• Share the picture book and the song in a team-created video.

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The Fine Arts Challenge helped students develop acting and creative skills through artistic media, theater arts, scriptwriting, and prop design. Each team was asked to:

• Research music videos and create a music video of your own.
• Use music and lyrics to retell all or part of a piece of literature.
• Design and build a costume.
• Research production techniques to enhance the music video.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

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The Improvisational Challenge was all about research, spontaneity, and storytelling. Teams received topics and quickly produced skits. Each team was asked to:

• Research detectives and forensic techniques.
• Create an improvisational video presentation that tells a story about a detective and a sidekick teaming up to solve a mystery.
• Integrate a true clue and a red herring into the mystery.
• Include the use of a forensic technique to help solve the mystery.

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