Time: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm CST.
Where: Scherr Howe Arena
Presented by: Mobridge-Pollock School Science Dept.
Martin Looyenga: martin.looyenga@k12.sd.us
Pam Wells: pam.wells@k12.sd.us
School ph #: 605-845-9200
Sponsored by: Oahe Area Retired Teachers, Jensen Rock & Sand, Dakotah Bank, Mobridge Chamber of Commerce & MPHS Science Club
Assisted by: Oahe Area Retired Teachers, SD Dept. of Transportation, Volunteers from Mobridge community, Mobridge-Pollock HS National Honor Society
This is a competition for creative, science based learners. This is a time to explore science in ways that are not always easy to accomplish in the classroom. Students can create, build, and showcase their work. They can also work as teams to solve problems. The competitions will consist of "make and takes" where the student teams will build a device and bring it to the competition. There will also be on-site activities where students will be asked to solve engineering or science based problems.
I - We'd like to invite your school's students, primarily physics students, but
any high school student can compete.
II - Each school may bring up to 3 teams consisting of up to 15 students per team.
Registration Form: for each team competing - complete and attach check -
due Jan. 17, 2014.
Coaches: Please be aware of the time schedule as your students sign-up for
events. Every time slot has at least two events coinciding.
due Jan. 17, 2014.
Coaches: Please be aware of the time schedule as your students sign-up for
events. Every time slot has at least two events coinciding.
III - There will be 10 events: Each event will consist of 2 to 4 participants.
Descriptions and rules are attached as PDF Files.
Descriptions and rules are attached as PDF Files.
1 - Do As I Write (PDF File)
2 - Cantilever (PDF File)
3 - Thinking on Your Feet (PDF File)
4 - Sling for Effect (PDF File)
5 - Mousetrap Drag Race (PDF File)
6 - Rube Goldberg Machine (PDF File)
Rube Goldberg Scoring Rubric (PDF File)
7 - Up, Up & Away (PFD File)
8 - Bridge Builder (PDF File) (video spec clip)
9 - Marble Maze (PDF File)
10 - "On the Spot" Subs (PDF File)
Time Schedule: click here for 2014 Smarts Challenge Schedule
2014 Team Results: Click Here
Coaches - be aware of the time schedule as you set up teams for each event to
prevent students being signed up for more than one event at the same time.
Awards presentation to follow last competition.
V - Judges and event directors will be coaches from participating schools, assisted
by volunteers from the Mobridge community.
by volunteers from the Mobridge community.
VI - Prizes:
1st place in each event will receive $40 in Mobridge Bucks
2nd place in each event will receive $20 in Mobridge Bucks
Winners of "Thinking on Your Feet" will be awarded an additional $100 from
Jensen Rock & Sand.
Overall Winning Team - each team member will receive a TI-83 Plus calculator
Team Trophies will be given to the top three scoring schools.
2nd place in each event will receive $20 in Mobridge Bucks
Winners of "Thinking on Your Feet" will be awarded an additional $100 from
Jensen Rock & Sand.
Overall Winning Team - each team member will receive a TI-83 Plus calculator
Team Trophies will be given to the top three scoring schools.
VII - Entry fee: $125 per team per school payable to Mobridge Pollock School Dist.
VIII - Each participant and coach will receive a "SMARTS" Challenge t-shirt
Registration Form: Complete and attach check - payable to Mobridge Pollock Public Dist.. Due Jan. 17, 2014
Comments/Questions are much appreciated; email Martin or Pam.
Check the last contest. The file is not lit up and cannot be downloaded. Thank you. Great job organizing this.
ReplyDeleteIt's not completed yet. Pam & I were going to "verbage" this today, but she was on sick leave. It'll be done soon.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJensen Rock & Sand donated $100 to the winner of Thinking on Your Feet.
ReplyDeleteNoted on the colored layout of the times for the events that at the bottom of the marble maze is a marble maze test? No mention of this is in the rules. Please clarify this notation and also the SIZE (diameter)of the marble that will be used.
ReplyDeleteThe marble test is the timing of the marble to go through the maze.
ReplyDeleteThe size of the marble is a standard glass marble. I "eyeballed" one and it was about 17 mm.
Bridge Builder - Teams cannot stack newspaper to make the pillars for their bridge. The bridge pillars must be constructed with the provided supplies.
ReplyDeleteIn the activity "on the spot subs" the students will be asked to sink the sub and then have it go back to the surface without touching it. PWells
ReplyDeleteIs there a certain distance from the testing wall to the end of the cantilever set?
ReplyDeleteCantilever
ReplyDeleteDistance from wall outward to end of Cantiler can range from 45 to 55 cm.
Is it appropriate to have two different groups from the same team competing in the same event? For example, you have a north and south floor competition for the flyers. Can I have two different groups of 2-4 in this event, or does that constitute two teams?
ReplyDeleteQuestions about the cantilever...Will the attachment be only at the bottom or will there be an attachment at the top also? The angles don't have to be the same as the one in the photo, do they? Can the loading block be attached below the cantilever? Can piece of wood be glued together to make a thicker support?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteIs it appropriate to have two different groups from the same team competing in the same event? For example, you have a north and south floor competition for the flyers. Can I have two different groups of 2-4 in this event, or does that constitute two teams?
Each team can have one entry per event. Two groups would constitute two teams.
Questions about the cantilever...Will the attachment be only at the bottom or will there be an attachment at the top also? The angles don't have to be the same as the one in the photo, do they? Can the loading block be attached below the cantilever? Can piece of wood be glued together to make a thicker support?
ReplyDeletePam is out of town right now and I need her to answer this question. I'll have her answer it as soon as she can.
I asked about changing the shape of the bean bag for the Sling and Effect event. NO, the bean bag can NOT be altered. My students wanted to tape it into a very small sphere-ish shape. Thanks
ReplyDeleteBridge building--what kind of tape? How wide? What kind of string?
ReplyDeleteBridge building--what kind of tape? How wide? What kind of string?
ReplyDeletemasking tape - Quill 18 mm wide
string - we'd call it "store string" white cotton stuff
Question was asked on the cantilever concerning the base attachment. The attachment base is included in your cantilever. The rules state that the base may consist of any type of wood or wood product and must not exceed 12" X 8" X 1/2". There needs to be holes drilled into your base attachment so it may be placed on the testing service.
ReplyDeleteCan the students glue together wood to reinforce where the loading block will be attached?
ReplyDeleteCould we get clarification of the size of the balloon--a small water balloon or a regular-sized party one? Rube Goldberg Machine
ReplyDeleteLuAnn said...
ReplyDeleteCould we get clarification of the size of the balloon--a small water balloon or a regular-sized party one? Rube Goldberg Machine
ANSWER - about an 8" round party balloon. You could bring your own or we'll have some on hand.
Do As I Write - MPHS
ReplyDeleteRube Goldberg - MPHS
Thinking on Your Feet - MPHS
Airplane - Eureka
Bridge Builder - Linton
Sling for Effect - Faith
On the Spot Subs - Wakpala
Mousetrap Cars - Timber Lake
Cantilever - McLaughlin
Marble Maze - McIntosh
# of participants per event =
ReplyDelete2 to 4
DO AS I WRITE
We're going to use lego blocks again and color does not matter.
My students are struggling with understanding the Cantilever's base parameters. Could we please get some clarification about both the attachment base and the loading block.
ReplyDeleteThe base attachment is of your making. It can be of any wood or wood product and measure no more than 12 X 8 X 1/2. It must have holes that are 8 inches apart on center so that it may be attached to the testing wall. How you attach your cantilever to your attachment base is part of the design but only glue may be used. Hope this helps. PWells
ReplyDeletequestion about the throwing arm of the trebechet...can the throwing arm be made of metal? what about a thin wooden end and a thicker end where the mass falls from so it is supported before the drop?
ReplyDeleteMcLaughlin checking in.......I am going to bring our wall attachment so we can use it - it clamps to a table by a huge c clamp. Do you want me to bring kitty litter or bb's or will you have the masses? I think this will satisfy all entries attaching to a base wall, because it is still ambiguous.
ReplyDeletequestion about the throwing arm of the trebechet...can the throwing arm be made of metal? what about a thin wooden end and a thicker end where the mass falls from so it is supported before the drop?
ReplyDeleteThe throwing arm can be metal, wood, plastic, etc. provided it's safe.
Just remember that the energy that sends/launches the bean bag cannot be stored anywhere (gravitational included) and must come from no more than a 1 kg mass. No potential energy can come from gravitation PE from an unbalanced lever arm.
My students had a great time. Thanks for setting this up. My students and I are really confused by this point system? Why do some contests have lots of 4's and 5's and some have lots of 7's and 8's. We can't make any sense of the scoring. Can you clarify please?
ReplyDeleteDid everyone but McIntosh enter every event?
Scoring:
ReplyDeleteEach event will count the same.
The winner in each event will receive a 1, 2nd place a 2, and so on.
Teams that do not compete in an event all get one place after last place.
The team with the lowest score after the completion of all 10 events wins.
(Example
9 teams in an event - 2 not competing
4 teams score
they would get a 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively
the other 5 teams would get a 5
and the 2 teams that did not compete would get a 6)
This is stated in the rules.