2020-2021 Challenge Previews
Some kids will pick a Challenge because it falls within their Technical, Scientific, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Engineering or Service Learning wheelhouse. They simply love that area of STEAM learning. For others, this is a time to try their hand at something new. There are no prerequisites for any of these Challenges... they will learn as they go!
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To keep everyone safe, ALL Challenges can be worked on in-person and remotely.

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The Technical Challenge prompts students to complete tasks by using engineering, research, strategic planning, and related skills.
Your team will:
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Create and present a video presentation in the style of a video game.
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Include an adventurer who goes on a quest to win an ultimate prize.
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Portray a special ability used by the adventurer.
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Integrate 3 quest items and combine them to create a tool.
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Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents
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Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)
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The Scientific Challenge blends the curiosity of scientific research with the creative expression of performance art.
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Your team will:
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Produce a video presentation that tells a story about a Scientific Law that is bent and/or broken.
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Show how the Scientific Law is bent and/or broken.
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Include an expert and a witness in the story.
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Use documentary techniques to tell the story in the style of a documentary film.
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Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
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Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)
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The Engineering Challenge asks students to explore and apply engineering skills and tools to design and build solutions to specific applications.
Your team will:
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Research visual art and architecture styles.
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Design and create a single three-dimensional physical model of a building.
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Create a video presentation that tells a story about how opposites can be complimentary.
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Integrate your model of a building and a planning artifact into the video presentation.
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Present part of the video presentation using a split-screen to enhance the story.
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Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off your team's interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
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Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)
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The Fine Arts Challenge helps students develop acting and creative skills through artistic media, theatre arts, scriptwriting, and prop design.
Your team will:
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Research music videos and create a music video of your own.
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Use music and lyrics to retell all or part of a piece of literature.
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Design and build a costume.
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Research production techniques to enhance the music video.
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Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
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Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)
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The Improvisational Challenge is all about research, spontaneity, and storytelling. Teams receive topics and quickly produce skits.
Your team will:
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Research detective and forensic techniques.
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Create an improvisational video presentation that tells a story about a detective and a sidekick teaming up to solve a mystery.
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Integrate a true clue and a red herring into the mystery.
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include the use of a forensic technique to help solve the mystery.
Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)
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The Service Learning Challenge is designed to engage students in public service that addresses real-life community issues.
Your team will:
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Identify, design, carry out, and evaluate a project that addresses a need in a real community.
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Create a video presentation that includes a podcast and a commercial.
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Include a cliffhanger and a quirky character.
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Integrate information about the project into the video presentation.
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Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off your team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.
Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)
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The Rising Stars® for Early Learners Challenge offers simple (non-competitive) experiences with the creative process, and it gives young children a place to work together and make new friends.
Your team will:
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Create and present a story about a critter who goes on a big adventure.
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Write and illustrate a picture book.
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Integrate a special effect into the picture book.
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Create a song that helps tell the story.
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Share the picture book and the song in a team-created video.
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Kindergarten through Grade 2
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INSTANT CHALLENGE
All teams will have the opportunity to solve an Instant Challenge. These challenges require teams to engage in quick, creative and critical thinking.
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In a world with growing cultural connections, increased levels and types of communication, and a new need for real-time teamwork and problem solving, the ability to solve problems quickly is becoming increasingly critical.
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At a tournament, a team will receive an Instant Challenge and the materials with which to solve it. The team members must think on their feet by applying appropriate skills to produce a solution in a period of just five to eight minutes.
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Instant Challenges are performance-based, task-based, or a combination of the two. Although each Instant Challenge has different requirements, all Instant Challenges reward teams for their teamwork. Instant Challenges are kept confidential through the day of the tournament.
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