Instant Challenge Ideas

Throw a pencil on the floor in the middle of the circle and ask everyone to tell what they thought it was.

Last year with my 5-7 year olds, I gave them a lollipop as an IC. 1st, one had to pick one & give a creative idea as to what it might be. While they ate it, I would give tell them anything I needed to - but if they talked, they would lose their candy (although it wasn't a problem because they were too busy eating!) Anyway, maybe you could do something similar - 1 person give an idea at a time, going around the circle while brainstorming.

Let's say your Central Challenge is to construct a "water vehicle" ­ you might create an Instant Challenge in which the team uses the standard list of IC materials (straws, labels, stirrers, corks, paper, string, index cards) to create a floating structure. After the IC, initiate a discussion of how they decided to give those items buoyancy, and get them to think about how they would solve the challenge if the items were bigger or smaller? If the items were heavier, lighter? (Of course, be very cautious about wading into interference waters ­ make sure that your discussions are very open-ended and that YOU have no pre-conceived notions of "correct" answers!)

With younger teams especially, I think part of the role of the TM is to help the team break down the Central Challenge into smaller challenges, and IC is a great tool to do this! And just between you and me, I'd be careful about having your meetings be too structured ­ or too close to what the kids have been doing for 6 or 7 hours in school that day ­ even the word "Homework" might be changed to something more intriguing?

Each year we seem to have a couple of kids who enjoy the research and a couple who are deathly allergic to it! Here's an idea ­ each kid who has completed thorough research on her country gets to run a GAME for the others in which answering her questions about that country correctly allows each kid to take a step forward, with some kind of silly prize to the first one to reach the end ­ we've used things like having a soda while everyone else has drink mix- or being able to grab the couch rather than floor or chairs for watching a video- whatever your team values! The key is to turn this over to the kids ­ have the kids decide the prizes, have the kids make up the rules, have the kids run the game.

Indicate to them that they were:

Generating as many answers as they could - Fluency

Generating at least three creative answers - different from each other -Flexibility

Generated a couple unique answers - Originality

Generated some detailed answers ­ Elaboration

Follow it all up with Evaluation by the entire group!

Team Building

Team Building Exercises

1. Balloon Train -- Have each team member blow up a balloon. You then stand in a straight line and put the balloon between your chest and the back of the person in front of you -- no hands now. Give them a path to follow. The team must figure out how to move the whole line, without dropping any balloons. They can use their voice, but no hands. This exercise teaches the students how each person can impact the team, and how important the communication in a group can be.

2. Survivor -- A great game that got all my girls working together last year: Put together a basket full of goodies -- tin foil, ball, candy, water, screwdriver, etc. anything you find around the house. Tell the team to close their eyes and imagine they are stranded (shipwrecked, caught in a snowstorm, whatever your team will identify with) then each member chooses one item from the basket that they believe will help them survive. Team all gets together and has ten minutes to discuss each item and hear out why each member thinks the item they chose is important. (This really gets them listening to everyone's individual ideas) Then team has to choose together the five most important items to help them survive till help comes. (This really helps them come up with team solutions instead of individual) After they decide they perform a skit which shows how they will use these items to survive and work as a team.

3. Knots -- Stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder. Ask everyone to reach out and grab two other hands. (You cannot have both hands of one person, and you cannot have the hands of persons on each side of you.) If possible, try not to criss-cross. Now untangle so that all are standing in a round circle again.

4. Skin the Snake -- Have people line up, one behind the other. Reach between your legs and with your left hand grab the right hand of the person behind you. The person in front of you needs to reach back and grab your right hand with their left hand. Once the chain is formed, you're set to go. The last person in line lies down on his back. The person in front of him backs up, straddling his body, and lies down behind him. Continue until the whole group waddles back.

5. Alligator Attack -- Each team is given a piece of cardboard just big enough for all group members to stand on. All teams are at one end of the field or gym. All members must have a hand in carrying the cardboard (their "boat"). The leader will have a choice to two commands: "Go" means the team may advance forward, holding their boat, at any speed: "Attack" means that the team must place their boat on the ground and all members must get aboard and stay there. If one member should fall off the boat, the whole team is a goner. The last team on their boat is eliminated or must take a chunk out of their boat before the next "Go" command. See how many teams make it to the end of the field or gym.

6. Life Boat -- Tape a square on the floor smaller than an area where the whole team could stand. Tell the team there will be a flood in the next 5 minutes and the only safe place is in the square (lifeboat). This feat can be accomplished by each team member putting one foot in the lifeboat and holding hands with the person across the boat, everyone balancing through the use of teamwork. Don't give the answer, let the team struggle to figure it out.

7. Stepping Stones­ Hand the team four blocks 2"x6", cut 6" in length. Tell them they have to get the whole team across the gym without touching the floor. Any team members who touch the floor must go back to the starting point. There are no right or wrong solutions, but teamwork must be utilized.

8. Blanket Ball -- Two blankets and at least one ball are the equipment. Students gather around three sides of each blanket. A ball is tossed between blankets. Teams must work together to catch and throw the ball. As students become better at blanket toss, they may trade two balls simultaneously, and they may begin longer distance tosses, moving a pace further apart at each catch and a pace closer together at each miss.

9. Pencil in a Bottle -- Students face back-to-back in pairs. A string is tied around their waists so that approximately 3 or 4 feet separate them. A pencil on a string is tied to the middle of the first string so it hangs vertically. A soda pop bottle is placed below the pencil. The goal is to get the pencil in the bottle. Variation: use a coffee can, blindfold the pair, and have the teammates provide the clues.

10. Blind Maze -- One student from each group shuts his/her eyes. Beanbags, paper, or other markers are placed about the area in a random arrangement. The blind student must step on each marker. The rest of the team can call one direction at a time and then must allow the blind student to carry out the whole direction before calling out another direction. This game can be timed and students can try to beat their own record.

11. Balance Beam -- Place a long board on two cinder blocks. Have as many students as possible stand on the board. They are told they are in a lifeboat and there are alligators in the water. If any of them fall in, the alligators will know they are there and they will all die. Have students line themselves up by height, birthday, the second letter of their first name, etc.

12. Dragon's Tail -- Students form the dragon by standing in a line, hands on the hips of the person in front. A handkerchief (dragon's tail) is placed in the back pocket of the person in the back of the line. Now the dragon lets out a few yells and at a signal the dragon tries to catch its own tail. Of course, the tail tried to avoid being caught. When caught, the tail becomes the head and the game begins again.

13. Four Directions -- The leader stands and faces the group. The group spreads out and makes sure they have room to move. The goal is to stay in the same place relative to the leader.

    Start simple: The leader can take one step either forwards, backwards, left or right. The group then tries to follow, but of course reversing the direction. As they get better, allow the leader to take diagonal steps.

    Afterwards, chat about how difficult/easy it was being the leader. Did you have to modify what you wanted to do to make sure someone didn't knock over the lamp? Was it scary to be in front of all these people? How about being a follower? Were you able to anticipate what the leader was going to do? What happened when you were wrong?

14. Lighthouse -- One person is the "Boat". Another is the "Lighthouse". Blindfold the "Boat" and spin them around 3 times. Create obstacles for the Lighthouse to direct the Boat away from (other team members can be great obstacles!). The Lighthouse can only use words to direct the Boat from the starting area to the ending area and around whatever obstacles have been presented.

15. Dictionary Game -- Someone makes up a nonsense word. For instance: Breblefraxion. They say it aloud.

    The team stands in a line facing the leader. They are a human dictionary machine. First they spell the word, one letter at a time. The first person in line says 'B', the second says, 'R' and so on until they word is spelled. It is spelled when one of the team members says 'Breblefraxion.' Then, one WORD at a time, they define the word. Once again, it is completely defined when someone says the word.

    Invariably, each person has his or her own idea of how the word should be spelled, and tries to 'stage whisper' a letter or word choice to another team member. Or there's just the 'that's not how you would spell it!' response.

    That's when it's time to point out that good team members SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHEN THEY MAKE MISTAKES. It's not the job of a team member to point out the mistake of another team member. It's the job of a team member to make it look like no one on their team EVER makes a mistake! If for some reason a Q shows up in Breblefraxion, then its' up to the team members to make it look like Q is the best idea in the world when it comes to spelling Breblefraxion!

Try and close each meeting with a positive feedback time - at the beginning of each session we draw names from a hat - and whichever name you draw for that session you have to observe that person - then at Positive Feedback time each person has to provide a positive comment about AND a quote from the person they observed - increases the chances that they are listening to each other and validates at least one contribution from each team member.

From another TM -- With a couple of kids, it takes a little more encouraging comments or some one on one questioning like "how is the team behaving when you are over here with me?" And "are you respecting the team rules - that your team wrote at the beginning of DI?" I find I don't have to do much, because the team will help the kid - "hey, you're speaking when I'm speaking, that's against our rules."

This year, the teams created a "punishment" when a member broke one of the rules. At the first meeting, they wrote rules like "respect everyone", "don't talk when others are talking, "listen to everyone's ideas." When a team member breaks one of these rules, the other team members can demand 5 Hawaiian pushups. (A Hawaiian pushup is one pushup regular, then flip over and one backwards.) The kid that broke the rule immediately recognizes he broke the rule and the team laughs together as the pushups are done. It is a FUN way to address the kid that is not supporting the team.

Successful teams always know what they are working towards, and have a plan about how to get there. Team members talk about progress and acknowledge each other's achievements. Achieving consensus is the first step toward any team goal. This positive team approach will support resolution of any difficulties that arise during the year.

Team Meeting Ideas

1. Read the challenge again and again. It is very important to know the challenge well. Always have a copy of the challenge handy. Too many teams lose focus of what they are doing because they stray from the rules or scoring categories.

2. Define creativity. As a team, define creativity. Make sure that you are getting the most creativity out of your ideas. Think about creating and what that means when trying to make a creative solution to the team challenge and when practicing brainstorming.

3. Eliminate the common. When trying to solve a challenge, eliminate the common ideas. For example, a cat and mouse theme in a challenge based on mousetraps is probably not going to seem creative (appraisers will be expecting it). Be different. Do something inspired - be creative!

4. List your goals. DI is a great place to learn real life skills. Setting and accomplishing goals is a skill that works beautifully in DI and in real life. It is a simple task which can add a lot of efficiency to a team.

5. Use creative inspiration. If you know of a painting, play, TV show, book, piece of music or any other work of art which is very creative, watch, read, listen or do it. Creativity is contagious. Try to have music a constant creative atmosphere at meetings. Relax and be creative.

6. Work hard and often. My teams has consistent meeting times and we met at least three times a week during the 2-3 months before competition. Team members came in above and beyond our scheduled practices. This much work is not for everyone, but it is necessary to reach the top.

7. Solve the challenge completely. Some teams do great with one part of the challenge, but get too wrapped up on one aspect. Take the time to try and cover every scoring category. Get a strategy and decide specifically what direction to take. Then delegate duties and trust your teammates to get it done. In creative categories, make it so creative that appraisers can't help but give you high scores.

8. Have a good attitude. Do your best and worry only about your team. You can control how well you do and how you carry yourself. But remember that DI is not about winning. Don't be so competitive that you miss what DI is really all about.

9. Simplify Instant Challenge. I think that IC can be the most intimidating part of DI. Practice a lot. Try to recreate competition situations. Do challenges over and over again, analyzing what you can do better the next time. I think that the most important fact to remember when training for IC is this: your goal in training is not to solve many problems, it is to learn the skills to solve any small problem.
10. "Gifted' doesn't always mean "Creative." Gifted students are usually given this label due to testing of language, math, memorization, etc. Rarely are students ever tested for creativity.
    
    Each team member was given 1 large sheet of construction paper and a colored marker. They were told to add their name, the day they were able to meet and their favorite challenge. A few questioned how big they were supposed to write their names........:) ah, the lead-in to "if it doesn't say you can't, then you can" Now we really started talking about creativity! T he kids read over the challenge previews and listed their top 3 on their construction paper

Team's Stuck for Ideas
When the pace of ideas starts to slow, ask the group to look for alternative ways to state the objective statement (either more general or more specific).

Again, when things start to slow, ask the group to generate ideas on "How will we evaluate which of these alternatives are the best?". The process of generating measures will often result in new ideas. Don't be shy about flip-flopping between idea generation and measurement generation at this point.

Have the group "rank order" the measures -- so they know which are the most important.

Be sure to keep the following measures in the mix:

-- "When do we need to have this element finished?" (especially if it is a component of a larger total solution).

-- "Will this solution be 'cool' and give us a feeling of accomplishment?"

-- "Will the process of creating this solution be fun?"

-- "What is the risk that this approach won't work?"

Have the group generate some "quick and dirty" experiments they can conduct to test the viability of alternative approaches (i.e. build a "scale model" out of clay or cardboard -- or draw out an idea on paper). If a team can't create a "scale model" out of "easy to work", inexpensive materials, they almost certainly will be unable to build the "real thing" out of expensive materials that take a great deal of time to work into the desired shape.

Are there more "in depth" experiments we can conduct for the "best few" ideas. One key here is that if a team considers the things they are building for these "experiments" to be "disposable", they are MUCH more likely to be able to build them quickly (rather than "stressing" that they "aren't perfect"). They are also MUCH more likely to be willing to fold various ideas together and throw out a "work in process" in favor of a better "combined idea". In contrast, if a team begins to build something they perceive to be part of their "final solution", it is VERY rare they will be willing to discard it.What "checkpoints" do we want to create along the way to make sure this project is progressing along the directions we'd hoped. This is actually a variation on the "evaluation methods", but it contains a time component.

• Take 5 or 6 paper bags: Write on the outside the name of a category. The first time, my categories were "first name" "name of a street" "toy" "fruit or vegetable" "interesting job" and... something else. I forgot, but it could be anything: "dessert" or "foreign country" "animal" or "sport". Just make up categories that are broad and don't tell them why.

  Then, hand out slips of paper or notepads and pencils. Each kid must write at least one word for each of the categories and then fold it and put it in the right bag. So, "choo-choo train" goes into the "toy" bag and so on. If someone wants to put an extra idea in a bag, that's okay, extra is good.

  Then, turn the bags to the wall so you cannot see the categories. Mix the order of the bags, so they no longer know which is which.

  Each kid picks three slips of paper from three different bags .From those, he/she must create a character, character name and job. BUT, the words do NOT have to relate to the original category.

  So, it you pulled up "choo-choo train" you could be named Choo-choo or Chewy OR you could be an engineer, or you could be Joe Choo or you could be a Trainer, or anything else that made sense. You could be a "shoe" (choo) salesman - there are no rules. But something you pulled out of the bag must be either your character name or something about your character. You can use all 3 slips or use just 1 and make up the rest.

  Each child gets think time (maybe 2 minutes) to come up with their character name and job/hobby from the 3 slips of paper. Then they go around the group and each tells what slips of paper they pulled and what character they created. It's okay for other kids to piggyback ideas on the original kid - such as "Or, you could be a SNOW shoe salesman named Chewy Engineer" or whatever.

It's a good IC just for fun, but also got them thinking OUT of the box for characters - and names, and jobs, etc. (Until this point, often the only characters they could think of were a mom, a dad and bratty kids. Over and over and over...if they could think of anything at all.) We did this IC several times with different slips coming out of the bags.

Later, when they got quicker at it, I brought in a tub with odds and ends of costumes (hats, scarves, old Halloween junk, pots and pans, feathers, you name it) and they added costume touches to the characters - but wait until they get the first part down! For my team, it just erupted into dress-up and they forgot the IC the first time, so I took the tub of costumes away for a couple meetings. Too distracting.

Central Challenge

The Challenge can be solved using very simple technical devices or more complex ones. Those choices are up to the team.

There are 2 main principles that can be applied to solving any of the DI Challenges.....

Rule #1 states that if the Challenge (or the Rules of the Road) doesn't say that you cannot do something, then it is safe to assume that you can do it.

Rule #2 states that if the Challenge (or the RotR) says that you cannot do something, then you cannot do it. The corollary to Rule #2 is that if the Challenge (or the RotR) say that you must do something, then you must do it.

However, it is important for the team to understand the scoring of the Challenge. There is another principle called Sutton's Law....it says "go where the money is". Willie Sutton was a bank robber and when asked why he robbed banks he said "because that's where the money is". The practical application of this is that your team must understand where the points are coming from. This is not so they can be more competitive but so they understand what they are being asked to do and how much emphasis is being placed on that aspect of the Challenge.

Attract attention through dramatic elements.

Use repetition to get the theme or point across.

Elaborate on characters and the details.

"When in doubt, throw it out" applies to appropriateness of costumes, dialog, etc. Remember the general rule ­ would you want your grandma to see/hear this performance?

Criteria to Solve the Challenge
Which solution will:

• be the easiest to understand?

• be the greatest improvement over what is presently done?

• be the safest?

• be the most acceptable?

• be the most reliable to _____?

• be the quickest to implement?

• be the easiest to maintain?

• take the least amount of new technology?

• have the most potential for sustained success?

• conserve the most materials?

• prevent the most waste?

• be the most long-lasting?

• have the fewest adverse side effects?

• utilize the most existing resources?

• take the fewest people to implement?

• be the most ethically sound?

• be the most practical?

• be the most cost effective?

• be the most durable?

• demand the least amount of administrative direction in order to continue working?

• be the most feasible in terms of technology available?

• require the least amount of workers?

• be the easiest to regulate?

• provide the most protection?

Side Trips

Note for the 2003-2004 season, the requirement that each side trip be from a different area of specialty has been eliminated.

Discuss side trip elements early and often when writing the scripts and making the props, backdrops and costumes.

The Icing on the Cake

The side trips are like the icing on the cake. They are the delicious extra that sets off the main course! Side trips give team members the chance to "show off" their special abilities and talents for the appraisers. This is the part of the competition that lets the team choose three things they would like to be scored on.

The side trips can be anything that is not a required element of the Central Challenge and that can be scored as a separate item. I have seen teams choose many different side trips.

Costume Example

While we talk about costumes here, there are many other examples that are similar

The costume of a specific character.

The costumes of the female cast members and how natural materials were used.

The costumes of all cast members.

The difference here is that as the scope of the side trip is broadened, the appraiser has to look at more items to give the score. If some items in the group are not as creative or well made as others, then the score might be less because the appraiser would have to take into account all of the items. If one costume is truly creative and well made, it might be better to choose that one costume instead of choosing all costumes. If all of the costumes are creative and well made than the team might score better.

Props Example

The team may designate as a side trip one of the following:

The backdrop.

The poem written on the backdrop.

The mechanical action of the backdrop.

Again, we are looking at whether to choose a narrow or broad definition of the side trip. If the appraiser looks at the backdrop as a whole, there is much to consider in giving the score. Even if the team chooses the entire backdrop, they could still describe the specific aspects of the backdrop that they would like to have scored.

How to decide on Side Trips and specialties

Discuss side trip elements early and often when writing the scripts and making the props, backdrops and costumes. Often the team naturally comes up with side trip ideas as the script and props develop. Side trips are appraised based on both creativity and workmanship. So it is important to ask the team to decide what is creative when they are deciding on the side trips.

Deciding On Side Trips

Side Trips are free-choice scoring opportunities provided as adjuncts to the main Challenge. They allow a team to have three whatever-they-want opportunities to showcase something they've done and have it evaluated.

To see what is desired, one must look at the scoring, for that is where the rubber meets the road in understanding what a Challenge seeks.

Theoretically, a team will pick three items which are team strengths or for which they have a prodigy team member, and exhibit them. Since they are team-selected areas, the scores should be high--or so a team might hope. (In reality, these are subjective scores, so they tend to be mid-range except in cases of a talent prodigy--and even then, often.

Like with all aspects, definitely help younger kids have realistic expectations to avoid later problems.)

So, with the team...one approach is to look at the Inventory in the Guide and then discuss it with the team: what are your strengths? Where do you think you will shine? Then, with that in mind, they can attack the Challenge.

Another approach is to attack the Challenge and develop the outline of the solution. Then ask the team to see where they have already used their strengths, and where they could embellish and strengthen it.

There are other approaches, and I have no idea which is better. (My guess is that different teams would have different "best" approaches.) Each approach also has risks, don't forget. Let the team discuss these and decide which approach they believe is more fitting for them.

Selecting Side Trips

When I train TMs, I encourage them to look at the Side Trips as "free choice" items the TEAM selects because they are particularly proud of what they've accomplished in that element. Naturally, the team must be careful in what they select because there are restrictions against there being "overlap" between the Side Trips and other scored elements. Equally important, the team should carefully specify their Side Trip items in the paperwork they provide to the appraisers to FOCUS the appraiser's attention on the aspects of their solution that demonstrate creativity and workmanship (the two scoring dimensions the appraisers must use to evaluate the Side Trips).

OK, HOW does a team go about developing and/or selecting items for their Side Trips. When I train TMs, I recommend AGAINST treating the Side Trips as a kind of "talent show" -- where the team identifies some skill they have and figures out some way to demonstrate that skill in their performance. Instead, I encourage TMs to treat all the "specialties inventory" junk as a complicated way for teams to understand (and celebrate) that different team members will have different "natural abilities" -- and that these "natural abilities" represent "resources" the team can use in creating their solution. I also encourage TMs to help the team to understand that part of this process is for teams to understand that all team members aren't good at all things -- so the team should be willing to "cut each other some slack" when a member has trouble contributing with some activities.

So, if the Side Trips aren't a "talent show", how should they be selected? I suggest to the TMs I train that during the course of the team creating their solution, the team will find that they develop items they think are "cool" -- even though these items aren't directly scored by the Challenge. I suggest that these "cool items" (that the team becomes "passionate" about, but which are not directly scored) are what the team should refine, embellish and celebrate as their "side trip" items.

This implies that I recommend AGAINST suggesting that the team develop the Side Trips as a "linear process" -- in which the team systematically identifies their specialties, thinks of ways to demonstrate those specialties and then determines ways to fold those demonstrations into their performance. Instead, I suggest using an "evolutionary approach" -- in which the team initiates LOTS of "creative experiments" as part of developing their solution. I recommend that the team periodically step back and evaluate which of those experiments the team think best demonstrate the "creative energies" of their team.

Some time before the team presents their solution at the tournament, the team must pick which of these various "experiments in creativity" represent their "best three". They should then spend a bit of "focused energy" to refines these three items further (keeping in mind that appraisers who see them for the first time will be evaluating them). The team should also spend some time creating a nice, focused description of WHY these items uniquely demonstrate the creativity and workmanship of the team.

Sometimes, Side Trips Just Happen

In February, I have my team look at what they are most excited about and proud of, and those become the side trips. Extra care was taken the last few days to make sure that the things that they chose were the best that they could be. Last year, Michelle was very excited about the creative way that she made leaves on the backdrop. As a result leaves on the backdrop was exactly what was written down on the paperwork. Another was creative use of accents during the performance. The last was teamwork, emphasizing the way that the team smoothly set up for their performance.

Really, I wouldn't worry about side trips until further down the road. My team has never "created" a side trip, they just happen!

Tacking on a Side Trip

Sometimes Side Trips can add to that overwhelming feeling...isn't the Main Challenge enough?! The intention of Side Trips is to allow each Team to be scored on some items that are of particular interest to their team or are things that show their particular strengths. A lot of the rules regarding Side Trips have to do with making sure the team is not getting 2 scores for the same item...for example the costume that is already being scored as a required element cannot also be scored as a side trip.

The thing to avoid is Side Trips that are tacked on as a display and not integrated into the solution. Rather Side Trips offer and opportunity for the Team to use their strengths or passions in Solving the Challenge. As they develop their Solution see where something might really fit and enhance their Solution.

Side Trips Are Worth Almost As Much as Instant Challenge

The Side Trips are a very important scoring element so, don't ignore them! As you advance from Regional to State to Globals, side trips increase in overall importance as the level of competition increases.

Props - Background - Backdrop

Arts & Crafts

Let kids experiment in arts and crafts. Give them arts & crafts materials and let them experiment. Don't give them instructions unless they ask how to be taught a specific technique.

Give them paint and "things" to add to the paint - eggshells, coffee grounds, sand, glitter, etc. Let them mix it up and get messy and paint it on cardboard, wood, fabric, etc. Also painting utensil ­ my team did this while they were painting some box houses used in their props. They had a crappy paint brush and in frustration, one started pounding it on top of the "house" - and what do you know...next thing I hear is "Cool guys, come here - when you paint like this, it looks like stone!"

• What is it made out of?

• Can it be easily seen/identified from 30 feet away

• Does it make sense with the script and whole production?

• Is it colorful? Should it be?

• What purpose does the backdrop serve?

• Can you do without one?

• Can anything do double duty?

• Maybe one look when you see it from the front and other from the back or light up from the back for another look

• Is it a shape other than rectangular?

Characters

• What is the reason this person is in the play?
• What is his/her background?
• Why is she doing what she does in the play?
• Does it make sense? If not, why is he doing it?
• Could you easily explain your character and what he or she is like in under a minute to someone else and have them understand the type of character you are
• If people say "Huh?" when you explain your character, that should give you a clue.
• What time frame and culture are your character from?
• How old is he/she, does she have kids, does he have a job? What is his/her motivation for being in the play and doing what they do?
• What type of clothes does the character wear?
• How should he act? WHY??
• Make the character believable within the time frame and culture and the whole feel of your play.
• Does your character walk tall or slouch? How does he manipulate his hands? Is she an in-charge person or a follower?
• What kind of body language does your character exhibit?
• Will he or she exaggerate any characteristic?

Costumes

• Is regular unaltered street clothes/stuff you can buy at Goodwill constitute a costume?
• If you could design the ideal costume for your character, what would it be? What would it be made out of?
• Can you make this ideal costume? What will making it involve? What materials and what skills?
• Does the costume make sense for your character? To more than just you. Does your team like the costume? Does it jive with the rest of the costumes in the performance?
• What about shoes, hair, hats, wigs, glasses, socks, jewelry and accessories? What would your character wear? Dress your character from the ground up - ignore what you can easily get - decide what would look best on the character - use your imagination!
• Make a costume that instantly tells the audience the type of character you are ­ make it easy on them - that way they can concentrate on the play. Besides, they only have a very few minutes to see your character, decide what your character is and his motivation AND watch the play and figure out what is going on ­do you want the appraisers/audience to spend all their time trying to figure out your character and why you're dressed like that - especially if it doesn't make sense to them? Don't make them think too much or be bewildered ­ there's only a few minutes from beginning to end - make your best use of it.
• At world, I saw one play where they put on the first act with regular clothes, but then in the second act - when it was set in "heaven" or at least when most of the characters were dead - they wore the same costumes - but now all in white
• Make versatile clothing - can it serve more than one purpose?
• Sweat pants & shirts - can paint them, attach things to them, can wear over something
• Footwear - boots/shoes can be painted to match outfits or material of pants goes downs and covers boots - makes a smooth look
• Make-up - what type of make-up is necessary to give your character the proper look? If the make-up is dark, can it be seen/distinguished at 10 feet? At 20 feet? Experiment to find the right look for your character - make-up can make the character.

For example, instead of saying "How can we build this costume?", the group might try to rephrase individual words in the objective statement -
"What do we mean by the word costume? -- can we interpret that word in different a different way that might generate new options?"

Improv

• How can an improv time be inserted into the play?
• How can we decide how to use it creatively in the 1 minute given?

Teaching Improv - What's Improv?

It could mean to: Ad-Lib, Make it up on the spot, Create right off of the top of your head, Respond off-the-cuff, Say or do the first thing that comes to mind .

Here's what Mr.Webster's states: To compose and perform without preparation; to make or do with whatever is at hand.

The current styles of Improvisation or Improv, are a type of theatre that evolved from techniques used in acting classes. At the time, acting teachers/directors were having a difficult time getting the actors to be spontaneous with their on-stage reactions. One such teacher, Viola Spolin, designed a series of techniques or "games" to facilitate the release of the actors' spontaneity.

These games focused on:

• Trusting others while on stage.
• The sharing of idea's.
• Accepting and validating the actions, feelings and ideas of fellow actors

  Soon these games evolved into a completely separate theatre discipline. Throughout the 50's and 60's improvisational theatre grew in popularity but it was an improv group from Canada called "Theatre Sports" who gave the art form its massive appeal through their unique approach of competitive performances. This particular form of improv migrated to America through a troupe called Comedy Sportz. With the access to improv and the related games ever increasing, many splinter improv troupes formed spreading the fun and excitement of improvisational comedy across the country.

  Improv's appeal is that no one knows what's going to happen next - not the audience, not even the performers. The audience stands at the edge of the pool waiting to see if the actors will sink or swim.

The Rules of Improv

Courtesy of "On Stage: Theater Games and Activities for Kids" by Lisa Bany-Winters (Chicago Review Press, $14.95)

1. The most important rule of improv is always to say "Yes."

In an improv scene, when you are acting, always say no to him. If you partner says "Look at the elephant," you might say "That's not an elephant - it's a rocket ship."

Now play the same scene with your partner, but say yes this time. Working together in this way will make your scenes more active and much more interesting for your audience to watch. If you always remember to play the yes game, you'll be a successful improv actor.

2. The second most important rule of improv is don't ask questions.

There are two reasons you should not ask in improv.

First, you never have to ask a yes or no question because you are already playing the yes game. Asking the question just take s up time in your scene and is not active, so instead of saying, "DO you want to go swimming?" - instead say "Let's go swimming."

Second, asking questions puts a lot of pressure on your scene partner. For example, if you say, "What is that thing?" you force your partner to make up what it is. It's better to say "Look at that lion." and then your partner can talk about the lion to further the scene and move it along.

3. The third most important rule of improv is to stay in the present.

Don't talk about things that have happened in the past (talk about what you did yesterday) or the future (talk about what you will do tomorrow). Instead of talking about going to the mall, go there. Instead of talking about something you used to do, so something now. Also remember to play the yes game and don't ask questions. Most scenes that are in the present have more action and active scenes are more interesting than scenes where the characters stand around and only talk.

Easy Pantomime/Improvisation Practice Activities

With Pantomime:

1. Strive for consistency. Mimed objects should remain the same size.

2. Use exaggerations! Gestures and emotions should make BIG impact.

3. Keep it simple ? something your audience will immediately understand.

4. Tell a story that has an initial situation with an arising conflict and ends with resolution.

5. Be creative! Your story does not have to be totally realistic so have fun!

With Improvisation:

1. Introduce your characters with energy! Give them personality and pizzazz!

2. Use different voices, gestures and emotions to distinguish your characterizations.

3. Listen to each other and build on each other's ideas.

4. Speak up so your audience can feel the energy.

5. Relax and go with the flow. Creativity comes pouring out when you are having fun!

Improv - Avoid the Pitfalls!

1. Don't comment on the scene or fall out of character. Never say, "well, this is boring" or "now what?"

2. Don't argue with the other actors or change the direction of the scene.

3. Don't use vulgar language or gestures. Swearing and obscene subject matter gets audience response because they are shocking NOT because they are creative!

Acting Styles - Improv

Here are some different acting styles that might be useful in improv scenes:

Practice acting out the following scene. Use either Pantomime or Improvisation:

For Individual team members:

Playing football, baseball, bowling

Giving a cat a bath

Swimming in the ocean

Eating spaghetti

Changing a baby's diaper

Sleeping in a cactus patch

Living the life of a superhero

For two or more team members:

A cow being milked

Playing ping?pong

Winning the lottery

Big dog meets pack of cats

Moving a piano down stairs

A millionth customer in a store

Getting past a perfume salesperson in a store

Act out these emotions:

Frustration

Impatience

Nervous

Too much coffee

Tired

Chilled

Nauseous

Fearful

Shy

Love

Hate

Pantomime Exercises

Have the team members pantomime eating or drinking various types of food:

a lollipop

a watermelon slice

spaghetti

milkshake

an apple

a banana

bowl of soup

a nut

chips and dip

a cup of hot coffee

corn on the cob stalk of celery

Other Pantomime Exercises:

Frog eating insects

Carrying a very heavy box Washing a car

Monkey eating a banana

Witch brewing up a potion

Painting a portrait

Leaf falling from a tree

Decorating a Christmas tree

Sailor steering a ship in a storm

Carving a jack-o-lantern

Arranging flowers in a vase

Winning an Olympic gold medal

Eating an ice cream cone on a hot day

Being "it" in a game of hide-and-seek

Squirrel gathering nuts

Building a snowman

Blowing bubblegum bubbles

Digging a hole a finding a treasure chest

Cat stalking a mouse

Climbing a tree

Tasting food for the king when it's been poisoned

Eating at a restaurant and finding a celebrity at the next table

Bird flying south for the winter

Prospector panning for gold

Holding up a stagecoach

T-Rex chasing down its prey

Walking down a sidewalk and stepping into fresh cement

Hanging wallpaper

Bobbing for apples

Kid misbehaving when the teacher's back is turned

Surfer wiping out on a big wave

Trying on a new suit or dress

Having a food fight

Packing a suitcase

Bungee jumping

Collecting treasure from the Titanic

Searching for Big Foot

Getting a manicure from Austin Powers

Catching snowflakes on your tongue

A bear waking from a winters nap

Barney jumping rope

Playing the World Cup

Being chased by a skunk

Following a rainbow

A bear looking for honey

A witch flying on her broom

Signing the Declaration of Independence

Playing mud football

Attending volleyball camp

A dog chasing a cat

Baking Christmas cookies

Dyeing Easter Eggs

A girl scout selling cookies

G.I. Joe rescuing Barbie

Sewing the American Flag

Visiting the Grand Canyon

Watching a scary movie

Leaving the hair salon with a REALLY bad haircut

Climbing a mountain

Shooting an apple off someone's head with an arrow

Beating Tiger Woods in golf

Exploring your Grandmother's attic

Playing chess with Abraham Lincoln

Doing a commercial for a brand new toothpaste

Making dinner for George Washington

Attending a comedy club

Most of these will be easy to get but the idea here is to have them practice humorous elaboration. If you have to pantomime the banana, make a big to-do about selecting just the right one from the bunch on the tree, peeling it and discovering it has a bad spot, starting over with a new one and - finally - eating it ... then as you start to leave the stage and everyone thinks you're done, you slip on the imaginary banana peel you threw on the floor!

IMPROV Tips -- Stretching the Performance

Acting

• How should your character act? See character section. Decide how he should act and make that happen. If you don't know how to do it, watch movies, ask a team member or experiment until the character is YOU.

• How will she walk? What type of attitude does her walk show? What kind of attitude does his voice show?

• Do you believe that the characters are who they are supposed to be?

• What is the motivation of the character? Does that come through to the audience through the words you say, how you say them and what you do?

• Body motions betray character

• Accentuate with voice and body movements what you want the audience and appraisers to really see and understand and notice.

• Acting is very difficult - unless you are a naturally-gifted actor, you will make mistakes and MUST be willing to take constructive criticism from your teammates.

• Read the faces of other people (not on the team) - did they understand what you said or did or what the play is about?

• Utilize special talent of team members.

• Does each team member use crisp movements?

• Are you exaggerating movements and words so that the audience hears it and understands it easily?

• ENUNCIATE, ENUNCIATE, ENUNCIATE!!!! Nothing can be more important.

Dialogue/Sounds

• How should your characters talk? Do they live in Elizabethan England or are they cave men or baseball players from the 20s?

• Do they have to have an accent? Can you hear/understand accents very well? Can other people understand your lines - not team members who know the play by heart?

• Do the lines reflect what your character might say or how he might say it?

• How might you decide how your character might speak? Different people on the team can read the lines in the way they think they should be read. Try the lines as a character from a play or a movie. Try the lines as a "set" character like a mobster or a Valley girl. You'll find that the lines and the understanding of the motivation of the character will be completely different depending on how your lines are delivered and the character that it shows.

• Will music or special effects enhance the performance or the understanding of the audience?

• Can part of the lines be delivered as a song?

• Can music or other sounds actually reveal what is happening in the play?

Script Writing

• What is the play about?

• It must make the people and their plight come to life

• Should it be humorous? Humor does sell. Puns sell very well - even if we moan over them. Some of the best performances are very quick-paced and are filled with puns about a given topic.

• But drama can be VERY compelling - but it must be good - well written and well acted

• RESEARCH YOUR TOPIC. Weave facts and interesting details into the play - shows you've done your work and can be interesting to appraisers.

• Who is your audience? Are you playing to kids or adults? Who are the appraisers? You've got to keep the interest of your audience.

• What is the action? What is the conflict - there must be a conflict.

• How complex is the script? If it is too complex or too many subplots, no one will be able to follow the story in an 6-8-minute format.

• Is it a re-write of a story that is already written? How creative is this?

• Question every line of the play - does it add to the plot and finished product?

• How many scene changes are involved in the play? Too many scenes can be a problem.

• What is the ending? Does it grab you? Make you laugh? Make you think? Have a moral at the end? Does it build logically to a conclusion? The ending is the most important part - it wraps up all the ends and is the last impression you make on the appraisers.

Storyline Idea

Our team has such trouble getting our storyline together. I found a blank adding machine roll tape. I had the kids draw their story idea like a comic strip ­ putting the story in sequence ­ I had each of them work in a separate point in the script of their own choosing. Then they put them all together, taped all the separate comic strips to the wall in sequence ­ and it took off from there like a rocket. Crayons can say so many things that words can't.

You can also do this with a large newsprint pad. Once the scenes are drawn, the kids can put them on the wall in the order they choose.

Script-Writing Tips From A to Z

A - Action, appropriate, keep the audience in mind

B - Backdrop, background of characters, balance, build logically to a conclusion

C - Conflict, costumes, number of scene changes, characterization

D - Dialogue

E - Expression, emotion, enunciation

F - Finish, fit in the performance area, function of each prop & backdrop

G - General tone of the script - drama or comedy, reality or fantasy

H - Humor - is it funny to all?

I - Innovation, imagery, improv, imagination (but it still has to make sense)

J - all team members join together to give input and write script

K - Knowledge of subject - research before and while writing script, keep the interest of the audience

L - where is the play located geographically, do props fit in limited space

M - moving in the presentation area, who moves where when? Music, moral at end?

N - accentuate what you want the appraisers/audience to notice

O - originality, opening, start with an outline

P - plot, plot, plot, parody, props, is your script practical?

Q - question each line/action to make sure it fits

R - resolution of conflict, are you taking a risk? rewrite, rewrite, rewrite

S - sound effects, number of scene changes, have you solved the challenge? Setting, does it tell a story? Special talents of team members

T - transitions between scenes (are they smooth), time period, technical aspects

U - understand the challenge and the characters, does every line have a use?

V - voices of the characters

W - write tight, write long first - tighten and cut it later

X - eXamine the script for eXcellent eXamples of eXessive eXaggeration

Y - yesterday - when the script was due!

Z - does it pass the ZZZZZZZ test - does the script put people to sleep?

If they are still "stuck" on writing a story then tell them these people are all "stuck" somewhere and they must come up with a story about where they are stuck and why. Each time they do the IC they must be STUCK in a different place. If they get REALLY good, tell them they must use teamwork to create imaginary props to help the group get "unstuck" from wherever they are. Maybe they need a ladder to crawl out of the pit, or a crowbar because they are in an elevator. Maybe they are in a bubblegum factory. Whatever.

Research
Here is a different angle to try:

Sometimes the problem is not whether they know how to do the research but whether they feel the need to do it. Try asking them "What kinds of things to do we need to know about _________ and ____________and__________, etc." and have them come up with a list of useful information. Then, as they collect information on each _________, they can fill in a grid - not everything will fit and not all the answers will be available but if they have 20 key facts on __________ and just one on _____________it will pretty obvious where they need more research without you having to say a word. IF the problem is one weak person, then at least it will be visible to the rest of the team and they can decide what to do (tell him to work harder, have someone help etc.)

Interference
Emphasize the dangers of interference - especially taking the positive side that this is the kids' project and their chance to grow and shine. Tell the parents that this is the single toughest thing to do, since we are all used to jumping in and giving kids hints about how to do things the easiest way. Remind them that no matter how terrific their ideas are, if they share them, the kids cannot use them (even if they would have thought of it themselves later.) It's not just about losing points, it's about ownership: this is not the adult's challenge, it belongs to the kids and solving it is that much sweeter when you do every step of it without assistance. (And sooner or later, one of these unassisted teams really IS going to invent a wheel that works better than Firestone, but only if we leave them alone to do the trial and error it takes.)

Interference Is Easy-Avoiding it is a Challenge

Question: I am wondering how much help can we give them. For instance, can we help them paint, color, cut, glue, etc? Or do they have to do it all? I mean if they design the object, can we help them get it's form?

Answer: Destination Imagination is a "challenge" for team managers and parents, too, because we are really used to "helping" our kids, as in boy scouts and budding scientists with their projects. The short answer is "DON'T!" Helping them do something or showing them how to do it is interference.

The DI Team Managers Guide explains for team members and for managers exactly WHAT interference is and how to steer clear. I go over this with the team at the very beginning and make sure their parents understand, too.

The long answer is, The help you CAN provide is a place where the kids can experiment and build, access to the resources they need and time to do it. Solutions in Destination Imagination are entirely the children's work. ENTIRELY...that's the tough part. That means you can't hold the wood while they saw, you can't tell them it would be a little stronger if they'd put hot glue in the joint, you can't suggest painting the cardboard box yellow, etc. etc.

One team manager told me that she drew the line at safety: if the children "needed" to use a piece of power equipment that she didn't think they could safely operate, then she'd do that piece for them.

BUZZZZZ! That's a wrong answer. If the kids can't do something safely, they need to invent or create a way to solve it that is safe and up to their skill level. Or do something else entirely. If they determine they need to cut wood, for example, you can give them (or have someone else give them) a lesson in sawing safely and accurately. BUT you may not give the lesson on the exact wood that they will use in their solution. That piece of wood needs to be measured and cut BY THE TEAM ONLY. (You can however, drive them to the lumber yard or the scrap wood alley and drive them back after they pick out what they need. Or they can tell you they need XYZ specific kind/size of wood and you can get it