This activity needs 4 adults helping to count, tally, and
keep area dry.
ACTIVITY: Students will be given a 1/4 pound of new clay in which to build a boat at the beginning of the competition. They must use this clay throughout, and may not ask for fresh clay. Students have 20 minutes to shape and load their boats. Leads keep score throughout the event, and best scores are used in final total. If boats are not fully loaded by the end of session, the number of washers loaded will be counted, but no more. In order for last washers to be counted, the boat (when it looks like it’s ready to sink) must remain floating 5 full seconds before sinking.
POINTS:
- 100
points are given for a boat that floats.
- 10
points are awarded for each washer that the boat holds.
- One to three teams from the same classroom may be involved (two or three students each. No one-man teams unless teacher vouches that partner is absent). Scores are averaged to create the Final Class Score.
TIME ALLOTMENT: 30 minutes
- 5
minutes to organize teams for events... briefly explain challenge and
answer questions
- 20 minute challenge (includes making initial
boat).
- 5 minutes for wrap-up. Explain that they will only have 5 minutes to get to their next event. They should line up behind teacher.
Role of Challenge Leader:
- As soon as each event is finished, get scores over to score table.
- Before the event, remind students that it is wise to build the best boat that they can before putting it in water... they have 20 minutes. Students should keep working to improve their score until the event ends. They should be constantly pulling the boat from the water and reworking it for better scores, until the time is up.
- If tables seem to jiggly, we will allow students to roll their clay on the floor (on newspaper. The fewer teams per table, the better, since the water can be jiggled.
- Also remind students to call an event lead over when they want an official “count.” Explain that the event leads must be there for the count, ... they are not allowed to accept student counts on faith.
- Scores should be kept regularly since boats may hold less rather than more as the time passes. Best scores are kept.
- Olympians should NOT be helped in any way. No advice, rolling of clay, helping to dry, loading of boat, etc. is allowed.
- One can usually tell when boats are ready to sink. Allow teams to load freely until the “sink” looks inevitable. Call out, “Hold.” At that point make sure that loading goes slowly, so that the “5 second rule” is enforceable.
- Help all teams out by keeping the tables covered with dry newspaper as much as possible. They need “dry” newspaper to work on, or their boats will crack (The clay is oil based, and oil and water don’t blend, so children try to keep their boats as dry as possible).
- Keep the workspace as organized and (again) dry as possible (constantly remove wet towels, replace or layer newspapers so they are working on as “dry” of a surface as reasonable.
- Supply children with lots of dry paper towels to blot their wet clay with.
- Make this activity as fun and exciting as you can. Don’t be afraid to encourage clapping from the audience or from the teams themselves. However, NO ADVICE FROM THE SIDELINES ALLOWED, including teachers and parents.
- Keep mopping up water. We don’t want anyone slipping on the floor.
- Help the students keep track of time.
- Encourage them to take their time, but if their boat sinks, they should keep trying until the time is up.
- In between each event, try to make the area fresh looking and ready for the next set of teams. If necessary, please scrape the rolling pins of excess clay.
- Whatever their score ... make All Olympians feel successful. Shake their hands when they are done. Congratulate them on their effort.
- At
the end of the Olympiad, please put everything usable back in place in
readiness for next year. Clean
& Dry out bins, wipe down tables, get as much clay from rolling pins
as possible. Remove balloons and
excess tape from Event Sign.