Training Module 10: Making Materials Work

Methods: Presentation Discussion Activities Debrief Training Module 10: Making Materials Work Audience: Team Managers and team members Challenge Masters, Team Challenge Appraisers and Instant Challenge Appraisers Goals: To recognize that a material has an original design as well as alternative uses To practice making materials work for purposes other than their original designs To understand that team members manipulate provided materials to desired outcomes in Team Challenge and Instant Challenge solutions Materials: The Problem Solver s Practical Toolbox Handouts: o Appendix A: Destination ImagiNation Mini Challenges o Appendix D: Creative Uses of Materials Rubric Appendix B: Tips for the Trainer: Mini Challenges (optional) Appendix C: Activity: It s All Material Countdown timer Materials resources from www.shopdi.org General materials (see individual Activities for quantities): Straws Toothpicks Paper clips Paper Envelopes Wire hangers Clay Spaghetti Mailing labels Index cards Paper plates Yarn Adhesive name badges Newspaper Golf balls Measuring tape Toilet paper tube Yard sticks Dowels 8 inch hanging hoop String Rubber bands # boxes of nails, or books Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 1

Topics & Talking Points: Materials Talking Points Estimated Time 1 Slide: Materials Matter; The Problem Solver s Practical Toolbox Materials Matter 1. The materials used in designing Destination ImagiNation Challenge solutions whether Team Challenge or Instant Challenge can usually be described as having design properties that allow it to function in one or more of the following ways: a. Extenders: used to achieve length b. Connectors: used to fasten c. Controllers: used to contain, confine, carry 10 min. 2. As team members develop solutions, many different materials are tried for set design, props, costumes, technical or task-based elements. Through experimentation with materials and with the application of creative problemsolving tools, team members are comparing, organizing and reaching the best possible choice of materials and designs for their solutions. Team members are learning about design and technology, engineering, science, math, chemistry and physics concepts in a fun way! Note: You may want to refer to pages 11, 14, 15, 17, 26, 29 in The Problem Solver s Practical Toolbox for examples of how generating and focusing tools can help when it comes to materials in Destination ImagiNation! Read the first paragraphs on several of these pages to give the participants an idea of the tools and their application toward decisions about materials. 2 Slide: How to Make Materials Work for You 7 straws, gum drop, piece of clay or a marshmallow, 7 toothpicks, 3 or 4 pieces of straight spaghetti How to make materials work for you Do this demonstration yourself, or ask for some volunteers from your audience and let them experiment with the materials, as you read directions below. Extenders/Connector Combinations Two clear straws stuck together, one inside the other will cover distances of >12" A straw stuck into a gum drop, a piece of clay and/or a marshmallow will stand erect to build a tower. Place toothpicks in clay (or a large gum drop) and then place a straw over the toothpicks. This makes for a much more rigid extender and/or support (the toothpicks are acting as "rebar", just like when they build the pillars on a bridge). Place spaghetti inside a straw. This will also make a much 30 min. Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 2

Materials Talking Points Estimated Time more rigid extender and/or support. This is similar to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco - it not only has rigid supports but also has large cables stabilizing it. Inside the large cable are many, many smaller cables. When like items are "bound" together they provide a much more rigid item. 1 piece of paper 4 pieces of paper, large box of paper clips, 4 mailing labels, 1 envelope, books, #1 box of nails for weights 1 envelope, 2 index cards, a wire hanger Paper Paper is one of the most versatile items in Instant Challenge. If you would like to Extend paper, just cut/tear it back and forth and it becomes many times its own original length. If you cut/tear it round and round, vesus back and forth, it will not only be longer but will not tear as readily, as it does not have straight lines to tear along. The darker the shade of paper, the stronger it is and the heavier it is. (Black = presence of all color.) Red, purple, or blue paper is stronger than yellow or white. (White = the absence of all color.) Columns Columns are one of the strongest supports in the world. Have one table fold a crisp piece of paper into four parts - long ways. (square column) Have a second table fold a crisp piece of paper into three parts - long ways. (triangular column) Have a third table roll their piece of paper with no edges. (round column) Have each table carefully seal the raw long-ways edges together to keep the shape of the item. Place a box of large paper clips on top of the square, the triangle, and then the round column. Then place a 1# box of nails on top of each one of them, one at a time. The square will collapse first, and then the triangle, and then the round column. It will take approximately 4# of nails to collapse the round column. If you have time, take an envelope and secure it into a column with either 3 toothpicks or labels. This column will hold approximately 7# of nails (or use books for weights instead). Envelopes/Index Cards/Wire Hanger Envelopes are also very versatile - They can Extend by tearing them open, serve as a Connector with the adhesive, and serve as a Controller by placing a round and/or lightweight object inside it. Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 3

Materials Talking Points Estimated Time Index cards make excellent Extenders and Controllers (i.e.: sides of a structure). If you tear them in half and wrap them around straws, they act like the outside wrappings of a cable. If you roll them tightly and stick them inside of straws, they can serve as a Connector or Controller. Wire hangers can be taken apart and used in many ways. How can it Extend? Connect? Control? 3 Slide: Activity: Making the Most of Materials; Per table team: 2 paper plates 12 in. (.3m) piece of yarn 3 adhesive name badges 3 wire coat hangers Activity 1: Making the Most of Materials Give a set of materials to each table team and let participants do the Activity at their tables. Procedure: 1. Give participants one minute to think of how their material can be used as an Extender. Let a pair demonstrate to the rest of their table team after one minute. Let other pairs work with the materials until all have had a turn. 2. Repeat with how their material can be used as a Connector, then as a Controller. Debrief: 1. Did anyone learn anything about managing materials? 2. Would anyone would like to show the group any properties or uses they have determined? 20 minutes 4 Slide: Activity: Destination ImagiNation Mini Challenges; Per table team: Handout: Appendix A: Destination Imagination Mini Challenges 10 Plastic straws 12 Paper clips 12 Labels 10 toothpicks 4 Index Cards 5 Pieces of paper 2 Pieces of newspaper Activity 2: Destination ImagiNation Mini Challenges Give a set of materials to each table team and let participants do the Activity at their tables. Procedure: 1. Distribute Handout: Appendix A: Destination ImagiNation Mini Challenges, one copy per table team. 2. Allow 3 minutes for the table team to read the Mini Challenges Activity. 3. After they have read the page, tell the group that each Mini Challenge will be timed, and that the purpose is not necessarily to solve each Challenge, but to experiment with the materials to design a solution. 4. Allow 3 minutes -- THIS TIME IS FOR DISCUSSION ONLY NO SOLVING YET! -- for the table teams to empty their bags of materials and discuss the Challenges and materials provided. These are the only materials they will receive (no restocking). They may continue to use the items 20 minutes for Mini Challenge 1 Depending on time available could take up to 60 minutes to do all Mini Challenges (see Training Tips section below) Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 4

Materials Talking Points Estimated Time 2 Envelopes 1 marshmallowsize piece of clay 1 golf ball to be used only as weight throughout the Challenges, but if an item is used up or destroyed, there are no replacements. 5. Mini Challenge 1: Allow 6 minutes for solving the first Mini Challenge. Call time at 6 minutes, and measure any completed solutions. Debrief the solutions by letting teams talk about what materials they used and why. Let the table teams tell how they reached the decision of what materials to use. 6. Continue with the same procedure through the list of Mini Challenges. Encourage the table teams to create each solution from scratch for each Mini Challenge (i.e.: build something else for Challenge 2 instead of reusing or improving the existing solution for Challenge 1). Be sure to debrief after each Mini Challenge. Let teams show what they have done, and talk about the process of how they came to choose it and use it from the materials provided. Ask: 1. How were the materials used in unique, novel ways? 2. Did the team complete the task appropriately? 3. Did the team complete the task in the allotted time period? 4. What are some things the team did that worked well? 5. What are some things they could have done differently? 6. In what ways did the team work together? 5 Two Slides: 1) Team Challenge Prop Storage and 2) Instant Challenge competition room 6 Slide: Activity: How to Make Materials Work Material Matters Knowing about materials is helpful and important in both the Team Challenge and Instant Challenge. Let s look for the similarities between the use of different materials in both the Team Challenge and Instant Challenge. 1. Show Materials Photo #1 (team in Team Challenge Prop Storage). Ask participants to list on scrap paper: a. Any materials used by the team as seen in the photograph b. How the materials are used c. What materials Extend? Connect? Control? d. If any materials are an alternative use 2. Show Materials Photo #2 (team in Instant Challenge). Ask workshop participants the same questions as above. Propping it Up in DI! Activity 3: How to Make Materials Work for You! 1. Your Challenge is to place ping pong balls through an 8in. (.2m) hanging hoop, 5 ft. (1.5m) away, using only the 20 minutes 20 min. Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 5

Materials Talking Points Estimated Time materials provided. The ping pong balls cannot travel freely through the air. Your body cannot cross the line. 2. Materials for each table team: A yard stick, a 3ft. (.9m) dowel, 12 labels, 2ft. (.6m) string, 5 sheets of paper, 1 envelope, and 2 rubber bands. 3. Tape a Start Line, and 5 ft. (1.5m) away, tape a line with the hoop hanging over it. for You!; 8 inch hanging hoop Per table team: 1 yard stick 3 ft dowel 12 labels 2 foot piece of string 5 sheets of paper 1 envelope 2 rubber bands Let's use these questions as a Check List to solve the Challenge: 1. Ask yourself - WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE? It is to EXTEND across a space and CONTROL the balls through the hoop. 2. Look at your materials -- What do you have that can EXTEND across the space? Do these need to be CONNECTED? What do you have that can CONNECT? 3. Look at your materials -- What do you have that can CONTROL the balls with so you can get them through the hoop? 4. What do you have left to do to accomplish the task? 5. If this choice doesn t solve the Challenge, what will you try next? Handout: Appendix D: Creative Uses of Materials 7 Slide: Assessment; Assessment Section Debrief: 1. Notice the different solutions among the table teams with the same materials provided. How were the materials manipulated to Extend? Connect? Control? 2. Take a look at what you did -- You stopped looking at the yard stick, the dowel, the envelope, the paper, the labels, etc. for their original design and figured out how to make materials work for you! 3. Use Appendix D: Creative Uses of Materials for discussion. Assessment See below. 10 min. Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 6

Training Tips: Activity 2: Destination ImagiNation Mini Challenges Watch your time! and your participants! o Completing the first Mini Challenge is an incredible boost of confidence to the table teams. Depending on your time available, if you notice that table teams do not have something made that can be measured at the 6 minute Time Limit, announce that you will add one more minute to the timer. Success at having a solution to this first Mini Challenge gives the table team enthusiasm and significant motivation to continue with the other Mini Challenges. o Workshop experience has shown us that participants LOVE doing these Mini Challenges and would go on and on and on with each one if they could. Please remind them in fact have them agree after the first Mini Challenge -- that they MUST stop for the remainder of the Challenges when the timer goes off. Teams (in a tournament setting) have to stop when the timer goes off. Therefore, they must stop also. o Remember, this Activity is to be FUN! If morale seems to be wavering and frustration and disgust begin to reign, because of unsuccessful attempts to completely solve the Mini Challenges within the Time Limits, announce at the appropriate times and if you have the time available, that you add an extra minute to the Time Limit. Keep the joy of We did it! happening! o Variation of Mini Challenge Activity: If time does not allow for completion of the entire Activity, choose a set of Mini Challenges that combine different properties. For example, choose 1, 4, 5, 7. Material Matters: After viewing the slides, ask workshop participants to name other materials that teams use in Team Challenge and Instant Challenge that have Scale of Material being the main difference between them. Examples may be: Team Challenge Solution Instant Challenge Solution PVC pipe........................straws Nails...........................Toothpicks Cardboard.......................Index cards Assessment: How is knowing how to make materials work helpful in both Team Challenge and Instant Challenge? How are thinking tools helpful when determining how to make materials work for you? Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 7

APPENDIX A Activity 1: Destination ImagiNation Mini Challenges Destination ImagiNation Mini Challenges 1. Challenge 1: Make something as long as possible, using only 1 piece of 2 different kinds of items. (For example, 1 piece of paper and 1 address label) Time limit: 6 minutes 2. Challenge 2: Make something as long as possible, using only 1 piece of 2 different kinds of items. (Example: 1 piece of paper and 1 address label). What you make must extend across the top of the table with one end hanging over the edge of the table. What you make must hold a weight (1 golf ball) on the end hanging over the edge of the table. Time limit: 4 minutes 3. Challenge 3: Make something as high as possible, using as many pieces of as many items as you wish. What you build must be free-standing, selfsupporting. Time limit: 6 minutes 4. Challenge 4: Make something as high as possible, using as many pieces of as many items as you wish. What you build must be free-standing, selfsupporting. What you build must be able to hold a weight (1 golf ball) at its highest point. Time limit: 4 minutes 5. Challenge 5: Build something across the backs of two chairs 12in. apart, using only six pieces total of any items. (Ex: 4 straws and 2 address labels). What you build must be able to hold a weight (1 golf ball) at its center point. Time limit: 5 minutes 6. Challenge 6: Move any item 18in. (.46m) across the tabletop without any team member touching the item. Time limit: 2 minutes 7. Challenge 7: Move any item 18in. (.46m) across the tabletop without any team member touching the item and without any other items or any team member entering the 18in. (.46m) space. Time limit: 3 minutes Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 8

APPENDIX B Tips for the Trainer: Mini Challenges Note: Possibly solutions? MANY! 1. Challenge 1: TO BUILD - LENGTH (Without Weight) Make something as long as possible, using only 1 piece of 2 different kinds of items. (For example, 1 piece of paper and 1 address label) Time limit: 6 minutes Some teams will use an extender (e.g. a piece of paper, torn) Some teams will use an extender and a connector (e.g. a piece of paper, torn into strips, and a label). Some teams will use 2 extenders (e.g. a piece of paper and a newspaper). If the team uses two extenders, then they have to devise a way to make a connection (e.g. tearing a notch at the end of each item and hooking them together) 2. Challenge 2: To BUILD - LENGTH (With Weight) Make something as long as possible, using only 1 piece of 2 different kinds of items. (Example: 1 piece of paper and 1 address label). What you make must extend across the top of the table with one end hanging over the edge of the table. What you make must hold a weight (1 golf ball) on the end hanging over the edge of the table. Time limit: 4 minutes This adds a change to Challenge 1. The Extender might need to be stronger. The Connector might need to be stronger. There may need to be a Controller. Consider using materials for purposes other than their original design for Extender and Connector for Creative Use of Materials. 3. Challenge 3: TO BUILD - TOWER (Without Weight) Make something as high as possible, using as many pieces of as many items as you wish. What you build must be free-standing, self-supporting. Time limit: 6 minutes They really like this one!they can get carried away. Structures fall over, etc. However, some of the towers can really get up there. Debrief them and then ask them to VERBALLY come up with several other ways to go up. Get into a discussion about how triangles (broad bases) usually help to stabilize towers that are simply going for heights. 4. Challenge 4: TO BUILD - TOWER (With Weight) Make something as high as possible, using as many pieces of as many items as you wish. What you build must be free-standing, self-supporting. What you build must be able to hold a weight (1 golf ball) at its highest point. Time limit: 4 minutes This change to Challenge 3 makes all the difference. The Extender might need to be stronger. The Connector might need to be stronger. There may need to be a Controller (in the tower and/or in supporting the weight). Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 9

They may also consider lowering the structure to lower the center of gravity. 5. Challenge 5: TO BUILD - BRIDGE (With Weight) Build something across the backs of two chairs 12in. apart, using only six pieces total of any items. (Ex: 4 straws and 2 address labels). What you build must be able to hold a weight (1 golf ball) at its center point. Time limit: 5 minutes They may need to connect the Extenders together and connect the Extenders to the chairs. They will usually all get a basic bridge built. Debrief them then ask them to VERBALLY use different items than they used before. 6. Challenge 6: TO MOVE - HORIZONTAL (Across a surface - Can't touch item being moved) Move any item 18in. (.46m) across the tabletop without any team member touching the item. Time limit: 2 minutes This Mini Challenge is usually NO problem to any table team. They simply use another item to move the untouchable item. 7. Challenge 7: TO MOVE - HORIZONTAL (Across a surface - Can't touch item being moved & cannot enter space) Move any item 18in. (.46m) across the tabletop without any team member touching the item or any team member entering the 18in. (.46m) space. Time limit: 3 minutes Many tilt the table or use air to move the item across the space. If these methods are used, ask the table team how they might use their materials to accomplish the task. NOTE: Participants should now be understanding materials and their original design, their alternative uses, and how to make the materials work for the purpose needed. Your Notes: Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 10

APPENDIX C Activity: It s All Material This activity provides reinforcement of recognizing a material s original design and its alternative uses. Give each table team: Plastic Straw Paper Clip Label Toothpick Index Card Piece of paper Newspaper Envelope Clay Toilet Paper Tube Piece of notebook paper Ask participants to list the items on the piece of notebook paper. Assign one design function to each table team - Extenders, Connectors, or Controllers. Ask each table team to determine if the various items fit into their assigned design function as original design or alternative use. Each table team should record their responses on their notebook paper, beside each item listed. If original design write yes. If alternative use, describe how the item is used for that function. (i.e.: assigned design function -- Extender; Item -- Wire Hanger; Original design function is Extender -- no. Alternative use as Extender: unwind, cut, open to straighten.) When finished, ask each table to report their findings. Debrief: Discuss how each item has an original design and many alternative uses. One way creative uses of materials can be achieved is to implement alternative uses. Use Appendix D for reference. Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 11

APPENDIX D: Creative Uses of Materials It is important for team members and Appaisers to learn to use materials creatively. Creativity involves using items in unique, novel, different ways. By applying thinking tools while experimenting with materials, team members and Appraisers can discover many ways to make materials work. The rubric below can help team members and Appraisers evaluate the creative uses of materials. Creative Uses of Materials Rubric Needs Improvement Fair Good Great Materials used in a common ways Some materials used in different ways Many materials used in varied ways Most materials used in varied ways No materials combined to make new items Few materials combined uniquely Many materials combined in a variety of ways Unusual combinations of materials to create new items Usual materials integrated into presentation Some materials integrated in a different way Several materials integrated in novel ways Many materials cleverly integrated into presentation, creating unique, original ideas enhancing the presentation Destination ImagiNation, Inc. 2005 Page 12

Making Materials Work I never thought you could do THAT with THIS 2005 Destination ImagiNation, Inc. Making Materials Work.ppt Goals To recognize that a material has an original design as well as alternative uses To practice making materials work for purposes other than their original designs To understand that team members manipulate provided materials to desired outcomes in Team Challenge and Instant Challenge solutions Methods Presentation Activities Discussion Debrief 1

Materials Matter Extenders Connectors Controllers How to Make Materials Work for You Extenders/Connector Combinations Paper Columns Envelopes/Index Cards/Wire Hanger Activity Making the Most of Materials 2

Activity Destination ImagiNation Mini Challenges Debrief Questions How were the materials used in unique / novel ways? Did the team complete the task appropriately? Did the team complete the task on time? What are some things the team did that worked well? What are some things they could have done differently In what ways did the team work together? 3

Activity How to Make Materials Work for You! Assessment How is knowing how to make materials work helpful in both Team Challenge and Instant Challenge? How are thinking tools helpful when determining how to make materials work for you? 4

Thank you for coming 2005 Destination ImagiNation, Inc. Making Materials Work.ppt 5