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Mystery Architecture. The event where you don’t know what you are doing, and that is kind of the point. Who am I?. Andrew Roberts ajrober4@gmail.com 7 year participant in Science Olympiad Multi event medal winner at regional and state competitions Coached State Champions in Wright Stuff
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Mystery Architecture The event where you don’t know what you are doing, and that is kind of the point.
Who am I? • Andrew Roberts • ajrober4@gmail.com • 7 year participant in Science Olympiad • Multi event medal winner at regional and state competitions • Coached State Champions in Wright Stuff • Lead Instructor for Science Olympiad’s Summer Camps • Science Olympiad Student Intern
Event Description • At the beginning of the event, each team will receive an identical bag of materials. • They will have 40 minutes to build a structure/device that can be tested • The materials and structure will not be announced until the competition starts
Mystery Architecture Rules • The team can only use the materials that were given to them by the judges • There are two scoring dimensions • Primary: The main measurement that determines the winner • Secondary: The measurement used to break ties
Mystery Architecture Rules • Students may bring: • 1 pair of scissors • 1 ruler • 1 pair of pliers • Nothing else will be allowed
Common Types of Structures • Bridges • Towers • Cantilevers
Common Types of Structures • Longest/tallest • Longest/tallest to hold a certain load • At least a certain height/length that can hold the most
Other Possible Structures • Boats • Timed contraptions • Gliders • Be creative in practice
How to Coach • This event is hard to coach, because it is hard to teach students to think outside the box • You can teach them: • Good engineering principles • Good building techniques • How to work together (to an extent) • Learning to think creatively requires practice and lots of it
Types of Forces: Tension • Tension : the member is being “pulled” on
Types of Forces: Tension • Good Tension materials: • Straws • String • Pipe cleaner (wire) • Paperclips • Paper
Good Compression Materials: • Straws • Toothpicks • Popsicle sticks • Cups • Rolled up paper
Good Engineering: TowersLoad Bearing Load Platform Legs Cross Bracing
Cantilever Counter Balance Load Applied Here Table
Examples • Good: • Doubled up straws for legs • Triangles for bracing • Bad: • Not level
Examples • Good: • Very level • Triangles for bracing • Bad: • Legs are single straws instead of double
Examples • Good: • Very level • Triangles for bracing • Multi-strawed legs • Bad: • Added extra materials just to use them
Tips • Conserve materials in case you have to reuse something • Cut tape in half • Unravel string • Bring good tools (especially scissors) • Practice, practice, practice • Practice with different materials • Save straw wrappers