200910 Contest Orientation

1
2009-10Contest Orientation
2
Orientation Agenda

• Introduction
• Rules
• Tips for Success
• Questions
• Contraption demonstration

3
Chain Reaction Contraption Contest

• Contest Day
• Carnegie Science Center
• Friday, December 4, 2009
• 700AM - 400PM
• Challenge
• Construct a Building
• Team
• Four students, a teacher and a mentor (mentor is
  optional but recommended)

4
Step Definition

• A step is defined as an action that results in
  another action working towards the final goal of
  the machine. For example, the act of tipping
  over a block of wood with a rolling ball is a
  step. The actual tipping motion of the block is
  NOT a step, unless it causes another action to
  occur. A series of the same actions repeated
  (such as dominoes knocking each other over or a
  ball hitting another ball) are considered to be
  one step in the spirit of the Chain Reaction
  Contraption Contest.

5
Student Participation

• We encourage any and all interested students to
  participate.
• Only one team can represent your school
• Multiple teams and send best contraption
• Entire class on one contraption
• All will receive participation certificates, but
  only the 4 student team will be eligible to
  receive prizes
• Up to 4 home schools can combine efforts

6
Rules

• The complete contest rules (included in the
  Official Handbook) are available on the web site
• http//www.chainreactioncontest.org

7
Rules

• Administrative Rules
• Set up by assigned time on contest day.
• Nothing will be provided by the contest
  officials.
• No new construction is permitted at the contest
  site only the contraptions set-up should be
  completed on contest day.
• Contestants are responsible for removing their
  contraption and any debris immediately following
  the contest.
• A teams contraption must not imply profane,
  indecent, or lewd expressions.
• Plug-in electricity, combustible fluids, open
  flames and hazardous materials are not allowed.

8
Rules

• Administrative Rules (continued)
• The contraption must complete the challenge as
  defined in the Official Handbook
• Judging will be based on the rules set forth in
  the Official Handbook.
• The judges will inspect the contraption for
  safety and rules infractions. The judges
  decisions are final.
• The team must not spend more than 100 on the
  contraption.

9
Rules

• Dimensions
• The finished contraption must not exceed 5 ft x
  3 ft x 2 ft. The contraption, while operating,
  must remain inside the dimensions. The platform
  is included in the maximum dimension measurement.

10
Rules

• Time Limit
• Each contraption must take at least 30 seconds to
  run completely through its steps and must not run
  longer than 2 minutes.
• You will be required to run your contraption
  completely through its steps, reset your
  contraption, then run it through its steps again.
• Your reset must take less than 4 minutes.

11
Rules

• Restarts Human Interventions
• If your contraption should fail during its
  operation, you may decide whether to
• continue the run by helping a step along (a human
  intervention)
• give up on the run and call a restart.
• A restart
• before the contraption completes its final step
• only when the contraption is stalled
• Only one restart will be allowed per run during
  the contest.

12
Rules

• Miscellaneous
• Each step must be marked on the contraption
• No objects may leave the contraption boundary
• Teachers, mentors and spectators are not allowed
  to coach or ask questions of the team
• Turn in the Media Release Forms for each team
  member
• Turn in your List of Steps, List of Purchased
  Materials Contraption Photo
• We will not tolerate Unsportsmanlike Conduct by
  team members

13
Points

• Design Proposal (5 pts)
• Photographic Progress Report 1 (2 pts)
• Photographic Progress Report 2 (2 pts)
• Photographic Progress Report 3 Preliminary
  List of Steps (6 pts)
• Verbal Presentation (20 pts)
• Chain Reaction Contraption Operation (110 pts)

145 Points
14
Rules

• Reasons for Disqualification
• An unsafe contraption
• Intentionally causing a loose or flying object to
  go outside the set boundaries of the contraption
• Damaging another teams contraption

15
Important Dates

• September 25 Registration Deadline
• October 2 Design Proposal Deadline
• October 16 Photographic Progress Report 1
  Deadline
• October 30 Photographic Progress Report 2
  Deadline
• November 13 Photographic Progress Report 3
  Deadline
• November 27 Media Release Deadline
• December 4 Chain Reaction Contraption Contest

16
Making a Successful Contraption

• Set a schedule
• Find a stable and easily transportable platform
• Be patient
• Be bold change a step if it does not perform
  consistently
• Allow time to correct the flaws
• Be creative and dont get discouraged

17
Making a Successful Contraption

• The contraption should run to completion with no
  human interventions or restarts and should
  complete the assigned task in the required number
  of steps.
• Mechanical steps are encouraged and score higher
  than battery-powered steps.
• A polished verbal presentation sells your
  contraption to the judges. Rehearse and plan for
  contest day.
• Come up with a design and construction plan.
• Pay attention to the score sheets in the Official
  Handbook while planning your contraption and
  contest day strategy.

18
Remember!

• Come prepared on contest day to make at least 8
  runs of your contraption.
• The team shall identify the contraptions final
  step to the judges during the opening
  presentation to avoid confusion during the
  contraption operation.
• If your contraption is not working perfectly on
  contest day, come anyway! There are special
  awards for which your team will be judged.

19
Questions?