Tournament of Minds

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Tournament of Minds is a program available throughout Australia, New Zealand and Singapore for school children that offers opportunities for teams of students to work to solve problems in a number of disciplines, including: language and literature, mathematics and engineering and social sciences. The program runs through the third school term commonly commencing on the 1st week back at school.

There are junior and senior teams of students:

  • junior teams are generally in the last two years of primary school
  • senior teams are generally from years 8-10, and must have at lest 2 members of the starting grade, e.g In NSW, 2 grade 7s must be included in the team.

Contents

[edit] The process

Each team of 7 spends 6 weeks preparing a dramatic scenario that addresses the challenge specifications.

Teams compete against each other to present their challenge solutions in front of a panel of judges on Tournament Day. Tournament of Minds is different from other school-based programs because students must complete their challenge without any outside assistance. They are required to prepare scripts, costumes, props and backdrops from recyclable materials and/or bought materials (but not things like shirts and shorts), and everything (except for things such as textas and paper) must add up within a strict budget of $50 for Language Literature and Social Sciences teams and $75 for Mathematics Engineering teams.

On Tournament Day teams are also required to complete a Spontaneous Challenge, where quick thinking and creativity are demanded of the team in the space of a few minutes. The Spontaneous Challenge is not conducted before an audience, but before a panel of judges.

[edit] Topics

The 2006 state final topics and challenges were

  • Language Literature - "Truth is Enough"
  • Social Sciences - "Trio of Triumphant Travellers"
  • Mathematics Engineering - "Strike Out"
  • Spontaneous - "Calculator"

[edit] Information Technology

The proposal of Information Technology (IT) was tested in Western Australia in 2005. New South Wales tested this year (only on Sydney Schools) and want to run it next year at the state Level.

[edit] Australian national winners

[edit] 2006

Primary

  • Maths Engineering Boroondara Park Primary School (VIC)
  • Language Literature Eden Hills Primary School (SA)
  • Social Sciences St Francis Xavier Primary School (WA)

Secondary

[edit] 2005

Primary

  • Maths Engineering Stirling East Primary School (SA)
  • Language Literature St Monica’s Parish School (SA)
  • Social Sciences St Paul’s Primary School (WA)

Secondary

  • Maths Engineering St Catherine’s School (VIC)
  • Language Literature Ipswich Grammar School (QLD)
  • Social Sciences Smith’s Hill High School (NSW)

[edit] 2004

Primary Division

  • Maths Engineering Turner School (ACT
  • Language Literature Telegraph Point Public School (NSW
  • Social Sciences Sacred Heart School (ACT

Secondary Division

[edit] 2003

Primary

  • Maths Engineering Esperance Primary School (WA)
  • Language Literature Queanbeyan Public School (ACT)
  • Social Sciences Esperance Primary School (WA)

Secondary Division

[edit] 2002

Primary Division

  • Maths Engineering St Brigid's College (WA)
  • Language Literature Queanbeyan Public School (ACT)
  • Social Sciences Eagle Junction State School (QLD)

Secondary Division

[edit] External links

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