School District #79 District Challenge Program 2011
Each year the school district sponsors challenges for both primary and intermediate students that promote critical, creative and problem-solving skills in Science and Engineering and Drama. This year was the 11th year that our District Challenge Program has been running. Each year we see an increase in the number of schools and students participating.
Intermediate Challenge
The Intermediate Challenge was held at Bench Elementary on January 28, 2011. Intermediate students from Grades 4-7 in both Elementary and Middle schools participated in the following challenges:
Science and Engineering: “The Biodegradable Power Tower”
Challenge: To construct a tower as high as possible using spaghetti and mini-marshmallows that will support a given weight for five seconds. The tower cannot sink below 5 cm of the measured height.
Key Concepts and Learning: Forces and Motion/architectural design/Scientific process/problem-solving/cooperative teamwork
Participation and Results: 31 teams from 19 schools participated in the Intermediate Science Challenge. Results of the Challenge were as follows (see pictures of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd placed teams below):
- George Bonner Middle School (Team 2) - 49 cm
- Koksilah Elementary - 35 cm
- Discovery (Team 1) - 30 cm
1st place Intermediate Science Challenge: George Bonner Middle School (Team 2) - Bryn Griffiths, Jeffrey Dayton, Dendy Addison, Evan Tudor-Jones
2nd place Intermediate Science Challenge: Koksilah Elementary - Taja Edroff, Timika Bayes, Eliza Canute
3rd place Intermediate Science Challenge: Discovery Elementary (Team 1) - (left to right in picture) Sam Baxter, Danielle Wince, Caelen Cooke, Kennedy Newman
Drama: “The Green Infomercial”
Students will create an infomercial within a “Green Theme” (environmental awareness). At the challenge, students will be given the actual topic of the infomercial. Also at the challenge, students will be given the following elements:
a. Environmental topic
b. A prop
c. unique character (will be an animal)
Key Concepts and Learning: Infomercial structure/using persuasive language/creative thinking including improvisation, character development and drama skills and presentation/problem-solving and cooperative teamwork.
Participation and Results: The Drama Challenge has two categories: Gr. 4/5 and Gr. 6/7. Nineteen teams from 10 schools participated in Gr. 4/5 and nineteen teams from 10 schools participated in the Gr. 6/7. Results were as follows:
Gr. 4/5
- Maple Bay (Team 1) and Cobble Hill (Team 2)
- Bench (Team 1) Cobble Hill (Team 1) and Bench (Team 2)
- Discovery (Team 1) Alex Aitken (Team 1) and Maple Bay (Team 2)
Gr. 6/7
- George Bonner (Team 2)
- Alex Aitken (Team 1)
- Mt. Prevost (Team 1) and Quamichan (Team 2)
Primary Challenge
The Primary Challenge took place at L’Ecole Duncan Elementary on February 4th.
Primary Science and Engineering Challenge
Challenge: Build the tallest freestanding tower with the materials provided
Materials: 10 sheets of paper, 1 meter of tape, 1 straw
Key Concepts and Learning: Weight/Balance/Structure and Design/Scientific process/problem-solving/cooperative teamwork
Participation and Results: 20 teams from 13 schools participated in the Primary Science Challenge. The results were as follows:
- Tansor Elementary - 184 cm
- Alex Aitken Elementary - 183 cm
- L’Ecole Duncan Elementary - 175 cm
Primary Drama Challenge: “The Fourth Little Pig”
Context: The wolf gets into the third little pig’s brick house. So the three little pigs have to get help from the “fourth little pig.”
Purpose: While the three little pigs are sleeping in the brick house, one of them forgets to lock the door and the wolf gets in. They hear the wolf and need to plan their escape. They get help from the fourth little pig, outsmart (not kill) of the wolf and live happily ever after.
Key Concepts and Learning: Storytelling/creative thinking including improvisation, character development and dramatic presentation/problem-solving and cooperative teamwork
Participation and Results: 17 teams from 11 schools participated in the Primary Drama Challenge. The results were as follows:
- Bench Elementary and Discovery (Team 2)
- Maple Bay Elementary (Team 1) and L’Ecole Duncan Elementary ( Team 2)
- L’Ecole Duncan Elementary (Team 1) and Somenos Elementary
Overall students attended the District Intermediate and Primary Challenges. However, all the schools who attended the Challenge events had either the whole school participate in a school challenge day or a large group of classes participating making the total number of students benefiting from the Challenge program approximately 3600. The Challenge events grow stronger every year and are supported through the Gifted/Catalyst program, and the work of the Challenge Planning Committee.
Challenge Planning Committee 2011
Intermediate
- Jenny Ingram, Bench Elementary
- Sherry Olson, Alex Aitken Elementary
- Erica Roberts, Somenos Elementary
- Jan Scott, Lake Cowichan Middle School
- Ian Zibin, Chemainus Community School
Primary
- Briony Argue, L’Ecole Mill Bay
- Sandra Buckland, L’Ecole Duncan Elementary
- Sheryl Koers, Drinkwater Elementary
- Marcy Parkin, Crofton Elementary
Lenore Underhill, District Administrative Support for the Gifted/Catalyst Program
We are also grateful to Cowichan Secondary Drama Department and Mike Moroz for judging at this year’s Challenge and providing senior Drama students to judge at the Gr. 4/5 Drama Challenge and to the Mt. Prevost Leadership 9 program and Denise Aucoin for providing leadership students to help with the Primary Challenge.