Staff Information

Field House Events

'Nuff for Nerf

Participants demonstrate their knowledge of problem solving and apply it for chances at a physical activity.

Skyscraper Geometry

Participants build the tallest, freestanding structure incorporating 3 dimensional figures, using only plastic drinking straws and pipecleaners.

Radical Probability

Participants will combine mental math with physical tasks in a relay format.

On the Money

Participants will calculate items such as a balance sheet, amount of profit based upon differing currencies, item demand based on price, and other such economic figures.

Making Weight

Participants will attempt to determine the mass of a given material in an amount as close to a specific weight. The units will be in metric terms. The specific weights will not exceed 100 grams.

If You Build It...

Participants will demonstrate their understanding and application of construction design and strength vs. construction costs.

Estimania

Participants will examine samples or clues and use reasoning skills to estimate
quantities from 1 to 1,000,000,000.

Decimated Fractions

Participants will combine mental math with physical tasks in a relay format.

Escape Room

Participants will solve problems (possibly multi-step problems) whose solution is the combination to a locked box. Inside the box will be another problem(s) with another locked box and so on.

Jeopardy Staff Guide

The Jeopardy Event is given to all grade levels. For some of the students participating, this will be their only event. Others may be participating in multiple events.

Coordination of individual events is very important so that we can maintain our goal of finishing the event on time. Students will be bussed to and from the event from their respective schools – It is vitally important that these children are done with the Math Showcase and back on their busses so that they can arrive at their schools by the time of normal dismissal. Therefore, to ensure this happens, every event will have a time schedule that must be adhered to. We are relying on all the staff members to help with maintaining this time schedule.

If time gets to be an issue, then the game may have to be ended prematurely using a “final Jeopardy” last question. That is, ask one more question, then end the game.

The Math Showcase itself is divided into 3 “periods.” Each grade level will be participating in some event during each period. All three periods will have jeopardy events, so it is vital for each to start and finish on time so that there is not a domino effect.

There should be at least 3 staff members running each Jeopardy sessions.

There are two simultaneous sessions of Jeopardy in two different rooms. Ideally, we will have 3 staff members in each room:

1 staff member will run the computer
1 staff member will read questions
1 staff member will alternate in and out to give breaks, direct traffic, help set up, etc.

Each room can start independently whenever they are ready.

Seats are numbered to match badges of students which also corresponds to key pad numbers. So at the start, seat the students in their correct seats and pass out keypads.

Once the keypads have been passed out, have the students test their keypads to verify they are working using the keypad test screen of the Jeopardy software.

After keypads are tested, read the rules to the students stressing that:

ALL students answer all questions.

Each question decreases in value as the time ticks. The longer the team takes to get the correct answer, the lower their score.

At conclusion of session, send students to their next location, check computer for winning keypad and cross reference to master list, then record winners names and forward to the awards coordinators.

Written Challenge Information

The written challenge is given to only 6th and 8th grade students, but has the largest number of students participating of any of the events.

For many of the students participating in the written test, this will be their only event. Others may be participating in multiple events.

Additionally, the prize money is the largest for the written test of any of the events. For these reasons, coordination of the written Challenge is very important so that we can maintain our goal of finishing the event on time.

Students will be bussed to and from the showcase from their respective schools – It is vitally important that these children are done with the Math Showcase and back on their busses so that they can arrive at their schools by the time of normal dismissal. Therefore, to ensure this happens, every event will have a time schedule that must be adhered to. We are relying on all the staff to help with maintaining this time schedule.

The showcase is divided into 3 “periods” of time. Each grade level will be participating in some event during each period. For example, either 6th or 8th grade will be taking the Written Challenge in first period. In second period, the remaining grade will participate. There will not be any Written Challenge administered during the third period, but students from second period must still be done on time, as some of them have other events to participate in. Third period is open for staff to complete grading.

There should be enough volunteers with two coordinators for the written test so that each staff member has to grade only one question per test.

Setup

Verify an adequate number of chairs in each assigned classroom and verify availability of pencils, scratch paper, staplers in each assigned classroom.
Count out appropriate number of tests for each room and have them stacked and ready to go.
Make sure test answer keys are hidden in whatever room will be used for grading.
Verify availability of red pens for grading of tests in whatever room will be used for grading.

Event

Wait in each classroom to get the students set up as they enter:

Pass out scratch paper, pencils and test guide sheet.
Have students sitting in their two person teams.
Students should already have been assigned a classroom, but being unfamiliar with the college may not know where to go. A few people should be in the hallways to direct traffic.
Once all students are in the room, provide instructions, pass out tests and start. Write the start time, end time on the black board.