This Mind Sprint has been reformatted as a sample.
OBJECTIVE: To give students a problem which employs quick thinking, listening skills, cooperation and evaluative judgment.
Conducting the Mind Sprint: [Make sure the team entering the room is the scheduled team. Then say,]
" You may have played the game, "Popcorn", while reading aloud in class. This Mind Sprint is based on that game. When we begin, I will give one teammate a topic, such as vegetables, and that person will name as many vegetable related things as s/he can think of. When that person is ready to pass on the topic-naming to the next person, they may say, "Popcorn!" and name the next person to continue. Occasionally, I will say "Popcorn!" and change the subject, too. Each of you must give at least one topic-related answer before saying "Popcorn!" and passing the game to a teammate. For instance, the responses "carrot, carrot peeler and cooked" all might be appropriate answers to the topic, vegetables. I/We'll be keeping score, giving you 3 points for each response, and 5 points for each "Popcorn!" you call out. Unusually creative responses will be worth 5 points, too. We will do this Mind Sprint until your seven minutes is up. The Caution Comments you've heard of--Louder, Clarify, Inappropriate, Repeat--will be given, if necessary. Are there any questions? [Let them ask a few; then say:] Who would like to begin? [Designate someone.] Your first topic is "Creatures of the Water"". [If someone can't think of a response, invoke the shot clock (See manual, page 14) and change the topic. You may have more topics than you need. Stop each team at exactly seven minutes, allowing the last answerer to finish his/her response.]
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Topics (Change about once per minute by saying "Popcorn!" and giving the next subject):
- Creatures of the Water
- Playtime
- Things around home
- Wacky facts
- My favorite things
- Traveling
- Food and drink
- Celebrations
- Music ad Musicians
- Reading
Scoring: Award 3 points for each response. Highly unusual, creative responses should earn 5. Try to be consistent, and err on the generous side. For instance, "Nessy" and "Neptune" would be unusual answers for "Creatures of the Water" so they'd earn 5 points. Do not score your own "Popcorn!" calls, just those that the team uses to pass along the turn to one another.
As you score teams and tabulate scores as described above, please watch for any student or team that exhibits outstanding creativity, as this person or team is eligible for the Mary Ann Berdan Creativity Award. (If so, please bring it to the attention of the Host/Facilitator.) Please reward these special students and teams at every Meet this year, to encourage positive risk-taking among these students.
Also, kindly return any moved equipment for the classroom teacher, and turn the materials back to the Host/Facilitator, as they become the property of the hosting school at the conclusion of today's Meet. Thank you for running this Mind Sprint today!
©2000 US Academic Triathlon. All rights reserved. This problem may not be duplicated or used without express, written consent except by members of 2000-01 USAT Season teams, or their member schools; or when offered in sample form.
