This is a CATastrophe!
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
 | This page is incomplete. |
| This is a CATastrophe! | |
|---|---|
| Type | Inquiry |
| Category | Lab |
This is a CATastrophe! is a Division B and Division C trial event that challenges participants to think creatively and devise solutions to difficult situations. It will be run at the 2023 Mentor Invitational.
The Event
The following are the instructions given to participants on a This is a CATastrophe! test:
- You will be presented with a series of five precarious or disastrous situations and you must present a solution to them. Your solutions may be as realistic or as fantastical as you like, but they must be sensible, interesting, and fun (i.e., magic is allowed, but no “fix-all” deus ex machina; give yourself some restrictions to make it more alluring). In the space given below each scenario, you may include writing, diagrams, pictures, and whatever else you would like to fully convey your proposed solution. If you need more space than is provided, continue your solution on blank paper while taking care to label which scenario it is addressing.
Students will compete in standard teams of two and will have 50 minutes for the test.
Scoring
The following are the scoring guidelines provided on a This is a CATastrophe! test:
- Each solution will be scored out of 50 points where higher scores are better. The following questions will be considered when scoring each solution:
- Does the solution solve the problem?
- How complex and interesting is the solution?
- Does the solution take all aspects of the situation into account?
- How detailed is the solution?
- How neat and organized is the solution?
- Additionally, for each unique cat pun you successfully incorporate into your solutions (you cannot use “CATastrophe”) and underline, you will receive a bonus of 5 points. Puns that seem forced or out of place will not receive a bonus. There is no limit on the possible number of bonuses.
- Example:
- Consider the setup to the movie “Throw Momma from the Train.” A solution that involves the two men having a long, serious discussion with the women in their lives would receive a lower score than the plan the two men hatch on the train.