Mighty Minds Challenge 2014

Winners all: The team SMK Sam Tet, Ipoh, (from left) Ryann Sim, Mah Song Wei and Tan Ee Soon explaining their hands-on challenge model to the judges. The team emerged as last year's winners for the Mighty Minds Perak state challenge upper secondary category.

TEAMS (comprising three students each) are to design a model based on a given theme which can be interpreted literally, figuratively or otherwise.

The theme will be posed in StarEducate on Sundays and the RHB-The Star Mighty Minds microsite (www.thestar.com.my/mighty minds) two weeks before the day of the competition.

The two-week period will give you time to read, research, seek guidance, be inspired and ready yourself for the Hands-On Challenge. Since your team is needed to explain your model to the judges, be proactive and brush up on your oral presentation skills as well!

On the day of the competition, only the top 10 teams for each category in the Multiple Choice Question Challenge will be eligible to take part in the One -Hour Hands-On Challenge.

It takes effort, talent and passion to win but preparation is just as important.

The Star will also provide a standard tool kit for each Hands-On Challenge. This will contain items such as: 2 pairs of scissors, 1 pen knife, 1 tube super glue, 1 tube common glue, 1 roll of masking tape, 1 role of cellophane tape, 1 roll of double sided tape, 1 long ruler, 1 screw driver and 3 pairs of gloves.

Category: Lower Secondary

Theme: Going Round in Circles

Materials and apparatus provided:

A black mounting board (20cm x 20cm), a cardboard (30cm x 30cm), a 10-egg capacity plastic container, a manila card (30cm x 20cm), 1 strip coloured board (10cm x 10cm), 5 straws,1 swivel pin, 2 bobbins, 5 skewers sticks, 5 popsicle sticks, 2 squares coloured origami paper, a length of wool, a length of twine, 1 empty mineral water bottle (1.5L), and a portion of plasticine.

Category: Upper Secondary

Theme: Space Maze

Materials and apparatus provided:

A black mounting board (20cm x 20cm), 1 odd-sized styrofoam block, 1 cardboard (30cm x 30cm), a manila card (30cm x 20cm), 1 strip coloured board (10cm x 10cm), 2 toilet tissue roll cores, one empty 30-egg tray, 5 straws, 5 skewers sticks, 5 popsicle sticks, 2 marbles, 2 squares coloured origami paper, a length of wool, a length of thread, some beads, I plastic spoon, 2 aluminium tab opener tabs, and a portion of plasticine.

NOTE:

The materials and apparatus provided are simple, economical and disposable items. Some of the listed items may be removed or replaced with new ones.

Teams are not allowed to bring in any electric tools, stationery, electronic gadgets, handphones or their own materials and apparatus.