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Junk Box Build-Off

1. DESCRIPTION: Teams must build a structure on site to solve a creative engineering task using only the materials and
tools that they have brought in their junk box. Teams must prepare their junk box before the competition and practice
solving engineering tasks using the allowed materials.

2. ESSENTIAL STANDARDS ALIGNMENT: 4.P.2, Science as Inquiry

3. TEAM OF UP TO: 2

4. MAXIMUM TIME: 35 minutes to build, 25 minutes to test

5. TEAMS: Teams MUST bring writing instruments and their junk box full of materials.

6. EVENT LEADERS: Event leaders will provide the build-off specific task instructions, score sheets, any special
materials needed (a load, special connector, water for boats, etc.), stopwatch, and any measuring devices needed.

7. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS: None

8. IMPOUND: Yes. Teams must drop the junk box off at the time and place specified by the tournament director. The
junk box must be clearly labeled with the school/team name and team designation (Varsity, JV, etc.).

9. THE JUNK BOX:
a. All materials and tools must be brought in a junk box with a lid, with outside dimensions with lid in place no
greater than 30.0 cm x 35.0 cm x 50.0 cm (example: a common 10 ream copy paper box with the lid on meets this
requirement). With all materials and tools in the box, the lid must fit all the way on the box and close completely.
b. Teams may construct their own box or buy a box that is within the specified dimensions, made from any material.
The box must not be used as a part of the device.
c. The box must be impounded, checked for safety and measured before the event begins.
d. Teams should make a reasonable effort to organize the supplies within the box neatly for efficient check-in and
ease of inspection by the event leader. Teams may organize junk box supplies in clear plastic bags. The bags must
not be used as building materials.
e. The box must be clearly labeled with the school name and which team it belongs to (Varsity or JV). Each team
must have its own junk box. Varsity and JV teams from the same or different schools may not share the same
junk box nor materials and tools in the junk box.
f. BUILDING MATERIALS: Teams may fill the box with only the following unaltered, unassembled materials:
1. Plates, cups and bowls made from paper or Styrofoam.
2. Paper or plastic drinking straws/hollow stir sticks with or without wrappers.
3. Craft sticks (i.e. Popsicle sticks), tongue depressors, and/or toothpicks made of wood.
4. Any type of non-metallic tape.
5. Copy paper, construction paper, cardstock, paper or tag board, and/or poster board (may be cut down or
folded to fit in box). This may be recycled paper, as long as whatever is written on it is irrelevant to the
event.
6. Non-metallic string or thread
7. Rubber bands
8. Paperclips
g. TOOLS: Tools must not be used as part of the device. All tools must also fit within the closed box. Teams may
include the following tools in the box:
1. Scissors
2. Ruler
3. Stopwatch
4. Writing instruments
h. Materials listed in 9f cannot be preassembled or prepared ahead of time in any way.
i. Any items that are not allowed will be confiscated by the event leader at impound.

2u14 NCS0 It's Elementaiy Nanual
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10. THE COMPETITION:
a. Teams must impound their box before the competition. Event leaders will inspect the boxes and their contents while
in impound, and remove any disallowed items. Teams do not need to be present for this.
b. Teams will be challenged to design and build a structure that will either be a tower, bridge, boat, cantilever, fan, or
parachute. The event leader will announce the task and give any special instructions immediately prior to the build
phase, preferably in writing.
c. Special instructions given by the event leader will include if relevant; the task, the primary goal and how it will be
tested or measured, a secondary goal (if any), tiebreaker(s), if the structure must bear a load, if so what the load is
and if extras are available for preliminary testing during the build, if there is a tier system (ex. structures that hold
the load are tier 1, structures that dont hold the load are tier 2), the build time if less than 35 minutes, and any other
information pertinent to the particular task.
d. Team members must build the device on site using only the materials brought in their junk box.
e. Unless otherwise stated in the specific task instructions, devices must be freestanding and must not be attached to a
tabletop, floor, ceiling or other support.
f. If a load is required to be supported, it must be placed in the device by the team members, and may be done during
the construction or the demonstration phase unless specifically stated otherwise in the instructions.
g. Teams will have a maximum of 35 minutes to construct the specified device. The time given may be less than this.
Teams must not modify their device after the construction period has ended. Teams that complete construction early
may be judged early.

11. SCORING:
a. Teams will be ranked into tiers based on adherence to the build-off instructions. Within each tier, teams must be
ranked based on the scoring criteria for the build-off selected.
Tier 1: Teams with no violations
Tier 2: Teams that violate a specific challenge instruction only
Tier 3: Teams that violate a competition or construction requirement in rules 9a-h or 10a-g.
b. Ties will be broken by the scoring criteria for the specific task.
c. Any team that impounds a box but fails to attempt the build will be considered a No Show.

12. EXAMPLE BUILD-OFFS: Tasks will be similar to but may not be exactly the same as those listed below.
a. Build a freestanding bridge with the longest span that supports a given load, such as a ball, in the center for at least
5 seconds. Rankings will be determined by the longest span that supports the load, ties broken by height to the
bottom of the load.
b. Build a freestanding tower that is as tall as possible. Rankings will be determined by the greatest height to the
highest point on the tower, ties broken by narrowest base (measured to the outside edge of its widest point).
c. Build a fan blade assembly that is attached to a CD base (provided), that spins the fastest when placed in front of a
wind source (box fan). Fastest speed will be determined by attaching the CD base to a motor, and measuring the
electricity generated. Ties broken by smallest diameter blade assembly.
d. Build a boat that holds the most marbles or pennies before sinking. Boats unable to float at all will be given
participation points.
e. Construct a parachute that slows the descent of a small plastic soldier toy as much as possible when dropped from 2
meters. Rankings will be determined by longest time in the air, measured to the tenth of a second, ties will be
broken by closeness to hitting a target, measured in cm.

13. RESOURCES:
http://www.sciencenc.com/event-help/junkboxbuildoff.php
http://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/resources/
http://www.sedl.org/pubs/classroom-compass/cc_v2n3.pdf
http://www.biglearning.com/treasureengineering.htm