MESA DAY 2018 UPDATES & CLARIFICATIONS

Number of Teams Update

Each school may bring a total of 5 teams of 4 students. That’s a maximum of 20 students.

New Junior High Event

Paper bridge has been added to the list of Junior High events. Students will build a bridge out
of paper and then count how many pennies their bridge can hold without collapsing.

Lunch
Teams will be responsible to bring their own lunches.

Arduino Competition Participants

Teams that are preparing for the State Clean Air solutions competition will participate in the
following events:
 Clean Air Solutions Product Pitch*
(The length of the product pitch has been shortened to 10 minutes per team.)
 Clean Air Solutions Poster Session and Interview*
 Write it! Do it!
 Either Krypto (High School) or Paper Bridge (Junior High)
 Mystery Event
*Please note, that if your Arduino device is not yet completely finished that’s okay. Bring it
as is and be ready to show it off and talk about how you plan to improve it.
[If time permits, we may provide a student training on how to prepare for the state and
national competitions. This has not been decided yet.]

Mouse-Trap Car and Parachute Egg Drop Competition Participants

Teams will need to come prepared with pre-built devices to complete in the Mouse-Trap Car
and Parachute Egg drop competitions. Teams will participate in the following events:
 Parachute Egg Drop (The rules have been updated. See attached.)
 Mouse Trap Car (This event will also be held at Lagoon.)
 Write it! Do it!
 Either Krypto (High School) or Paper Bridge (Junior High)
 Mystery Event
 GRANITE MESA DAY
March 14, 2018
Registration:
 Each school may register up to 4 teams 5 teams of 4 students for a maximum of 16
students 20 students. Schools that have 6 or more teams preparing for the Arduino STEM
Solutions competition should contact Nathan Moore (nmoore1@graniteschools.org) to ask
for additional space, but there is no guarantee that additional space will be available.

Schools that have more than 4 teams 5 teams wishing to participate should have a school
competition to determine which teams will be eligible for Granite MESA Day.

 General Registration: All registrations will be due by February 26. Use this registration
form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/gsdmesa2018

No registrations will be accepted on the day of the competition.

Teams:

 Teams must consist of between 2 and 4 students.

 Teams must consist of at least 50% females or ethnic minorities.
Scoring:
 High Schools and Junior Highs are scored separately. Although they may be competing at
the same time and place during MESA Day, High School and Junior High School teams are
not competing against each other.

 Event Scoring: Each event will be ranked. The top three teams from each event receive
medals (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) for each event.

 Trophy Scoring: Each event is ranked. The top ten teams from each event accumulate
points. The first place team receives 10 points. The second place team receives 9 points.
The tenth place team receives 1 point. The school that accrues the most points will win the
trophy.

Clubs that bring 4 teams 5 teams are more likely to with the trophy than clubs that bring 1
team.

Clubs that practice and prepare for the events throughout the school year are more likely
to win the trophy than clubs that do not.

MESA Day 2018 Page 2 Updated: January 16, 2018

MESA DAY 2018 EVENTS
1. OPTION 1A
TECHNICAL INTERVIEW & POSTER SYMPOSIUM OF ARDUINO STEM SOLUTIONS
COMPETITION
(Rules at: https://mesaut.org/resources/nationalcompetition/)
Granite students wishing to qualify for the state and national competitions must compete in
this event. Bring your completed poster, prototype, and completed engineering design
notebook.

1. OPTION 1B
MESA MOUSE TRAP COMPETITION
(Rules at: https://mesaut.org/physics-day/)
This event will also be offered as an event at Physics Day. Students must have built this
device in advance. Teams must show a completed engineering design notebook to the
judges prior to racing.

2. OPTION 2A
PROTOTYPE PITCH OF ARDUINO STEM SOLUTIONS COMPETITION
(Rules at: https://mesaut.org/resources/nationalcompetition/)
Granite students wishing to qualify for the state and national competitions must compete in
this event. Bring your completed PowerPoint on a Thumb Drive, your prototype, and your
completed engineering design notebook.

2. OPTION 2B
PARACHUTE EGG DROP – Students must have built this device in advance.
(Tentative Rules Attached. These rules might be changed based on your suggestions after
you pilot this event at your schools.)

3. WRITE IT, DO IT – This year both high school and junior high teams will participate in this
event (rules attached).

4. MYSTERY EVENT – The rules for this event will remain a mystery until the day of the
competition.

5. HIGH SCHOOL ONLY EVENT – KRYPTO (rules attached). Practice sheets and an Excel
Krypto generator are available here: https://mesaut.org/2017/09/11/krypto/

5. JUNIOR HIGH EVENT – EVENT #5 TO BE DETERMINED. Look for an announcement later

in the school year.

MESA Day 2018 Page 3 Updated: January 16, 2018

Parachute Egg Drop
(High School & Junior High School Event)

Tentative Rules

Objective:
1. Use a parachute to drop an egg to a specific target (hula hoop) on the ground as quickly as possible
2. Use the engineering design process to create your egg drop vehicle.

Team Members:
1. Four (4) individuals per team.
2. Every team must include at least 50% targeted minorities and/or females.

Drop Zone:
1. Drop your egg from the outside balcony at the Utah Multicultural Celebration enter and have it land
safely without breaking.
Engineering Design Process:
In order to compete, each teams must complete and bring an engineering design notebook for their Egg
Drop Vehicle. Students will need to use the Engineering Design Process and will need to document their
steps in a notebook. The design process includes these steps:
1. Ask a question about the goal.
2. Imagine a possible solution.
3. Plan out a design and draw your ideas.
4. Create and construct a working model.
5. Experiment and test that model.
6. Use test results to improve and revise that model.
Repeat
The following sites may help students understand the Engineering Design Process:
• https://www.eie.org/overview/engineering-design-process
• https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/630754main_NASAsBESTActivityGuide6-8.pdf
• https://youtu.be/fxJWin195kU

MESA Day 2018 Page 4 Updated: January 16, 2018

Engineering Design Notebook:
Students must use an engineering design notebook and document their progress through each of the six
steps of the engineering design process (above).
The following design book templates may help students document their progress.
• http://bit.ly/suutemplate (Recommended)
• http://bit.ly/plumesatemplate (Recommended)
• http://bit.ly/azmesatemplate
• http://bit.ly/gadoetemplate
• http://bit.ly/odetemplat
Rules Update (added 1/16/2018)

 The egg will be placed in a sandwich sized Ziploc bag and a small 9 oz clear plastic cup. The cup and
Ziploc bag will be provided.
 No material other than the egg may be placed in or around the Ziploc bag and cup. No cups or
other materials may be placed on the outside of the provided plastic cup.
 The team may attach the cup with a small amount string, wire, tape, pipe cleaners etc. The material
used for attachment may not be used as padding.
 The provided cup may not be folded or cut. The provided Ziploc bag may not be cut.
 Helium balloons are not allowed.

Qualification:
1. Qualification: Was the egg padded?
Egg Drop Vehicles with padded or protected eggs will be disqualified, but the vehicle may still be
dropped.

2. Qualification: Did the team show a completed Engineering Design Notebook?

Teams without engineering design notebooks will be disqualified, but they may still drop their vehicle.

3. Qualification: After the drop, did the egg survive?

Teams with broken eggs will be disqualified.

Scoring Criteria:
Each of the following criteria is worth 1/3 of the overall score.
1. How close was the egg drop Vehicle to the target?
Egg Drop Vehicles that land closer to the target score higher.

2. What was the drop time? Times will be rounded up to the nearest even second. (Example scores
possibilities: 2 seconds, 4 seconds, 6 seconds, 8 seconds, etc.)
Egg Drop Vehicles with shorter drop times score higher.

3. How much did the Egg Drop Vehicle weigh?

Lighter Egg Drop Vehicles score higher.
Scores will be calculated using an Excel spreadsheet.

MESA Day 2018 Page 5 Updated: January 16, 2018

Write it/Do it (High School & Junior High School Event)
Description: Each team is shown an identical object, a system or an arrangement. The other half
of their team must duplicate building the object.

Materials: To be supplied by Host Center and kept hidden until object is shown. (Cellphones and
electronic devices banned.)

 Miscellaneous materials such as blocks, science equipment, science material, Tinker Toys,
Legos, Construx, Lincoln Logs, Origami, straws, pipe cleaners or other inexpensive
materials
 Paper
 Pencil
 The object will be formed of various objects on a flat surface. It will be a 2-dimensional
design.

Team Members:

 Each team must consist of at least two (2) individuals and not more than four (4)
individuals per team. Every team must include at least 50% targeted minorities and/or
females.

 Each team divides into two groups, writers and builders. The team determines the size of
each of these sub groups. For example, if a school has a team that consists of four members,
they may make a decision to have one person “write” the instructions and the other three
members work on the construction of the object. Alternatively, they could have two writers
and two builders or three writers and one builder.

Game Rules and Procedures:

1. Each team is divided in two: Team A (writers) and Team B (builders)

2. Each A Team member is shown an identical object, a system or an arrangement built from
blocks, science equipment, science material, Tinker Toys, Legos, Construx, Lincoln Logs,
Origami, straws, pipe cleaners or other inexpensive materials.

3. The A team members have ten (10) minutes to write a description of the object and how to
make it. There will be no advantage to finishing early. Only words and numerals may be
used. Symbols and diagrams are not allowed. All abbreviations must be defined at either
the beginning or when the abbreviation is first used. The description must be written as a
list or a paragraph.

4. The event supervisor will pass the description to the B team members, who will take the
description and attempt to recreate (build) the original object in ten (10) minutes. Note:
the teammates will be in completely separate rooms. Aside from the written description
students may not communicate or interact in any way.

MESA Day 2018 Page 6 Updated: January 16, 2018

Judging:

1. Primary Scoring Criteria: Number of pieces placed with both the correct color and
orientation.

2. Secondary Scoring Criteria: Number of pieces placed with either the correct color or the
correct orientation.

3. Tie Breaker: Each team’s completion time will be recorded. Teams have a maximum of ten
(10) minutes. The completion time will only be used as a tie breaker. If there is no tie, then
the completion time is irrelevant.

MESA Day 2018 Page 7 Updated: January 16, 2018

Krypto (High School Event)
Description: A team will be given 5 numbers. The numbers may be used in any order are used to
obtain the target number. They can use any operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication or
division in any order.

Materials: To be supplied by Host Center.

 TI-82 Graphing Calculators (Note: Generally speaking, students score better if they are not
reliant on calculators.)
 Pencils
 Paper to write solutions on
 Scratch paper
 No outside materials will be allowed in the room
 No materials will be taken from the room
 Advisors may not assist or speak with students during the competition.

Team Members:
Four (4) individuals per team. Every team must include at least 50% targeted minorities and/or
females.

Game Rules and Procedures:

1. The room announcer will announce “go” and five numbers and a target number will be
displayed on the screen.

2. A solution occurs when all 5 of the given numbers in any order are used to obtain the target
number using the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication or division in any order, but
using the correct orders of operations. Grouping symbols may be used.

3. Students cannot use a given number more times than it occurs in the group of five numbers.

4. Solutions must contain all five numbers. No solutions with four or fewer numbers will be
considered.

5. When a team has a solution they will write that solution on the paper provided and raise their
hand. The timer will call the students up in order and award 3 points for first place, 2 points for
second place, and 1 point for third place each round.

6. When three correct answers have been handed in, the announcer will call “time” and that round
will end.

7. The solution written on the paper will be entered into the calculator exactly as it is written. If
the calculator gives the correct target number, the card will be given a score. If the calculator gives
a number other than the target number, no points will be scored for that card.

MESA Day 2018 Page 8 Updated: January 16, 2018

8. Duplicate solutions form the same team will result in only one score for the round for the team.

9. Points will be awarded for each correct non-duplicated solution.

10. School, district, and round number must be written on each team card.

11. Solutions will be checked using a graphing calculator by entering the solution into the
calculator exactly as it is written.

12. Solutions must be unique. Example: 1+ 3(4 + 5) + 12 = 40 is the same as 12 + 1 + 3(4 + 5) = 40

and is therefore NOT unique. Only one of these solutions counts.

13. Solutions that do not give the correct target number, or are duplicates will be discarded.

14. Solutions that are arrived at after the announcer calls “stop” will not be scored.

15. Each team will be given the chance to compete in at least six and probably more rounds.

Judging: The winning papers will be kept so the times can be compared. At the end of the event,
the overall winners will be determined based on the shortest time needed to find a solution with
five numbers.

Links:

 For a number generator and practice sheets, visit:

https://mesaut.org/2017/09/11/krypto/

 For an online version of the game, visit:

https://www.brainpop.com/games/primarykrypto/

MESA Day 2018 Page 9 Updated: January 16, 2018

Paper Bridge* (Junior High Event) *Added on 1/16/2018
Description: Teams will build a bridge out of a piece of lain paper and up to 5 paper clips. The
bridge that is able to hold the most pennies will win.

Materials: To be supplied by Host Center.

 1 piece of plain paper
 5 paper clips
 1 ruler
 2 blocks of wood
 At least 100 pennies.
 1 pair of scissors

Team Members:
 Four (4) individuals per team. Every team must include at least 50% targeted minorities
and/or females.

Rules and Procedures:

 Can you build a bridge that holds 100 pennies (or more), using 1 sheet of paper and up to 5
paper clips? Remember that the area under the bridge must be completely free so that
boats can drive under the bridge.

 You will have 10 minutes to build and test your bridge. You will have an extra 5 minutes to
redesign your bridge after the first test.

A bridge must support its own weight (the dead load) as well as the weight of anything
placed on it, like the pennies (the live load). Your paper bridge must span 20 centimeters
(about 8 in.). The sides of your bridge will rest on two blocks and cannot be taped or
attached to the blocks or the table.

 Try It Out
1. Discuss possible ideas with your team before you start building. What can you do to the
paper to make it stronger? When you have decided on a design, construct your bridge.
2. Place the bridge across two supports that are 20 cm apart. Remember that the space
below the bridge must be clear to allow boats to pass!
3. To test your bridge, load it with pennies one at a time, until it collapses. Record how
many pennies your bridge supported.

 OPTIONAL: Build on It
4. Redesign your bridge and test it again, using a new sheet of paper. How does your second
attempt compare? If you redesign you do not get extra bonus tiebreaker point, but may
increase the load.

MESA Day 2018 Page 10 Updated: January 16, 2018

Paper Bridge Judging
Points are awarded as follows:
1. 20 points - The sides rest on two blocks that are at least 20cm apart and not taped or
attached to the blocks/table.
2. 1 point per penny - Number of pennies the bridge holds before it collapses. Only pennies
placed on the paper bridge between the blocks count. Pennies supported by one of the
blocks do not count.
3. 10 points – Awarded if the team did not need to redesign their bridge.

What if there is a tie:

If several teams tie for first, second, or third place, then medals will not be awarded for this event.
Teams will still receive the appropriate number of trophy points for their win.

MESA Day 2018 Page 11 Updated: January 16, 2018