Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011 - (Page 31)

Drama & by Annabel Barry Duct Tape Istock Each September, Destination ImagiNation (DI) unveils its annual challenges in robotics, science, theater arts, improvisation, and engineering. Teams of students in first grade through college choose one of the five challenges and have until March to create their solution—in the form of an original eight-minute play complete with team-created props and costumes—which they present at regional, state, and global tournaments. At these contests, each team also responds to an Instant Challenge, which may require anything from building a bridge out of straws to performing a musical skit about a historical figure. With her team, Annabel Barry has risen to the DI challenge for four years. Here, she offers a glimpse of the challenges, creative solutions, and camaraderie that define Destination ImagiNation. In fifth grade, some friends of mine asked me to join their Destination ImagiNation team. They explained what the competition entailed: writing a script according to a themed challenge, creating props and costumes, and finally performing the team-produced play for a panel of judges. I’ve always loved anything creative, so I accepted. We decided on the “Hit or Myth” science challenge, which required teams to present a historical myth and then explain why this myth was or was not true. We chose the myth of Odysseus and the Cyclops, as described in Homer’s Odyssey. Through our research, we found out that the Ancient Greeks had believed that the Cyclops existed. The Greeks had most likely www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine imagine 31 http://www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011
Contents
Big Picture
In My Own Words
App Quest
Become a Citizen Scientist with Your Cell Phone
Media Arts and Technology at the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
The Accidental Animator
The New Media Explorers
Learning by Design
A Generation of Criminals
Digital Storytelling
Drama and Duct Tape
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
One Step Ahead
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Creative Minds Imagine
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2011