Alma Mater: Destination Imagination 2013-14 By: Siobhan (And Rus)

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Destination Imagination 2013-14 By: Siobhan (And Rus)

Hello Everyone!

Most of you have heard of Destinatinon Imagination by our previous posts. (Here are the links: 2008-9, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13)
For those of you who don't remember, here is a short refresher. DI or Destination Imagination is a program made for kids ages six up through highschool. It is an awesome way for kids to learn teamwork skills. Once a team is formed of up to 7 kids, you are ready to choose and solve your challenge. There is quite a variety of challenges to choose from. There are technical, theatrical, improvisational, scientific, and structural challenges. (There is also one called projectOutreach, and this is like a community service sort of thing.) Once you choose a challenge you must read through it a dozen times until you understand it fully and feel that you are ready to start thinking of solutions. From September to March you work incredibly hard on your challenge and showcase it at the Regionals tournament with kids from certain towns in your state or country (this is a worldwide program.) If you advance past Regionals, you go to States. If you advance past States you go to Globals in Tennessee. There you can compete with kids from all over the world.
I have been in DI for 5 years, and it's been a great experience. This year we chose a theatrical challenge, and we had lot of requirements to meet!
First we needed to choose a work of art. The artwork had to be by a painter outside of the country we live in.

This was our work of art. It's The Signal by William Powell Frith.

Next we had to write a comic strip story based on our work of art. We had to take elements of the work of art and include them in our comic strip story.

Here is our cast, with costumes I put together. :)

Hannah/The Gingerbread Girl

Jennifer/Princess Anila

Elisa/Wartless the Witch

Erin/Toesnail

Noah/The King

Ethan/Bob the Frog

After we wrote our story, we had to make panels that went into our story, like in a comic strip. We picked our three panels (they are outlined in the skit) and they were times in the performance when we had to freeze, like we were the comic strip. These three panels had to tell a story as well.

To enhance these panels, we needed to create a caption contraption that displayed comic strip text in one of the panels. Our caption contraption was comprised of two parts, a hydraulic arm and LED lights strung so as to form words. The hydraulic arm was powered by syringes, and the arm pressed a button which turned on the lights.

Here is our hydraulic arm

Here is the board which we strung our lights on

Hard at work

It spells 'Ruler's Room'

The caption contraption took a total of about 10 hours, not including the hours of research that Erin did for it.
After that we needed to make a work of art inspired by The Signal. We decided to make a castle. Below are some pictures:

The artifact was made entirely from cardboard and paint. It took about 11 hours to complete.

We also made a cottage

Noah recorded a sound track to go with our performance

Hannah made comic strip speech bubbles to hold up during our panels. The panels were portions of the skit where we froze silently for about 10 seconds each, holding the above signs. That is what made it look like we were 'in a comic strip.'

Finally tournament day arrived! Here are some pictures...

Our skit went really well! We got 222 points out of 300 for everything!

Below is our skit...

The Signal

Script

Panel 1:

Narrator: Once upon a time in a magical land far away (even farther than the stories you have heard of) there lived a cruel king who oppressed his people. The king had a daughter named Anila who thought her father was being unjust. She tried to comfort the people that lived in the village in the midst of the oppression but they didn’t listen. (But seriously, who likes to be told that it’s “All right” while you’re sowing fields for a evil king?) One week the king was in a bad mood, so he worked his villagers 10 times more than normal. Anila then had had enough. She called a secret meeting with 4 of her closest friends to decide how to stop the maleficent king. Here is what occurred...

******************************************************************************************************** Anila: Hello everyone. Oh Toe let me help you in.

Toe: Oh thank you Anila! I always feel a bit sluggish this time of day.

Anila: No problem. Now who wants food? I have some crackers and don’t worry Toe they’re unsalted.

Bob: Sounds good!

Anila: And how about drinks?

Karen: Some milk please!

Anila: How about you um….. sorry I always forget your name? What is it again?

Worthless: Well my name is an acronym which contains the letters of things I like to turn people into.

Bob the Frog: Do you by any chance turn THINGS back into PEOPLE? Mr. Frog Prince down in south fairy tale land isn't the only unfortunate who got turned into a frog.

Worthless: No sorry. Anyway if you add those letters together it spells this. W-O-R-T-H-L-E-S-S. Worthless. But sometimes, to make myself feel better, I substitute the O for an A and drop the H.

Anila: Good to know. Okay let’s see if we’re all here. Bob the Frog?

Bob: Here

Anila: The gingerbread girl?

Karen: You know I have a name; it’s Karen.

Anila: Oh, okay. Karen?

Karen: Here.

Anila: Toe the Snail?

Toe: Here.

Anila: Worthless or Wartless?

Worthless: Here.

Anila: And where’s Wolf?

Bob: Oh, you didn’t here? Wolf went to prison. He pretended to be a girl's grandmother! And just because she looked tasty!

Anila: Oh my! Those animals. The worst are the lions and tigers and bears! But anyway to the matter at hand. My fathers oppression has gone on long enough. It’s time to put a stop to it.

Toe: I agree, and I know how.

Entire company: How?!

Toe: The Signal.

Entire company: GASP!

Toe It’s the only way to stop him. The law clearly states that you may not oppress your people. And don’t worry Anila, we’ll only banish him!

Karen: Yeah I think it’s a great idea. I like the idea of fighting. Maybe the world will see that gingerbread girls are awesome too. Gingerbread men are the only ones that get the hype these days. I was very glad when a crocodile ate that arrogant one.

Toe: Okay. All in favor of using the signal to get the king?

Entire company but Anila: Aye!

Anila: I...I guess.

Toe: Alright it’s settled. See you tomorrow night Anila! Everyone meet outside the castle at 8:00 PM sharp.

Karen: Sharp!!!

Toe: Okay then, dull.

Karen: Fine.

Everyone leaves; Anila looks distressed.

PANEL 1 FREEZE

End of Panel 1

Panel 2:

Narrator: Before we continue our tale let me give you some background info. The Signal was the action of waving a handkerchief to start a battle. The problem though was getting the hanky. It was locked up in a chest in the dungeon and the king had the only key. That night Anila snuck into her fathers room and stole the key and handkerchief. Then she went up into her room and waited.

********************************************************************************************************

Anila: I wonder where they are. (sigh) I hope father didn't hear me. If he did then I’m as cooked as Karen. Maybe the punishment will be being turned into something! Maybe Worthless (or Wartless) will do it! I wonder? Will it be the W or the O or the- Oh! Here they come.

Toe: Ready?

Anila: (nod)

Bob: What are you waiting for?

Anila: (Sigh, waves hanky reluctantly)

Entire company outside: (Tiptoe into castle)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caption Contraption:

The King’s Room

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

King: Wa? Who are you? What do you want?

Bob: By order of the law we banish you from this land forever! You will live in the woods alone for the rest of your life!

King: You cannot banish me! You cannot even attack me if you didn’t have the- ( Sees hanky in Anila’s hand.) Anila?!

Anila: Father I-

King: My own daughter betrays me! Well citizens do what you must. Goodbye Anila!

Anila: (Runs away crying)

Panel 2 Freeze

End of Panel 2

Panel 3:

Narrator: Anila lived alone in the woods for 30 years, all the while regretting what she had done. One day, while sitting outside the little cottage she had found abandoned (no dwarves included) she saw a gruff old man approaching her.

********************************************************************************************************

Anila: Hello! Who are you?

King: I am just an old man trying to find some company.

Anila: Well I can help you with that. Sit down and tell me about yourself.

King: Well I was once a cruel king who oppressed it’s people. One night I woke up to find 5 people standing around my bed, one being my own daughter. They banished me here forever and I've been here ever since. But, I just wish I could see my daughter Anila now. Just for a few minutes so I can tell her how sorry I am, and that I don’t blame her for banishing me.

Anila: Father?

King: Anila?

Anila: Father!

King: Anila!

Anila: I’m so sorry Father! I never meant to hurt you!

King: It’s all right dear, and I’m sorry to.

Anila: Come in father! Come in!

Narrator: So the princess and the king lived happily ever after. The king started a garden out back and worked there all day. And every evening at 5:00PM Anila would grab the hanky and signaled to him that it was time to eat.

Panel 3 Freeze:

End of Panel 3

The End

Rus' team also picked the Laugh Art Loud Challenge. Here is what he says about it:

Well... first we went on a 20 minute drive to our tournament. First we had to wait for about 15 minutes. We talked about DI. Then when we stopped waiting we went on a parade. We walked into a gym and we had our picture taken and kept walking. And there were 91 teams there. As we walked through we were in front of maybe over 100 people and 91 teams. Then we went to join the teams. Then we got to see other teams come through. We then had to wait again. Then we went out of the room. We looked for something to do. Then we went to a challenge. Then we waited and went to our instant challenge. We said a vow and did our instant challenge (I can't tell what we did). Then we went to see another challenge. Then we waited. We had lunch. Then we got our stuff. After we got our stuff we got ready. I played a police. Then we waited. Then we were called in. We did our play. Then after we did that I went home. Then we went back to see how we did. Then we went to Friendly's. Then I got a huge sundae. Then I slept all the way home:)

---Rus

Rus's team did a fantastic job. Their artifact was themselves. They made the artifact at the end of their skit by arranging themselves in costume. Their caption contraption was made up of scenery and posterboard with a poem on it. Their panels were made up of their scenery. Their team choice elements were poetry and magic. They said a poem to make characters come alive in 'Artland.' Then they said the poem backwards so the characters could enter into the painting again. For example:

Who saw the fox creep over the stone? (This phrase would make the fox come 'alive')

Stone the over creep fox the saw who? (This would make the fox go back. Every phrase started with 'who,' and when they said it backwards it ended with 'who.' The magic word was 'who.')

This was their painting: Starry Night

Rus was the push-pop cop!

Getting ready...

Artifact!

Below is their script:

Characters:

Kid, Cop, Museum Worker/ Night Owl, Spider is a prop, Fish, Bird, Sea Pigeon,

Starry Night at the Museum- DI Skit 2014

Comic strip #1

Kid- “Underwear Girl” walks into the museum and signs in at the front desk

Cop- “Push Pop” carries a push pop (lollipop) gun

Cop- “Hello, what’s your name?”

Kid- “Underwear Girl, because I like to wear underwear everywhere. Here, here, here and … uh oh, I forgot my underwear hat!”

Cop- “My name is Push Pop, cause I like Push Pops you know.” (as he takes a lick)

Kid- “Really, you like push pops, they’re disgusting!”

Cop- “Well YOU really shouldn’t be going out in public, dressed like that…….without a hat!”

Kid leaves entry way to tour the museum

Museum Worker- “This one is Starry Night. I’m a Big Fan of Van Gogh paintings! But, in the name of the law, I hear in my heart, Van Gogh saying, “The only time I feel alive is when I’m painting.”

(Kid wanders away to look around museum)

Kid- “Is this a door or just a crack?’

(Then she sees light through the crack)

Kid-“This is definitely a door.” She opens it and says, “WOW, this is what I call Art Land!”

(Cop is in Art Land)

Cop “You won’t tell anybody about this place will you, Underwear Girl?”

Kid- “Nope, cross my heart.

Comic strip # 2

Cop- “Want to see some magic?”

Kid- “Yes, please!”

(Cop pulls out his magic wand and says…) “Everybody say the magic words with me!”

(Recite the words from “The Secret Song”, Random House Book of Poetry)

“Who saw the petal,

Drop from the rose?

“I”, said the spider

“But nobody knows.”

(The spider comes alive and moves a little because it’s a prop)

“Who saw the sunset,

Flash on a bird?”

“I”, said the fish,

“But nobody heard”.

(Fish comes alive and squirms off the painting)

“Who saw the fog,

Come over the sea?”

“I”, said the sea pigeon,

“Only me”.

(Sea Pigeon comes alive and flies off of painting)

“Who saw the first,

Green light of the sun?”

“I”, said the night owl,

“The only one.”

(Night Owl comes alive and flies off painting)

“Who saw the moss,

Creep over the stone”?

“I”, said the gray fox,

“All alone.”

(Gray Fox comes alive and crawls off the painting)

Kid- “AAAAaaaahhhh, you guys are coming alive!?!?”

Kid- “Where is the museum worker?”

Comic strip #3

Night Owl- “Here I am. Hey Foxy it looks like your teeth are clean. Ha ha!”

(fox has dirty yellow teeth)

Fox – “Ya, well where’s YOUR tail?”

Fish- “I have a tail.”

Sea Pigeon- “I have a tail too, but I don’t have dirty yellow teeth!”

Fox- “You don’t even have any teeth, I have LOTS of teeth AND…4 fury legs.”

Spider- “Well, I have 8 fury legs and Super Eyes!”

Cop- (begins to recite “The Secret Song” backwards) as this happens, each animal goes back into their painting and is no longer alive. They will be holding up large poster boards with their stanza written on it, comic strip/bubble style.

Alone all.

Fox Gray the said I

Stone the over creep?

Moss the saw who

One only the

Owl night the said, I

Sun the of light green?

First the saw who

Me only.

Pigeon Sea the said, I

Sea the over come?

Fog the saw who,