The Tournament of Minds

report by Amelia Gill

This year the Year 7’s are doing the Tournament of Minds (T.O.M) within our school.  What is it you ask?  

Well it is a challenging competition to test your mind in a group of up to 7 or 8 students.  They will be working on one of the following topics;

• the test of time when you change a moment in history,
• creating a new toy out of recycled materials,
• writing a different ending to a classic story,
• the great expedition.

Most of the students are doing the test of time or a toy made out of recycled materials.  It involves team work, creativity and innovation.  The aim is to get the best score possible which is 270 based on the different criteria for each topic.  

Students will be required to build props and costumes from a list provided by T.O.M.

It would be great  if you could donate any objects from the list below to assist us in our designing and building.

Aluminium foil 

Foam rubber 

Balloons 

Gloves 

Plastic – piping, tubing, bags, sheeting 

Balls – ping pong, foam, polystyrene, plastic 

Glue 

Plasticine, play dough 

Blu-Tack 

Goggle eyes 

Polystyrene 

Buttons 

Hessian 

Raffia 

Cardboard 

Magnets 

Recycled material 

Cellophane 

Make-up and hair products 

Ribbon 

Cling Wrap 

Nails, screws, bolts 

Socks 

Cotton 

Wool 

Paddle pop sticks 

Crayons 

Paints 

String, twine 

Dried Peas, beans 

Pantyhose 

Swimming caps 

Drinking straws 

Paper – butchers, plain, coloured, crepe, tissue 

Tape - adhesive, masking, duct 

Dye - fabric, food 

Paper clips - glider, bulldog 

Torch (in working order) 

Elastic 

Paper plates, paper cups 

Velcro 

Elastic bands 

Pasta 

Whistles 

Feathers

Pencils, pens 

Wire 

Fabric – any type including fur 

Pins – safety, split, hair 

Wood

Fishing line

Pipe cleaners 

Yarn – cotton, woollen, synthetic