Maryland Creative Problem Solvers Instant Challenge Library

Time Capsule 2000

This is a hybrid (verbal/hands-on) challenge.

The Challenge:

Given the following materials, you must design a time capsule to be opened on January 1, 3000 and the objects to put into it.

The Scene:

It is December 31, 1999 and you are the mayor of your town, 1 of the activities for the turn of the century is to design materials to put into a time capsule.

Materials:

10 spaghetti

10 "ziti" (pasta)

6 straws

2 rubber bands

2 sheets notebook paper

1 12" piece of string

5 paper clips

3 cotton balls

1 12" piece of wax paper

2 sheets construction paper (8.5 x 11)

5 index cards

1 paper cup

1 paper plate

8 mailing labels

1 12" piece of aluminum foil

Directions:

You will have 5 minutes to assemble the time capsule and its contents. At the end of the 5 minutes, you will have 3 minutes to explain the capsule and its contents to the judges. All contents of the time capsule must fit into it.

Scoring:

15 points creativity of the design of the time capsule
3 points for each item to go into the time capsule
10 points for the design and creativity of each item to go into the time capsule
25 points for the overall quality of the presentation of the time capsule and its contents
20 points for teamwork