Category: For Parents

Elements of Storytelling, For Coaches and Teachers, For Kids, For Parents, Resources

Elements of Storytelling: The End

Alison Weaverdyck

From here on out, the goal is to get the protagonist back to a State of Perfection (SOP). It may or may not be the same SOP as the beginning, but they’ve got to end up better off somehow after the story is over. But don’t jump straight to the big finish just yet; there’s still some important work to do. In fact, there was so much to say about constructing the end of a story, we decided to break this post into two parts. This post will cover everything between the Midpoint and the Finale, and next week we’ll finish up the whole story.

Proving it was False

We left off last time talking about the Midpoint of a story and how it must be either a false peak or a false collapse for the protagonist(s). The story needs to illustrate the consequences of the Midpoint and how it drives the hero to undergo a change. Otherwise, the events the audience has just witnessed hold no meaning and won’t communicate the team understands the theme of the P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box skit to the judges.

If the protagonist is feeling good in the middle of the story, they need to get knocked down again before the end. They could find out a decision they made earlier in the story has unintended consequences. Maybe they lose an important object or a companion is kidnapped by the antagonist while their back is turned. Perhaps the whole Midpoint was actually just a trap or distraction to lure the protagonist away from the real action. Or when the antagonist is backed into a corner, they do something desperate and create an even bigger problem than before. No matter what you choose, creating more opportunities for reversals leads to an audience (and judges!) more invested in the story.

If the protagonist is suffering from a false collapse at the Midpoint or as a result of proving just how false their peak really was, it’s time to build them back up. It’s reasonable to put them through another moment of debate and doubt that mirrors the first. After all, they’ve either just succeeded and found it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, or they think they’ve just lost everything. Plus, the stakes just keep getting higher. The protagonist needs a reminder of what makes them special and what it took to get them this far. This could be a great opportunity for a pep talk by a companion on the quest or some kind words from a wise stranger. If the protagonist is faced with a new challenge and uses a new skill they’ve learned, or moves away from a negative behavior they’ve developed since the story began, it gives them the strength to carry on.

Raise the Stakes

If your story is doing its job, the audience is already invested. Now, it’s time to double down on the danger. This doesn’t mean to jump straight to a universe-ending scenario just for the sake of making things more exciting. The danger needs to feel like it is to scale with what has come before. For instance, the soccer player who pushes away their childhood friend in order to fit in with her teammates probably won’t need to save the entire planet. But she could be peer-pressured into doing something that would get her kicked off the team if caught, or put the league in jeopardy.

In a general sense, the stakes of a story are bounded by how far the protagonist is able to travel. This might seem weird, but think about it. Stories with kids at the center usually stretch about as far as they can reach on their bikes. The neighborhood, the school, or maybe the whole town could be in peril, but the next state over? Probably not. On the other extreme, any story that includes the means to travel between planets is basically going to have a planet-sized threat looming over it by definition. The stakes could be expanded on their own, or as part of the second plot point.

Plot Point #2

If besting the antagonist was easy, the good guys would always win in the middle. Instead, there must be some new development after the events of the Midpoint to bring the tale to a thrilling conclusion. This usually comes in the form of new information the protagonist didn’t have before. They may need to travel to a new location, consult an expert, retrieve an artifact, or any number of different tasks to give them the leg up they need. This is the last chance to infuse new knowledge into the story, or the solution will feel like it comes out of nowhere and won’t give the audience the satisfaction they are looking for. As fun as it can be to throw in a twist, it’s better if the audience gets to anticipate the ending somehow first. There’s still time for a twist; in fact, good finales always throw in a curve-ball (which we’ll discuss more next week). But the people watching the skit will have more fun if they think they know how the story will end before they actually see it happen.

To bring us back to Star Wars, this is the scene in the war room at the rebel base. Luke finds out that the impenetrable Death Star has a weakness after all, and he will be part of the team that will try to take it out. If the fleet took off with no plan or knowledge of how they might succeed, there wouldn’t be any tension for the audience. But as long as there is a chance, no matter how small, that the good guys will win, the story feels compelling all the way to the last moments.

In terms of the five-minute time limit of a P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box skit, this event must occur no later than the end of the fourth minute to ensure there is enough time to get the protagonist back to their SOP.

This brings us to the finale, which we’ll discuss next time!

For Coaches and Teachers, For Parents, Multiple Intelligences, Resources

The Naturalist Intelligence

Alison Weaverdyck

For the final installment in our Multiple Intelligences series, we’ll be looking at one of the types of intelligence that can be the hardest to recognize. In fact, Howard Gardner, who first put forth the theory of multiple intelligences in 1983, did not include Naturalist Intelligence in his original list of seven types of strengths. It took until 1994 for him to start discussing an eighth intelligence, and it appeared formally the first time in his 1999 book, Reframing Intelligence. (Source)

What Does Naturalist Intelligence Mean?

In the simplest terms, it means that a person exhibits “nature smarts.” This can take the form of always wanting to be outside, an affinity for getting dirty, or a natural curiosity about plants and animals. If you’ve ever had a student who could tell you the scientific name of of their favorite beetle, then you’ve had one of these little nature lovers in your life. They will be interested in the birds flocking South for the winter, and will happily report on how many new buds appear on your houseplants.

Those character traits are pretty easy to spot, but by extension, people possessing the Naturalist Intelligence are also aware of their environments in a different way than others. Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence can help a person mentally map their surroundings in terms of their own body, but is tailored to taking in a situation or environment as it stands. A naturalist will be in tune with how the environment is subject to changes. They are able to see patterns where others just see chance, and make connections between cause and effect that many don’t see.

This is achieved by having heightened sensory perception. These people literally see, smell, hear, touch, and taste more than the rest of us. They probably don’t even realize it is happening; the patterns their brains pick out are simply self-evident. The naturalist is likely baffled by how the average person can miss so much that is right in front of their faces.

In our fast-paced, tech-obsessed lives, it is painfully easy to overlook the value of Naturalist Intelligence. We spend so little of our time outside, interacting with the natural world, these tendencies could never have a chance to manifest. When you can ask a search engine how many petals a daisy has, there’s little incentive to actually get off the couch and look at a daisy.*

This means that as parents, coaches, and teachers, it has to be our job to take away that screen time sometimes and make our students go outside to see the forest and the trees. When a triathlete gets excited about the biology questions on Face-Off! Or begs to go to the zoo for your team-building field trip, it’s time to sit up and take notice. You’ve got a naturalist on your hands!

Want to find out more about the other facets of the Multiple Intelligence theory? Check out our posts on Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence, Math/Logic Intelligence, Visual/Spatial Intelligence, Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence, Musical Intelligence, and Intra/Inter Personal Intelligences.

*The answer is 21 petals.

For Coaches and Teachers, For Kids, For Parents, SCAMPER Technique

A Review of the SCAMPER Technique

Alison Weaverdyck

SCAMPER is a valuable technique for students as they approach USAT challenges. Mind Sprints often are centered on brain-storming activities, or at least have a bonus round that requires quick thinking and fast answers. SCAMPER is a great way to come up with new uses for old ideas and objects. Teams are encouraged to keep a SCAMPER sheet int their Competition Kit all year long to help them out. Download a SCAMPER sheet now.

You can also visit our series on each of the 7 aspects of SCAMPER for more hints and explanations.

S is for Substitute

C is for Combine

A is for Adapt

M is for Magnify/Minify

P is for Put to Another Use

E is for Eliminate

R is for Rearrange

For Coaches and Teachers, For Parents

Round Robin #1 is Just Around the Corner. Don’t Forget your Fees!

Alison Weaverdyck

Hey parents and coaches!

Our first USAT Meet of the season is December 8. We’re excited to get the year off and running, but there are some housekeeping things to finish before the fun can begin. Our team fees have remained the same at $225/team, and the deadline is this Friday. Checks can be mailed to:

United States Academic Triathlon
204 7th St. West #123
Northfield MN, 55057

Questions?

Contact Sarah by email sarah@usacademictriathlon.com
Phone: 507-645-2560

Good luck to all of our teams and have a great season!

~The US Academic Triathlon Team

For Coaches and Teachers, For Parents, Multiple Intelligences

Intra- and Interpersonal Intelligences

Alison Weaverdyck

This is one of the final posts in our series about Multiple Intelligences. Read about the other types: Body/Kinesthetic, Musical, Mathematical, Visual/Spatial, Verbal

The prefixes inter and intra look pretty similar, but they have very different meanings. Inter means “between” or “among,” and intra means “within.” Despite their similar appearances, they are more or less opposites. We’ve included discussion of both types in a single post to eliminate confusion.

Intrapersonal Intelligence

A person who possesses intrapersonal intelligence is someone who has knowledge of the person within. They are the people who spend time thinking about and working on their inner worlds rather than getting caught up in gossip or other distractions from the outside. This propensity for pondering can make them seem standoffish or antisocial, and most self-identify as introverts. This is not to say that introverts are always intelligent about themselves, but when you prefer to spend your time and energy on your own development rather than using it up on the details, it makes sense that there would be a correlation between the two. But, you can also have a person who is intelligent about themselves enjoy the company of others, so it is important not to over-simplify and label every “intrapersonally” intelligent person an introvert.

Thinking a lot about one’s self may sound selfish and even narcissistic, but this is not really the case when it comes to the intrapersonal intelligence. A narcissist thinks their needs come first, and that they are fabulous just the way they are. But someone who is intelligent about themselves concentrates on how to perfect who they already are, to become the best version of themselves. They are the philosophers, the theologians, and the writers. They are self-reliant and prefer to be their own bosses because they know what works for them and what doesn’t.

There is an entire branch of social science devoted to cultivating this type of intelligence: Psychology. The goal is to gain insight into oneself to illuminate the root of problems and ways a person can be standing in her own way. Very few people can truly do this one their own, which is why there are so many different types of counselors and treatments for the mind. It is not surprising that psychology is of interest to the intrapersonally intelligent person, and this is another career path they often take. Many psych majors confess that the root of their interest comes from a desire to figure out what makes them and the people around them tick.

This is another type of intelligence that can be difficult to “test” or use in a USAT challenge, but we have tried to include it when we can. We created a Mind Sprint called “Emoties” where students were given an event, such as “Your sister ate all of your candy,” and different emotional reactions one could have to an event. It was up to the students to think about possible reasons why something would make someone feel a certain way, even if it wasn’t the reaction you’d expect. People who have a high degree of self-awareness also make great team mates, because they know their strengths and weaknesses.

Interpersonal Intelligence

The beauty of having Interpersonal Intelligence is that it applies across many different situations. The ability to read body language (which often occurs unconsciously) and to empathize with others can make a variety of jobs, tasks, and social situations easier to navigate. Humans, on a basic, evolutionary level, are social animals, and those with Interpersonal Intelligence are in a prime position to capitalize on that fact.

You’ve probably met those people; the ones who get along with everyone. They can make small talk with ease but also show insight into difficult situations. These people can diffuse tense situations with a few words, and their presence or absence at a meeting can make a huge difference to the proceedings. And because they find social interaction simple, they won’t avoid it and will oftentimes seek it out.

It may seem like a simple shortcut to label a person with Interpersonal Intelligence an extrovert, the same way that intrapersonally intelligent people seem to fall into the introvert camp, but the two are different on a fundamental level. At its most basic, an extroverted person is someone who gains energy from social interactions, but that does not mean they are any good at them. They could want to be around people, but people don’t want to be around them. Extroverts are fairly common, but a person with a true propensity for interpersonal intelligence is far rarer.

These people are good at managing others. They can adapt their approach on an individual basis because on some level they can recognize needs and the emotional state of their employees. And in all likelihood, they don’t even realize they are doing it. Solving problems in a team setting makes sense to them so they don’t mind working with other people. This often spills over into their hobbies, because team sports offer a similar environment in which they excel.

Promoting Interpersonal Intelligence is an overall goal of US Academic Triathlon. Though it may come to some people naturally, working with others usually takes practice. The emphasis on teamwork can be found all over the competition, and we reward positive behavior, such as listening to one another’s ideas, in the scoring. Of all the different intelligences, interpersonal savvy is one that can be cultivated during the USAT years and carried far into the competitors’ futures.

For the final installment of the Multiple Intelligences series, we’ll discuss the last of the eight, Naturalist Intelligence.