Gameboard Gallimaufry
Creighton University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha's
Chemistry Field Day
(All pictures used with permission; copyrighted 2001 by Jerry A. Doctor)
Objective: To correctly answer as much chemistry questions as possible in 25 minutes.  Questions are selected from a large game board.  Teams are not in direct competition with each other.


The Set-Up:  Teams are situated in groups around a Jeopardy-like, game board.  The board has six categories and five questions per category.  The point value and difficulty of the questions increase down each category.  The first question of each category is worth one point.  The last question is worth five points.  The questions are on cards.  Questions may be multiple choice or require written responses.  There are as many copies of each question as teams present.  This allows more than one team to work on a question at the same time.  The categories are revealed at the beginning of the event.  Categories and questions are the same for all teams throughout the day.

The Play:  A Field Day Volunteer (FDV) is assigned to each team.  Each team must choose a leader for the event.  When play begins, the leader shouts to the FDV the card they want to see by category and point value (i.e. "Solutions for 5, please!!!!"ÑThe word please is explicitly required).  The FDV delivers the appropriate card to the leader and records an  "X" on a grid so that the team knows which questions they have received.  After the team writes an answer to the question on the card, the leader hands it to the FDV.  The leader may then request another card.  Cards may be selected in any order.  A particular card may be selected only once.  The FDV delivers the completed question to the scoring table, retrieves the next selection, and delivers it to the team leader.  Play continues in this manner until the time runs out or until a team elects to quit.  A completed card must be returned to the FDV before a new one is requested.  The current question must be completed before a team elects to quit or when time expires.  If a team clears the board (i.e. answers all questions before time has expired), they may proceed to the next level.  There is a new board.  The categories remain the same, but the point value is doubled.

Scoring:  Questions are graded at the scoring table.  A scorer rings a bell for a correct answer or a buzzer for an incorrect one.  Points are awarded or taken away according to the value of the card. However, scores can never go less than zero during the play.  The team scores are posted for viewing by all teams.  At the end of the day, all team scores are scaled so that the day's best score is 100.

Special Rules and Considerations:
1. Interaction among team members to select and to answer questions is strongly encouraged.  However, only a designated leader may communicate with the FDV to obtain new questions and return completed ones.

2. A team can work on only one question at a time.  A question must be completed before a new one is selected.

3. Since 5-7 teams may be working simultaneously on the same questions, care should be taken to protect the confidentiality of your answers.  You must write your final answer on the card.  Do not tell them to the FDV.

4. Only the periodic table found on the back cover, a pocket calculator, pens and pencils, and the provided scratch paper may be used.  No other materials (texts, tables, notes, etc.) may be used.  It's a good idea to bring one or two calculators to the event.

6. Your team can pick any question from the board at any time.  There is no need to finish a category before starting a new one or to finish all questions of a point value before selecting ones of a higher value.  Remember:  The higher the point value the more difficult the question.

7. Your team can decide to stop anytime.  However, you must answer your last question before you quit.

8. When time expires, you have 30 seconds to complete the answer to your last question.