Chemical Calamity! Physical Flummox! – A Radio Drama

Chemical Calamity! Physical Force Flummox! – A Radio Drama

STEAM Challenge

Due: April 7, 2023

Designed for Middle and High School Students

Table of Contents

· The Challenge

· Assumptions and Logistics

· Process

· Meridian Support Resources

· Presentation of Learning

· Evaluation Rubric

· Essential Questions

· Student Proficiencies

· Curricular Correlations – NGSS

Range of Activities

· Exploration of Chemical Reactions and/or Physical Forces

· Integration of Scientific Information into Meaningful Narrative Form

· Exploration of Audio Mystery Genre

· Scriptwriting

· Digital Literacy Skills – Audio – Pre-production, Production and Post-production

· Human Skills: Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Presentational Skills

The Challenge

Someone from the science lab rushes out wide-eyed, saying, “Somebody help! Something happened in the lab!” But how could that have happened and who can help them solve this mystery??!!

In this challenge, it is your task to both set up the problem AND to solve it. What really happened in the lab? Did something go missing? Did something happen to one of the lab techs? And who is going to solve it? A detective? A student? A passerby? When you solve it, be sure to explain how. Was there any documentation of what went on? What evidence did you use to figure out what happened?

The solution must involve either 2-3 well-explained chemical reactions of some sort, or it must involve 2-3 physical forces (e.g. gravity, electric, magnetic) OR, it can involve both. Your team will explain the mystery and your solution in a 3–5-minute podcast, which begins with the problem, sets up the mystery of how the problem occurred, and then tells the story of how the problem was solved.

Deliverables include:

Lab Mystery Radio Drama (this is the only Meridian Stories deliverable)
Script Draft (at teacher’s discretion)

Assumptions and Logistics

Time Frame – We recommend that this digital storytelling project takes place inside of a three to four-week time frame.

Length – All Meridian Stories submissions should be under 4 minutes in length, unless otherwise specified.

Slate – All digital storytelling projects must begin with a slate that provides:

the title of the piece;
the name of the school submitting;
the wording ‘Permission Granted’ which gives Meridian Stories the right to a) publicly display the submission in question on, as linked from, related to or in support of Meridian Stories digital media; and b) use or reference it for educational purposes only, in any and all media; and
We strongly recommend that students do not put their last names on the piece either at the start or finish, during the credits.

Submissions – Keep in mind that each school can only submit three submissions per Competition (so while the entire class can participate in any given Challenge, only three can be submitted to Meridian Stories for Mentor review and scoring).
Teacher Reviews – All reviews by the teacher are at the discretion of the teacher and all suggested paper deliverables are due only to the teacher. The only deliverable to Meridian Stories is the digital storytelling project.

Teacher’s Role and Technology Integrator – While it is helpful to have a Technology Integrator involved, they are not usually necessary: the students already know how to produce the digital storytelling project. And if they don’t, part of their challenge is to figure it out. They will! The teacher’s primary function in these Challenges is to guide the students as they engage with the content. You don’t need to know editing, sound design, shooting or storyboarding: you just need to know your content area, while assisting them with time management issues. See the Teachers Rolesection of the site for further ideas about classroom guidance.

Digital Rules/Literacy – We strongly recommend that all students follow the rules of Digital Citizenry in their proper usage and/or citation of images, music and text taken from other sources. This recommendation includes producing a citations page at the end of your entry, if applicable. See the Digital Rules area in the Meridian Stories Digital Resource Center section of the site for guidance.

Location – Try not to shoot in a classroom at your school. The classroom, no matter how you dress it up, looks like a classroom and can negatively impact the digital story you are trying to tell.

Collaboration – We strongly recommend that students work in teams of 3-4: part of the educational value is around building collaborative skill sets. But students may work individually.

The Process

Below is a suggested breakdown for the students’ work.

During Phase I, student teams will:

Research chemical reactions and how you can determine if a chemical reaction has occurred (density, melting point, boiling point, solubility, flammability, odor).
Research physical forces (electric, magnetic, and gravitational).
Pick at least two chemical reactions and/or two physical forces (or one of each if you are mixing the two).
Brainstorm how the chemical reaction and/or physical force might feasibly cause some sort of problem in a lab when combined in some way. Keep in mind that the setting does not have to be a school lab; the lab could be situated in any kind of setting – a research facility, a science museum, or an engineering plant, for example.
- Pick your favorite scenario and specifically map out the scientific details that will need to be communicated in order to thoroughly explain the problem and the solution to the mystery that you have created. These details will form the content spine of your script.

During Phase II, student teams will:

Investigate the radio mystery genre. Looking into the standard characteristics of this genre can help your team to formulate your story. Here are some thoughts to guide your thinking:
- This is a genre that can be delivered in a serious way or in a comic, silly way. As you are brainstorming the situation, consider the kind of mystery that you want to tell; the kind of tone that you want to set.
- Is there a chief investigator type or detective type? A crazy scientist and his/her rational research assistant? In short, who are your two or three lead characters?
- Is there a culprit? Was this calamity created by accident and negligence… or by design?
- How will it be narrated – first or third person?
- Mysteries succeed partially on their ability to build suspense and remain, for as long as possible, mysterious! If the audience knows the solution quickly, there is no suspense or mystery. So, what kind of false leads and obstacles will you throw in the way of the listener to keep them from solving the problem of what happened?
  - It may be helpful to look at this year’s It’s a Mystery! Literally! Challenge which provides a thorough explanation of the components that comprise the mystery genre of storytelling.
- Begin to outline your script.
  - Create a mystery narrative that creates a dramatic incident involving the physical forces and/or chemical reactions you have chosen.
  - Detail the science behind your solution, while bringing that information into the style and flow of your narrative.
  - As you are writing, think visually: your words are designed to create a clear image of the action and the people in the imaginations of the listener. Write visually.
  - Teacher’s Option: Script Draft – Teachers may require that students hand in a draft of their shooting script, for review and feedback.
- Script the audio mystery. Just as a play provides stage instructions, your script should include cues for music and audio effects.
- Sound effects are a key component in an audio mystery: music and other recorded sounds can bring stories to life. What will you record live, and what prerecorded work, if any, will you need in your audio mystery? Your options include artificial sound effects (i.e., the cymbal crash!), natural sound effects (i.e., the creaking door, sounds of glasses clinking, or wind and rain), and music. Ask yourself how and when sound can help enhance dramatic moments of your story. And then, gather all needed audio, including any desired prerecorded sounds.
- For examples of classic mystery radio dramas, check out some of these scripts. Browsing through scripts can provide a wealth of information as you investigate how to set the scene; how to create a fully realized radio persona; the importance of sound effects; the emphasis on short sentences; and more.

During Phase III, student teams will:

Finalize your script and rehearse. And rehearse. Character voices, in particular, can take time to find. Try out different voices and accents and delivery styles (slow, fast), to find the most effective and inviting character voices. Also pay attention to dramatic timing. The narrative flow from the calamity and the havoc to the rush to the solution – this all works if the timing is just right. Rehearse with an eye toward the pacing and timing of your story, as well as the character voices.
Record and edit your audio mystery, adding prerecorded portions and other sound effects and music as desired.
Post-produce the audio mystery, adjusting audio levels.

Meridian Media Resources

Meridian Stories provides two forms of support for the student teams:

1. Meridian Innovators and Artists – This is a series of three-to-four-minute videos featuring artists and innovative professionals who offer important advice, specifically for Meridian Stories, in the areas of creativity and production.

2. Media Resource Collection – These are short documents that offer student teams key tips in the areas of creativity and production.

Recommended review, as a team, for this Challenge include:

Meridian Innovators and Artists

Media Resource Collection

Fiction Writing – Lily King

The Importance of Character in Storytelling – Scott Nash

Radio Plays – Margaret Heffernan

Sound Design – Chris Watkinson

Creative Brainstorming Techniques

Sound Recording Basics

Sound Editing Basics

Creating Radio Stories

Evaluation Rubric – Chemical Calamity! Physical Force Flummox!

CONTENT COMMAND
Criteria	1-10
Communication of Content – Chemical Reaction/Physical Force Problem	The chemical reaction/physical force that causes the calamity is accurately and fully presented.
Communication of Content – Chemical Reaction/Physical Force Solution	The scientific solution to the problem is accurate and comprehensively presented.
Complexity of Content – Chemical Reaction/Physical Force	The science presented is intriguing and complex, showcasing a deep and creative understanding of the scientific principles involved.
STORYTELLING COMMAND
Criteria	1-10
Script/Narrative Flow	The narrative is presented clearly, and the scripting is engaging and effective
Character	The voices of the characters compel the mystery forward with their acting
Story Format	The science lab mystery is very successful, showing mastery of drama and suspense
MEDIA COMMAND
Criteria	1-10
Editing	The audio mystery is edited cleanly and with pace, resulting in an engaging audio experience
Sound and Music	The selective use of sound effects and music enhances and complements the audio mystery’s content and story
HUMAN SKILLS COMMAND (teachers only)
Criteria	1-10
Collaborative Thinking	The group demonstrated flexibility in making compromises and valued the contributions of each group member
Creativity and Innovation	The group brainstormed many inventive ideas and was able to evaluate, refine and implement them effectively
Initiative and Self-Direction	The group set attainable goals, worked independently, and managed their time effectively, demonstrating a disciplined commitment to the project

Essential Questions

How do substances interact?
1. How can we use properties of substances before and after the interaction to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred?
What kinds of physical forces are there?
1. How do they work?
How can chemical and physical forces interact?
How has immersion in the production of an audio mystery deepened your overall understanding of the material?
What are the challenges of communicating content solely aurally?
1. What have you had to change to make up for the lack of visuals?
How has immersion in the creation of original content and the production of digital media – exercising one’s creativity, critical thinking and digital literacy skills – deepened the overall educational experience?
How has working on a team – practicing one’s collaborative skills – changed the learning experience?

Student Proficiencies

The student will be able to articulate that substances are made from different types of atoms, which combine with one another in various ways. Atoms form molecules that range in size from two to thousands of atoms. In chemical processes, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants.
1. The student will be able to explain how to use data from the properties of substances (density, melting point, boiling point, solubility, flammability, and odor) to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
The student will know that there are gravitational, electric, and magnetic forces.
1. The student will understand that gravitational forces exist between any two masses, and they are always attractive. The student will also understand that electromagnetic forces can be attractive or repulsive, and their sizes depend on the magnitudes of the charges, currents, or magnetic strengths involved and on the distances between the interacting objects.
The student will better understand how physical forces and chemical forces can interact. A physical force can cause a chemical interaction, and likewise, a chemical interaction can result in a physical force. The scope of the forces will depend on the specific situation, most notably, the chemicals and forces involved.
The student will know the basic constructs of using media to effectively communicate information and a story and will know that reframing scientific content for use in an audio mystery can enhance knowledge of the subject matter.
The student will be able to use audio media — including recorded voice, music and sound effects — to effectively communicate a story.
1. The student will understand the unique use and function of language when written for dialogue.
The student will utilize key Human Skills, with a focus on creativity, critical thinking and digital literacy, in their process of translating STEAM content into a new narrative format.
The student will have an increased awareness of the challenges and rewards of team collaboration. Collaboration – the ability to work with others – is considered one of the most important 21^st century skills to develop in students as they prepare for life after secondary school.

Curricular Correlations

The Chemical Calamity! Physical Force Flummox! Challenge addresses a range of curricular objectives that are articulated in the Next Generation Science Standards. Below please find the standards that are addressed, either wholly or in part.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

High School – Matter and Its Interactions