2022-23 MAIS STEM Competition
This is a special STEM event for MAIS schools only. Students will participate in six events for STEM points. One of the events, Robot Basket Shooting, requires some form of remote controlled vehicle that can flip a ping-pong or foam ball. The other events are Math, Science, Tool Usage, Electricity, and Binary Puzzle. All events are for individual students. Students placing 1st, 2nd, 3rd in each event will earn STEM Points that can be redeemed at the STEM Store at the end of the day. The STEM Store will contain over $2,000 of science kits, robot kits, drones, etc. Below is a summary of each event. Students placing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each event (except Mystery) will also be invited to attend the Finals on January 23, 2023.
ROBOT BASKET SHOOTING: A wireless driver-controlled robot will move within a 6-foot diameter circle and shoot foam balls into baskets placed between the 6-foot circle and a 9-foot diameter circle. Four baskets will be placed on the 9-foot circle and four baskets half-way between the 6-foot and 9-foot circle. Another registered student, from any competition age group, can be in the 6-foot circle to place the foam balls onto the robot. This will be a 2-minute event. The robot must be 18″ x 18″ x 18″ or less in size. Some basket shooting robots are: the JIMU Champbot kit. JIMU Video here. And the DASH robot with Launcher. DASH Video here. VEX and FIRST TETREX robots can be modified with an arm for shooting. Points: 4-points for making the 9-foot circle baskets and 2-points for making the 6 to 9-foot baskets. One-half points ( 2 and 1 point respectively) for hitting the backboard or rim and not making the basket. Teams can use their own shooting balls (including ping-pong balls or practice soft golf balls). Shooting balls cannot be made of a hard material, only light plastic or foam. Hoops are 6.5″ and 9″ in diameter. Hoops are 16″ from the floor. Bring your own shooting balls or use from our bucket of mixed balls. Robots are allowed to stay in one place and shoot. No students can touch the robot once the two minutes start.
MATH: Students will have 15 minutes to complete 20 grade-appropriate math problems. Download the Math Study Guide K-12.
SCIENCE: Students will have 15 minutes to complete 25 grade appropriate science questions or to identify various objects relating to science. Science questions are taken from the MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE- and CAREER-READINESS STANDARDS for SCIENCE (start on page 20). Download the Science Study Guide sheet.
TOOL USAGE: Students will be given 10 minutes to identify and match a set of tools to how they are used. 25 tools will be available to match and 15 usage demonstrations.
ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT: Students will be asked to complete an electric circuit that will turn on a light bulb or buzzer and start a motor when the switch is turned on. 
Students will be given a 6v battery, a switch, a buzzer, a motor, and alligator-clip wires. A electrical diagramwith components named will be available to follow. Students will have one minute to do this event. Students will also have two minutes to identify electrical component pictures on a sheet of paper. Component examples are: soldering iron, battery, switch, resistor, capacitor, transistor, and other basic electronic components.
BINARY DECODING PUZZLE: Students will be asked to match blocks containing “1’s” and “0’s” representing the “ASCII Code” for the alphabetic to spell words. For example: “01000010” represents the letter “B”. See this printable ASCII chart. A code chart will be at the event for student use. The ASCII binary code will be divided on two blocks. There will be 15-20 alphabetic characters to match. Students will have two minutes to complete this event.
MYSTERY EVENT: After lunch all the students from each age group will be pre-divided into groups of four or five. Each group will be given a kit of parts to build some kind of object. The time to build is usually 30 minutes and then they must test their object. This event earns STEM points for the STEM store but does not count towards the finals. Students learn to divide the building tasks and to work together.
Download the competition flyer HERE. Register your school below.
♦ Only the Robot Basket Shooting event requires a robot.
♦ All equipment is supplied for the other events.
♦ Pre-register your school below and you are guaranteed entry if payment is made by Oct 8, 2022. Refunds will only be given up to two weeks before each event. New students can be substituted for dropped paid students up to one week before each event.
♦ Make your team payment below by Paypal or credit/debit card or issue a PO to hold your spot. Checks can be mailed to: Mississippi Robotics, 156 Matt Lee Road, Pinola, MS 39149. Make check payable to: Mississippi Robotics
Make your payment below. Select how many students you are paying for after clicking on the “Buy Now” button. Refunds will only be given up to two weeks before each event. New students can be substituted for dropped paid students up to one week before each event.
