Lightning Trials FAQ

Given that Lightning Trials is new for 2023, we have created this page to respond to any questions from coaches as they arise. Feel free to submit you questions to Judy Arnold, and we will get them answered here as soon as possible.

Do kids turn in the Extra Life Tokens to the judge?

No. There will be a small basket where kids can turn in the tokens as they use them and enter the Answer Zone.

 

Do teams get two Extra Life Tokens per round (for the first three rounds), or two Extra Life Tokens to be used for all of the rounds? Can tokens be saved and used in future rounds?

Teams will receive 2 tokens at the beginning of each question round.  Tokens may not be carried over from round to round.  Teams will have 2 tokens to use for each round.

 

Does the team member answering need to give the author with the answer?

We will not be asking for book authors during the Lightning Competition. Teams will not be penalized if they do include it.

 

 Is there a visible timer that shows the 15 second countdown, so that the team knows how much time they have left to answer the question?

Just like Battle Rounds, there will not be a countdown clock and a cell phone timer will be used.  A sound will chime at the end of 15 seconds and the team member holding the Lightning Bolt must give an answer immediately upon its chime.

 

What if the complete answer is interrupted by the timer chime? 

The team member will be allowed to complete his or her answer. The judge also can ask a team member to repeat his/her response if it was interrupted by the chime.

 

If a team only has one person in the Answer Zone and they are holding the Lightning Bolt, may the keep the Lightning Bolt for the next question?

Yes, but it is highly unlikely for that to occur unless your team does not use their Extra Life tokens.

 

Yes, teams, including their coaches, can take a few moments to discuss and decide who to put in their starting positions in the Answer Zone.

Are team members allowed to talk with one another at the beginning of a turn to decide if a life token is going to be used?

 Team members, but not coaches, may confer quietly when it is not their turn to discuss if they want to use an Extra Life token on the next turn.  Teams may speak to members not in the Answer Zone.

Will the fill in the blank answers for the Full Power Round be single words, or could it be a phrase?

The fill in the blank answers are 1 to 2 word responses -- not a whole phrase.

How large are the Answer Zones?

 The Answer Zones are yoga mats approximately 74 x 26 inches. If a team member accidentally steps out of the Answer zone, their team will not be penalized.

Can you provide some examples of question themes, and if the themed questions are from one book or multiple books?

The questions can come from any of the books if they pertain to the theme.  Example themes (not based on this year's books) might be: Pets, Animals, Space, School, Heroes, Mysteries, Food, etc.

 

Will the Full Power Round have a theme too?

The Full Power Round will not have a theme. What is unique about this round is that it is made up of fill-in-the-blank quotes from the battle books and that team members can confer before answering.