Rock Paper Scissors Tournament of Champions

Renaissance Hall of Famer Jamie Mooring and the Staffulty of Puyallup High School decided they needed to do something to bring joy back into the school day, so they held a school-wide Rock Paper Scissors Tournament of Champions.

They involved the student media department in live-streaming the semis and finals to the school (complete with color commentary), and several art students created a 9’ tall trophy that resides in the champion’s homeroom until the next tournament. Cheers could be heard throughout the building as rounds were played and class champions moved on to the next round! Read more below for tournament details and directions, or watch the student-produced video  describing how the tournament brought the school community together.

How to do a Rock Paper Scissors Tournament of Champions At Your School!

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Prep Time: 60 minutes

People Required: Entire Staffulty and Student body

Timing: Home room time during March, or any time of the year when your school needs some excitement.

Materials:

  1. Bracket with locations for each advancing champion face off to play. Remember, this will begin in each Homeroom, and then will advance to “Divisions.” Decide what makes up a Division (we recommend hallways or wings of school campus).
  2. Prizes for winners are a fun touch, but are not required. A prize for your grand champion is highly recommended. Here are several levels of prizes that your school could provide:
    • Prize for each Homeroom Champion (ring pops, etc)
    • Prize for each Division Champion ($5 gift cards, school gear, etc)
    • Treats for the entire division champion’s “members” (donuts for the students and Staffulty within that hallway)
    • Prize for each Semi-Finals Champion
    • Ultimate Champion Prize Package. Examples:
      • Pizza and Soda delivered to their lunch table the day of the Tournament
      • Custom-designed Ultimate Champion Trophy that will stay with their homeroom (until the next tournament).
      • Official Rock Paper Scissors Champion sweatshirt

 

Rock Paper Scissors Tournament Set Up:

The Key Roles:

    1. Homeroom teachers – These Staffulty members will help manage each class. Pay attention to instructions to keep things fair and help your kids have fun!
    2. The Homeroom Champion – Winner of the homeroom class competition and advances.
    3. The Official Class Reporter – The second place Homeroom Champion who will be in charge of the bracket for their homeroom advancement.
    4. Everyone in the homeroom class – Cheer on your champion!
    5. Officials – Staffulty who are assigned to each “Division” (hallway, floor, etc).

 

Round One – The Homeroom Class Competition

  1. When the tournament kicks off (through an all-call announcement), the battle begins within homeroom periods.
  2. At the beginning of class, each homeroom teacher will announce that a Rock Paper Scissors Tournament of Champions is about to begin. Each teacher will explain the rules – we recommend the World Rock Paper Scissors Society’s international standard of “rock, paper, scissors, shoot” with the delivery of action on the word “shoot” be the school standard.
  3. Students will then pair off (if there is an odd number, the teacher should join as well).
  4. Within each pair, Player A will compete against Player B in Rock, Paper, Scissors. We recommend best two out of three rounds.
  5. Each winner finds another round-one winner to play the next round of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Non-winners cheer on the person they just lost to. For instance, if Player A lost to Player B, Player A is now the world’s biggest fan of Player B! Cheering squads will expand as the game progresses.
  6. Repeat until there is a single winner within your homeroom – this is now your Class Champion!
  7. Your second place winner will now be the Official Class Reporter in charge of the homeroom’s bracket.

 

Round Two – The Division Championship

Once the Class Competition round has been completed, the Rock Paper Scissors Tournament of Champions Bracket will kick in with class champions playing within their “division” to determine a Division Champion.  As each class champion plays on, the homeroom class should follow their champion into the district round, cheering them on to further victory!

  1. Check the bracket so each champion and class knows where the next face off will be taking place.
  2. Match up champions to play their rounds of Rock, Paper, Scissors.
  3. When a competitor loses a round, they return with their classmates to their homeroom. The winner and their cheering squad move on to face the next champion.
    • Live stream the competition as it moves forward so every once can watch without have too many moving parts going on in your school!

 

Round 3 – Semi Finals

The Division Champions will then move forward to battle each other, working to earn a prize for their whole district. Consider live streaming the semi-finals and championship so the classes not still cheering on their champion will be able to watch the semifinals and finals in their homeroom.

  1. District Champions and cheering squad meet opponents in location listed on the bracket.
  2. Rock, Paper, Scissors SHOOT! – the winner is still best of three!

 

Round 4 – The CHAMPIONSHIP 

  1. Finalists and their cheering squads meet up for the Championship Face-Off
  2. Rock, Paper, Scissors SHOOT! – winner is best of three!
  3. CELEBRATE THEIR VICTORY! Deliver prizes to the Champion and their homeroom class either immediately or the next day’s homeroom period.

 

Additional Opportunities:

  • Many schools do this with Mardi Gras Beads – everyone starts with one necklace. Each time Player A wins, they take a necklace from Player B.
  • This is tournament is all about getting every student involved. Assign more jobs such as The Banner Carrier (3rd place winner in the homeroom who is now on the cheer squad and holds a banner) or Official Photographer.
rock paper scissors tournament trophy
rock paper scissors tournament prize

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