What is it?
Can your students have fun with words and make a student they’ve never met laugh and relate? Memes combine an image with emotive wording that includes widely understood social and/or cultural references. We’re asking classes to send us their BEST meme that features a Membean word (or words) with a creative image.
How to participate
1. Your students create memes
Individual students (or groups) create an original meme with at least one Membean word, an image, and wording that will resonate with audiences around the country.
2. You select your class entry
Once you receive all of your student memes for a class, select one class winner to proceed to the Membean competition. How you do so is up to you. (We’ll be using this rubric.)
3. You submit your class entry
You may only submit one entry per class period. Please note that submissions will only be accepted from teachers. The deadline to submit your entries is March 19th, 2021.
Why participate?
Spice up your Membean routine!
Add collaboration to your Membean universe.
Each student on Membean experiences highly personalized learning. This contest offers an opportunity for students to talk about and play with words collaboratively.
Get those creative juices flowing!
In the world of testing and data, too often creativity has to take a back seat. This quick activity will put some “fun” in the fundamentals of learning.
Spark autonomy.
Know that kid who rarely talks in class and feels like writing is one of Dante’s levels in the Inferno? This contest may be just what that student needs to get excited to share what they know about words.
Winning classes earn 💰!
Ten finalists will be selected to advance to the final round where teachers and students from all over the country will vote for the winning memes. Winning teachers receive a gift card to spend with their class.
1st place wins $300 gift card
2nd place wins $200 gift card
3rd place wins $150 gift card
4th-10th places win $50 gift card
Decide as a class how to spend your winnings: Giant pizza party, supplies for the classroom, donation to a beloved charity, it’s up to you!
Optional Resources
Do you want to incorporate this as a class activity? We want to make this process as simple as possible for you. We’ve got a pre-made lesson plan (with slides!) that you can adjust as needed. Then sit back and enjoy your students’ creativity!
Lesson Plan
Slides
Rubric
Contest related questions:
How often can classes enter?
Do you allow individual student submissions?
Do I have to follow the included lesson plan?
In what format should the meme be?
Meme submissions can be in JPG, GIF, or PNG.
Can students find a meme, or do they need to be original?
Students can borrow common Meme images but submissions must be original work of the students and include a Membean word.
Questions?
Prize related questions:
Who is eligible to win?
What are the prizes?
- 1st place wins $300 gift card to spend with class
- 2nd place wins $200 gift card to spend with class
- 3rd place wins $150 gift card to spend with class
- 4th-10th places win $50 gift card to spend with their class
How are the winners selected?
The top 10 finalists will be selected by a Membean panel using a rubric (see above). First, Second, and Third Place winners will be selected by most votes obtained by teachers and students who use Membean.
When and how will winners be notified?
How do I receive my prize if I win?
How many prizes will be given out?
Where are the official rules located?
Official Rules & Disclaimers
Membean Inc.
Word-Meme Contest
Official Rules
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER
1. Description of Contest. The Membean Word-Meme Contest (the “Contest”) is a promotion sponsored by Membean Inc. (“Membean”). The Contest is intended to encourage classroom engagement through Membean’s subscription-based education service (the “Service”). The goal of the Contest is to submit a picture meme that best utilizes a Membean word (to be announced).
The Contest begins at 12:01am PST on March 1, 2021 and ends at 11:59pm PST on March 19th, 2021 (“Entry Period”). All Entries (as defined below) must be received during the Entry Period to be eligible for the Contest. Membean’s computer is the official timekeeping device for the Contest. The Contest can be cancelled at any time. Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible Entries, judges’ scoring, and eligible voting.
2. Eligibility. Entries (as defined below) must be submitted by a U.S. classroom teacher (the “Entrant”) who: (a) is a legal U.S. resident; (b) at the time of entry and at the time a prize is awarded, has an active Membean teacher user account in good standing; and (c) together with teacher’s school, teacher’s students, and each student’s parent or legal guardian(s) (“Parent/Guardian”), is in full compliance with Membean’s Terms of Use (https://membean.com/agreement) and Privacy Policy (https://membean.com/privacy). Void where prohibited by law.
3. How to Enter. Enter by fully completing, to Membean’s satisfaction, all parts of the Contest application via SurveyMonkey, the link for which is available to eligible users on Membean’s website at https://membean.com, and which must contain at least the following information: (i) Entrant’s name and email address; (ii) Entrant’s school name and address; (iii) Entrant’s class name and period, including number of student’s in the class; (iv) a captioned picture meme submission, uploaded in PDF or other permitted format, that uses a Membean word; and (v) all required signatures, acknowledgements and permission set forth in the application. Successfully completion of a valid application constitutes an “Entry.”
By submitting an Entry, Entrant agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules. Membean is not responsible for Entries not received due to lost, failed, delayed, or interrupted connections or miscommunications, or other electronic malfunctions or mail delays. Membean is not responsible for incorrect or inaccurate Entry information, whether caused by persons entering such information through the application or Membean’s website, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest, or by any human error which may occur in the processing of Entries. Entries remain the property of Membean and will not be returned or acknowledged.
4. Representations and Warranties of Entrant. Entrant represents and warrants that:
(a) the Entry is an original creative work created solely by the Entrant’s classroom students; (b) the Entry does not violate any intellectual property, publicity, privacy, or moral rights of any third party; and (c) the Entry complies with these Official Rules.
5. Restrictions on Entries. Only one (1) Entry is permitted per Entrant (i.e., per classroom). Entries may not contain or include profanity, inappropriate language or images, or any content or information that perpetuates biases or is culturally insensitive, defamatory, threatening, disparaging, unlawfully harassing, hateful, or injurious to any individual. Each Entry is bound by and subject to the terms of these Official Rules and Membean’s privacy policy.
6. Selection Process: Judging and Voting. Selection of the Contest winners will take place after the end of a two-phase selection process. During the first phase (described in Section 6.1 below), all Entries will be judged against the Contest criteria, and the top 10 Entries will be chosen to advance to the final voting phase. During the second phase (described in Section 6.2 below), each of the top 10 finalist Entries will be posted on Membean’s website and will be voted on by eligible students and teachers. Based on eligible votes received, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will be chosen.
6.1. Initial Judging Phase. During the period from March 19th, 2021 until March 26, 2021 (the “Judging Period”), the Contest judges will review and judge all Entries against the Contest criteria described in this Section 6.1. Contest judges will select the top 10 Entries (“Finalists”) based on the Contest criteria, in their sole discretion. The judges’ decisions are final and may not be appealed. Membean will announce all Finalists on or about March 26, 2021. If there are fewer than 10 Entries submitted during the Contest, then all qualified Entries will advance to the voting phase as Finalists.
The Contest judges will include qualified professionals selected by Membean. The Contest judging criteria will be based on the following judging rubric:
| 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Membean word effectively used | Membean word meaning is clear and effectively applied | Membean word is used correctly but lacks precision | Membean word is incorrectly used |
| Text/image relationship (content) | The connection between the image and text is crystal clear, relatable, and quickly understood | Connection between image and text is somewhat clear, relatable, and/or understood | Unclear connection between selected image and text |
| Audience Effect | Instant reaction from meme (laugh, smile, etc.) with obvious intention from author | Slight reaction… Author’s intention is clear, and it is moderately effective | No clear reaction |
| Originality | Text is original and fresh; beyond what is commonly seen | Text shows an attempt to be original but with less creativity | Contains text seen frequently in other memes |
| TOTAL | |||
6.2. Voting Phase. During the period from March 26, 2021 until April 5, 2021 (the “Voting Period”), the Finalists’ Entries will be displayed and posted on the Membean website for viewing and voting by eligible student and teacher votes in a survey linked to an active Membean account. At the end of the Voting Period, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will be selected based on the Finalist Entries that receive the most votes from eligible and unique voters. Votes entered or received after the Voting Period will not be counted.
An eligible voter must have an active Membean teacher or student user account in good standing and agree to all corresponding terms and conditions of voting. Only one (1) vote per person will be allowed during the Voting Period; voters may not vote for more than one Entrant. Voters attempting to submit more than one vote will be disqualified and all votes submitted by such voter will not be counted. Students who are minors in their state of residency at the time of entry must have the express permission of their Parent/Guardian to vote or otherwise participate in the Contest.
7. Notification of Winners. During the week of April 5, 2021, Membean will announce the final Contest winners. The winners will be notified by email to the email address provided with Entry, or associated with the winner’s user account. If a potential winner cannot be reached and/or does not respond to Membean within five days after Membean’s first attempt to contact the Entrant, or if the Entrant is found to be ineligible or does not otherwise comply with these Official Rules, an alternate winner may be selected by Membean. All results of judging and voting, and all decisions of Membean, will be final and binding in all respects.
8. Prizes. Membean will award the following gift card prizes, to be awarded to the Entrant and spent and shared with the Entrant’s classroom:
· 1st Place winner will receive a $300 gift card.
· 2nd Place winner will receive a $200 gift card.
· 3rd Place winner will receive a $150 gift card.
· Each remaining Finalist (other than the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners) will receive a $50 gift card.
No substitution, transfer, or cash equivalent of any prize is allowed by any Contest winner. Membean, at its sole discretion, may substitute a prize of equal or greater value. Membean disclaims all warranties, express or implied, for the prize, including implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Any portion of the prize not accepted or received by a winner will be forfeited. All prize details not specified in these Official Rules will be determined in Membean’s sole discretion.
9. License. By submitting an Entry, each Entrant (and the Entrant’s students) grant to Membean a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, fully-paid license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, transmit and display the Entry, and to incorporate the Entry into any other works in any form, media or technology now known or developed in the future, for the purpose of promoting Membean, the Contest, the Entrants and the Entries. Membean has the right, but not the obligation, to use, distribute, or exploit any Entry.
10. General Conditions. All taxes are the sole responsibility of the winners. The winners may be required to execute (and have notarized) an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release (“Affidavit/Release”), which must be returned to and received by Membean within 10 days after each winner’s receipt of the Affidavit/Release. Any failure to comply with the foregoing may result in disqualification and an alternate winner may be chosen. Return of the prize, the prize notification, or the Affidavit/Release as undeliverable may result in disqualification and an alternate winner may be selected. In addition to the foregoing, each Entry into the Contest and/or acceptance of the prize constitutes permission for Membean and its affiliates to use the Entrant’s name, address (city and state) and/or likeness for advertising and trade purposes without further compensation, worldwide and in perpetuity, in any and all forms of media, now known and hereafter devised, including without limitation on-line and through social media, unless prohibited by law. All Entrants agree to comply with these Official Rules. Any person attempting to defraud or in any way tamper with this Contest, and any person who does not comply with these Official Rules, will be ineligible for the prize and may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
THE OREGON COURTS (STATE AND FEDERAL) SHALL HAVE SOLE JURISDICTION OF ANY CONTROVERSIES REGARDING THE CONTEST AND THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF OREGON SHALL GOVERN THE CONTEST. EACH ENTRANT WAIVES ANY AND ALL OBJECTIONS TO JURISDICTION AND VENUE IN THOSE COURTS AND HEREBY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS.
If, for reasons beyond Membean’s control, the Contest is not capable of running as originally planned, Membean reserves the right in its sole discretion to suspend, cancel or modify the Contest, without liability. Membean is not responsible for errors, failures or delays caused by Membean’s or any Entrant’s computer system, hardware, or software.
11. Waivers and Disclaimers. By entering, each Entrant releases and holds harmless Membean, its third party service providers providing the Contest, and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, attorneys, agents and representatives from any and all liability for any injuries, loss, claim, action, demand or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the Contest or any prize won, any misuse or malfunction of any prize awarded, participation in any Contest related activity, or participation in the Contest. Without limiting the foregoing, each entrant acknowledges and agrees that Membean has complied with all applicable laws and regulations related to the Contest, including without limitation the Child Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), and each Entrant, student and Parent/Guardian hereby releases Membean from any liability related thereto.
12. Rules/Winners List. For an additional copy of these Official Rules or the name of the winners, send a stamped, self-address envelope, specifying your request to: “Membean User Survey Contest”, Membean Inc., 10940 SW Barnes Road #233, Portland, OR 97225. The winners’ names will be available after April 5, 2021.