Welcome to the
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
Information Meeting
What is the Science
Olympiad?
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Annual science competition nationwide
23 individual and team events (topics)
Students focus on 2-3 events.
Compete against other San Diego middle schools
(6th-9th graders) in February.
Science-Olympiad
Benefits
• Promotes teamwork & collaboration
• Improves study skills, time management and
research skills
• Exposure to sciences outside of regular science
class
• Great addition to academic resume
Science-Olympiad
Student Commitment
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12 weeks of training  Oct – Feb for Regionals
3-4 hours per week  ~ 1 hour per event
Attendance & participation at all trainings
Completion of work assigned by coach(es)
Adherence to school rules
Science-Olympiad
Event Selections
• Rank top 5 on registration form
• Students are grouped by desired event(s) and
coaching schedules (space permitting)
• Build vs. Test event
o Train for 1 build and 2 tests
• Students crossed trained as much as possible (may
train, but not compete)
• Teams formed week prior to Olympiad
Parent Volunteers
• Parent Coaching
• Parent supervisor at Coaching Sessions
o 2-4 hours a week
• Event day
o Set up
o Food
o Supplies
Important Dates
• October 8th
Coaches Meeting (rules
delivered to coaches).
• November 15th
SO workshop
• No training on Thanksgiving and Christmas
breaks.
• January 7th
Coaches Meeting
• February 7th
Science Olympiad
2015 Event
Table
Physical
Earth &
Science &
Life, Personal Space Science
Chemistry
& Social
Science
Anatomy
(Cardiovascula
r,
Integumentary,
Immune)
Bio-Process
Lab
Disease
Detectives
(Population
Growth)
Entomology
Green
Generation
Dynamic
Planet
(Oceanography
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Fossils
Meteorology
(Climate)
Road Scholar
Solar System
Inquiry &
Technology &
Nature of
Engineering
Science
Physics
Air Trajectory
Crave the
Wave
Simple
Machines
Chemistry
Can't Judge a
Powder
Crime Busters
Bridge
Building
Elastic
Launched
Glider
Robo-Cross
Wheeled
Vehicle
Bottle Rocket
Experimental
Design
Picture This
Write It Do It
Official website for National Science Olympiad
www.soinc.org
• Gravitational force to pressure conversion
• Reliability and repeatability
• Structure and function of internal and external
anatomy of insects
• Ecology
• Behavior
• History
• Economic or health impact of individual specimens
on humans
• Process skills may include observations, inferences,
data interpretation, diagram analysis
• Students will answer questions involving the history
and consequences of human impact on our
environment, solutions to reversing trends and
sustainability concepts.
• Allowed: one 8.5” by 11” two-sided page of notes
with any information and a non-graphing calculator
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Seawater
Energy conservation
Water temperature
Topographic features
Process and features of techtonic plates
Formation of barrier reefs
Waves, surface current, coastal current,tides
Coastal features
Teams will define problems, design solution,
investigation, analysis, data interpretation etc.
• Was an event last year, rules are not substantially
changed
• One two-sided page of information
• Two non-programmable, non-graphing calculators
• B is now Integumentary, Immune, and
Cardiovascular, instead of Nervous and
Integumentary
• Description: One student will write a description of
an object and how to build it, and then the other
student will attempt to construct the object from
this description.
• Teams of 2
o Writer
o Builder
• Description: This event will determine a team’s
ability to design, conduct, and report the findings of
an experiment actually conducted on site.
• Teams of 3
• Supervisors provide:
o Outline based on the rubric below
o Identical sets of materials
• Students must use at least two of the provided materials
• Provided cards/containers will be considered as part of the materials
o Question/topic area
• Description: Teams will demonstrate their
knowledge of ancient life by completing selected
tasks at a series of stations. Emphasis will be on fossil
identification and ability to answer questions about
classification, habitat, ecologic relationships,
behaviors, environmental adaptations (Rules
Change) and the use of fossils to date and
correlate rock units.
• Teams of 2.
•The intent of this event is for students to make and
record observations. Students will test and
characterize one pure substance and then, based
only on data they collect, answer a series of questions
about that substance.
• Students WILL NOT be asked to identify the solid.
Emphasis of this event is on the quality of data
collected, answering questions about the substance
and providing data to support their answers.
• Highway and quadrangle maps may be from one
or more states
• The event may be presented in a storyline format
• May be asked to draw features located within a
square section on answer sheet using correct
features from Testing Area (presented in next few
slides)
• Participants may be asked to draw a topographic
map profile that will be included on the answer
sheet.
• Lab stations
o Answer questions or perform a task like formulating a hypothesis, collect
data
o Students might need to evaluate a hypothesis, make predictions, make
observations, etc.
o Statistical calculations like mean, standard deviation
o Graphs and figures like pedigree, karyotype, genetic ratios, food webs
o Use microscopes, rulers, pipettes, thermometers, etc.
o Use a taxonomic/dichotomous key
o Draw inferences from data
• Build a vehicle
o Uses a non-metallic, elastic solid
o Travels a distance quickly and
accurately
• Travel 9.00m to 12.00m
o 1.0m increments – Regional0.5m
increments – State
o 0.1m increments - National
• As close to Finish Dot
around an obstacle
• Impound – yes
• Eye protection - #5
Bonus
Jug
Zone D
Zone A
Zone C
Bonus
Jug
Zone B
Starting
Tennis Ball
position of
Robot
4 Stacks of
4 Pennies
each
Ping-Pong
Balls (4)
Standard 2x4
Lego Blocks (4)
Description: The objective is to have team members take turns drawing
representations of a set of scientific terms/concepts (not scientists)
while the other team member(s) guesses the term being drawn.
Teams of up to 3.
• Event Description: This event includes activities and questions
related to simple machines.
• 2 parts: Part 1 is written exam and Part 2 is device testing
• Students will build a class 1 lever (3.a) and use it to determine
the ratio of three unknown masses
• New event
• Competitors must solve problems and answer
questions regarding all types and areas of waves
and wave motion.
• Allowed: reference materials in a 3-ring binder,
writing utensils, and any type of calculators.
• Teams of up to 2
• 50 min
• Teams construct two rockets designed to stay aloft
for the greatest amount of time.
• Teams of 2
• ~10 minutes