Science Olympiad Information Meeting
September 18, 2013 (River Bend)
What is Science Olympiad?
• International nonprofit organization- Organize tournaments.
– develop a passion for learning science.
– tests knowledge of various science topics.
• Over 15,000 schools from 49 U.S. states compete.
• Teams compete in three levels of competition:
– Regional, States, and National.
RBMS Science Olympiad Team
•
•
•
•
•
Team represents River Bend Middle School.
15 students (max. per Team). 2 Teams.
Science Olympiad tournament consists of 23 events.
Most events require 2 students.
Events involve taking a test, laboratory work or
testing a device (built previously).
• Events run in 50 minute intervals on tournament day.
• Students participate in 3-4 events.
• Students prepare for competition during entire
school year.
– Enhance their science education.
– Helps develop a passion for science.
23 Events – 5 Categories
Life, Personal & Social Science
Anatomy, Disease Detective, Entomology, Heredity, Water Quality
Physical Science & Chemistry
Can’t judge a powder, Crime Busters, Simple Machines, Shock Value, Sounds
of Music
Earth & Space Science
Dynamic Planet, Meteorology, Reach for the Stars, Road Scholar, Rocks and
Minerals
Technology & Engineering
Boomilever, Mission Possible, Mouse Trap Vehicle, Mystery Architecture, Roller
Coaster, Rotor Egg Drop
Inquiry & Nature of Science
Metric Mastery, Experimental Design, Write It Do It
Life, Personal & Social Science
• Anatomy (Nervous, Integumentary)
– Nervous and Integumentary Systems
• Disease Detective (Environmental Illness)
– Investigative skills in the study of disease, injury, health,
and disability.
• Entomology
– Study of insects
• Heredity
– Students will solve problems and analyze data or diagrams
using their knowledge of the basic principles of genetics
• Water Quality
- The event will focus on evaluating aquatic environments
(Marine/Estuary).
Earth & Space Science
• Dynamic Planet
– Related to Glaciers, long term planet changes.
• Rocks and Minerals
• Meteorology
– Use of process skill applied to Meteorology (Severe Storms)
• Road Scholar
– Interpretation and understanding of various map features
– use of road and topographic maps.
• Solar System
– understanding and knowledge of the properties and
evolution of extraterrestrial ice and water in the solar system.
Physical Science & Chemistry
• Shock Value
- Compete in activities involving basic understanding of
electricity, magnetism and simple electrical devices.
• Simple Machines
– Perform activities and answer questions related to simple
machines
• Sounds of Music
- Build two instruments based on a 12 tone tempered scale,
prepare to describe the principles behind their operation and be
able to perform a major scale, a required melody and a chosen
melody with each
Physical Science & Chemistry
• Can’t Judge a powder
- Characterize a pure substance and then, based only on data
they collect, answer a series of questions about that substance.
• Crime Busters
– Identify the perpetrators of a crime by analyzing solids,
liquids, and plastics found at the scene of a crime.
Technology & Engineering
• Robo-Cross
- Teams will design and build a robot capable of performing certain tasks on a
prescribed playing field.
• Wheeled Vehicle
- Competitors must design, build and test one vehicle that uses a non-metallic,
elastic solid as its sole means of propulsion to travel a distance as quickly and
accurately as possible.
• Mystery Architecture
- At the beginning of the event, teams will be given a bag of building materials
and instructions for designing and building a device that can be tested.
• Boomilever
– Students will build a cantilevered wooden structure.
Inquiry & Nature of Science
• Experimental Design
– design, conduct, and report the findings of an experiment
actually conducted on site.
• Rotor Egg Drop
- A team will construct a helicopter device which uses one or
more helicopter rotors to safely transport a raw chicken egg from
a specified height to the floor..
• Write it Do it
– effectively communicate with a colleague in writing by
having their partner construct a device from this written
description.
Event Breakdown
Knowledge Events
Laboratory Events
• Anatomy
• Crime Busters
• Disease Detectives
• Can’t Judge a Powder
• Entomology
• Dynamic Planet
• Meteorology
• Experimental Design
• Heredity
• Shock Value
• Road Scholar
• Write it Do it
Building and Technology
Events
• Sounds of Music
• Wheeled Vehicle
• Boomilever
• Robo-Cross
• Rotor Egg Drop
• Mystery Architecture
• Rocks and Minerals
•Simple Machines
• Solar System
• Water Quality
Take a test on
tournament day
Low prep for coach.
Find appropriate study
material (books, CD).
Lab based, hands on
Conduct experiments and
answer questions.
Harder to prepare.
Require scientific equipment.
Popular
Build something prior to
competition.
Require time, money,
effort and a good coach.
Who are the coaches
• Coaches are parents or other adults who
volunteer to teach students the scientific
concepts for their respective events.
• Coaches do not have to be scientists.
• Approximately 1-2 events per coach.
• Organize meetings : 3-4 times a month
• Building events may require skill / more than
one coach.
Team selection
• Passion for science : Recruit students who build
electric cars, rockets, bridges as a hobby.
• Priority for students whose parent volunteer
their time as coaches.
–
–
–
–
Coaches teach scientific concepts for one or two events.
Coaches do not have to be scientists. Provide books, resources.
Organize meetings 3-4 times a month (or more).
Building events require skill, more than one coach.
• Require a good mix of students to cover the wide
range of topics.
• Open for 6th – 8th graders. Maybe limited by grade.
Before you commit …
• Each event requires significant effort :
– Work with a parent / coach beyond the regular
school day, to prepare for the events.
– Events are designed to challenge the students.
• Fill student interest form, prioritize events.
– Each student is assigned 3-4 events.
– Should be willing to work on any event.
• Scientific equipment, books, building
material ~ $ 50 - 100 / student.
– Registration cost - $50
Timeline
• Obtain building material / books : Sept. - Nov.
• Study and prepare for tournament : Spet. – Feb.
• Organize weekly meetings to monitor progress.
Coaches Clinic: Oct. 19, 2013.
• Invitational: Jan. 11, 2014. Fairfax High.
• Regional Tournaments : Feb./March .
• State Tournament : March 22, 2014. Madison HS.
• National Tournament : May 2014.
Resources / Contacts
• Virginia Science Olympiad : http://virginiaso.com/
• National Science Olympiad : http://soinc.org/
Resources / Contacts
• Virginia Science Olympiad : http://virginiaso.com/
• National Science Olympiad : http://soinc.org/