Welcome to the

Information Meeting

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

What is the Science Olympiad?

• 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• 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 dayo Set upo Foodo 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

Official website for National Science Olympiadwww.soinc.org

2015 Event Table

Life, Personal & Social Science

Earth & Space Science

Physical Science & Chemistry

Technology & Engineering

Inquiry & Nature of Science

Anatomy (Cardiovascular, Integumentary, Immune)Bio-Process LabDisease Detectives(Population Growth)EntomologyGreen Generation

Dynamic Planet(Oceanography)FossilsMeteorology (Climate)Road ScholarSolar System

PhysicsAir TrajectoryCrave the WaveSimple MachinesChemistryCan't Judge a PowderCrime Busters

Bridge BuildingElastic Launched GliderRobo-CrossWheeled Vehicle

Bottle RocketExperimental DesignPicture ThisWrite It Do It

• Gravitational force to pressure conversion• Reliability and repeatability

What is Air Trajectory?

What is Disease Detective?

• 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

What is Entomology?

What is Crime Buster?

What is Green Generation?

• 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

What is Dynamic Planet (Oceanography)?

• 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.

What is Anatomy?

• 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

What is Bridge Building?

What is Write it-Do it?

• 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 2o Writero Builder

What is Experimental Design?

• 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 belowo Identical sets of materials

• Students must use at least two of the provided materials• Provided cards/containers will be considered as part of the

materialso Question/topic area

What is Fossils?

• 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.

What is CJAP (Can’t Judge A Powder)?

•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.

What is Road Scholar?

• 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.

What is Bio-Process Lab?

• Lab stationso Answer questions or perform a task like formulating a hypothesis,

collect datao Students might need to evaluate a hypothesis, make predictions, make

observations, etc.o Statistical calculations like mean, standard deviationo Graphs and figures like pedigree, karyotype, genetic ratios, food webso Use microscopes, rulers, pipettes, thermometers, etc.o Use a taxonomic/dichotomous keyo Draw inferences from data

What is Wheeled Vehicle?

• Build a vehicleo Uses a non-metallic, elastic

solido Travels a distance quickly and

accurately

• Travel 9.00m to 12.00mo 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

What is Robo-Cross?

Ping-Pong Balls (4)

4 Stacks of 4 Pennies

each

 

Zone A

Zone CZone DBonus

Jug

Bonus Jug

Zone B

Starting

position

of Robot

Tennis Ball

Standard 2x4 Lego Blocks

(4)

 

 

What is Elastic Launch Glider?

What is Picture This?

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.

What is Meteorology (Climate)?

What is Solar System (Ice in Space)?

What is Simple Machine?

• 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

What is Crave the Wave (Electromagnetism)

• 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

What is Bottle Rocket

• Teams construct two rockets designed to stay aloft for the greatest amount of time.

• Teams of 2• ~10 minutes