SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

Submitted to: Linimol K. S.

Literature Physical Science
Submitted by: Jemma Gelgani K. X
Physical Science
RegNo.: 13383012
Submitted on: 24-09-2014









SL No Content Page No
1 Introduction
1
2 History
1
3 Divisions
2
4 Events
2
5 Events for the 2012-2013 school years
2
6 Trial/Pilot Events
5
7 Distinction between Trial and Pilot Events
5
8 Team Structure
6
9 Conclusion
7
10 Reference
7



SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
Introduction
Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, and high school team
competition in which students compete in 'events' pertaining to various scientific
disciplines, including earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering.
Over 6,700 teams from 50 U.S. states compete each year. There are three levels of
competition: regional, state, and national. In addition, some states or private groups
offer 'invitational' tournaments which serve as practice for regional and state
competitions. Teams which excel at the regional competitions advance to the state,
and then to the national level. Winners later receive several kinds of awards from
ribbons to trophies.
Science Olympiad is not associated with the International Science Olympiads, which
follow a completely different format and set of rules.
Contents
History
The first recorded Science Olympiad was held on Saturday, November 23, 1974
at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, North Carolina. Dr. Donald Barnes
and Dr. David Wetmore were the originators of this event. Fifteen schools from North
and South Carolina participated in this event. It was a day-long affair, with
competitions and demonstrations for
high school students in the areas of
biology, chemistry, and physics. There
were four event periods during this day
and each event period had one fun
event (like beaker race or paper
airplane), one demonstration (like
glassblowing and holography), and one
serious event (like periodic table quiz or Science Bowl). An article by David Wetmore
was published in the Journal of Chemical Education in January 1978 documenting the
success of recruiting students through Science Olympiad. St. Andrews Presbyterian
College continues to host a Science Olympiad tournament to this day.[5] Mr. John C.
"Jack" Cairns was a teacher at Dover High School in Delaware when he learned about
the Science Olympiad tournament in North Carolina. He shared this information with
Dr. Douglas R. Macbeth, the Delaware State Science Supervisor. Mr. Cairns was
appointed to a steering committee to organize the first Science Olympiad in Delaware



which took place at Delaware State University in the spring of 1977. A write-up in
The Science Teacher of December 1977 caught the attention of Dr. Gerard Putz, who
proposed that the program be expanded throughout the United States. After
competition tests in Michigan at the Lawrence Institute of Technology and Oakland
University in 1983 and 1984, Putz and Delaware director John Cairns took their plan
for a national competition to the National Science Teachers Conference in Boston.
The first National Tournament was attended by representatives of 17 states, held at
Michigan State University in 1985. Since then, the program has expanded greatly,
with 60 teams present in each division at the National Tournament. In 2012, a Global
Ambassador Team from Japan was invited to attend the national tournament at the
University of Central Florida.
Divisions
There are four divisions in the hierarchy of Science Olympiad:
Division A1 for elementary school (grades K-3)
Division A2 for elementary school (grades 3-6)
Division B for middle school (grades 6-8)
Division C for high school (grades 9-12)

However, the national tournament and generally state and regional
tournaments are only for divisions B and C. Division A teams usually have separate
interscholastic tournaments, apart from the more common intra-school
competitions. Note that 6th and 9th graders have the option of competing in either of
the two divisions in which they meet the grade requirements and are part of the
competing school. A middle school may, however, only use up to 5 members who
have graduated to the next school if they are in 9th grade or lower. Students in
grades lower than the division in which the school competes in may also be on the
team. Teams are restricted to five 9th graders for division B and seven 12th graders
for division C. Students may not participate on multiple teams, e.g. a 9th grader on
both a high school and middle school team would not be allowed.
Events
Students compete in twenty-three main events, which usually occur on a single
day; done by a team of limited numbers. Events fall under three main categories:
Science Concepts and Knowledge, Science Processes and Thinking Skills, and Science
Application and Technology. They are either knowledge-based (for example, written
tests on earth science, physics, astronomy, or biology), hands-on (for example,

chemistry lab practicals), or engineering-based (participants construct a device to do
specified tasks).

Knowledge-based events generally have two participants either taking a test or
mathematically analyzing data. Examples of such events are Designer Genes,
Forensics, and Chemistry Lab.
Hands-on events generally consist of two participants performing experiments or
interacting with physical objects to achieve a certain goal. Some examples are Bio-
Process lab, Forensics, or Science Crimebusters. Engineering-based events have a
team of two to three participants. They are to construct a device following a specific
event's parameters and test the device against others. Examples include Robo-Cross,
Bridge/Tower Building, and Storm The Castle.
The majority of events require two team members, though a few require more. If one
member is unable to attend an event, the other is able to continue, depending on the
event, with the competition, though at an obvious disadvantage. If the team has one
available, a back-up team member may be placed with the member as opposed to
their former partner.
The list and rules for events change and are updated every year to input dynamism
and to limit the advantages of more experienced teams.
Events for the 2012-2013 school years
Note that some events are not included in the competition scores, as they are
trial/pilot events.
Event Name Description
Anatomy (B)
Teams will be tested on their knowledge of anatomy and health
concepts based on two pre-selected body systems. This year, the two
are the nervous and integumentary systems.
Anatomy &
Physiology (C)
This event encompasses the anatomy and physiology of selected body
systems, this year limited to nervous, immune, and integumentary
systems.
Astronomy (C)
Teams will demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts of
math and physics relating to stellar evolution and Type II supernovas.
Boom lever (B/C) Students will build a cantilevered wooden structure.
Chemistry Lab (C)
Teams will demonstrate chemistry laboratory skills related to
stoichiometry and equilibrium.
Circuit Lab (C)
Students will compete in theoretical and practical activities involving
knowledge of direct current (DC) electrical circuits.
Crime Busters (B)
Teams will identify the perpetrators of a crime or crimes by using
paper chromatography and analysis of unknown solids, liquids, and
plastics found at the scene of a crime.
Designer Genes (C)
Students will solve problems using their knowledge of molecular
genetics and biotechnology.
Disease Detective
(B/C)
Requires students to apply principles of epidemiology to a published
report of a real-life health situation or problem. (Environmental
Quality)

Dynamic Planet
(B/C)
Teams will work at stations that display a variety of earth science
materials and related earth science questions. (Glaciers)
Elastic Launched
Glider (C)
Students will design, build and test two elastic launched gliders
capable of the highest time aloft.
Experimental Design
(B/C)
Given a set of unknown objects, teams will design, conduct, analyse
and write-up an experiment.
Fermi Questions (C)
A Fermi Question is a science related question that seeks a fast, rough
estimate of a quantity which is difficult or impossible to measure
directly. Answers will be estimated within an order of magnitude
recorded in powers of 10.
Food Science (B)
Using their understanding of the chemistry and physical properties of
baking ingredients, teams will answer questions at a series of stations.
Forensics (C)
Students will identify polymers, solids, fibres, and other materials in a
crime scenario.
Forestry (B/C)
This event will test student knowledge of North American trees that
are on the Official List.
Gravity Vehicle (C)
Teams design, build and test one vehicle and ramp that uses
gravitational potential energy as the vehicle's sole means of
propulsion to reach a Target Point as quickly, as accurately and as
close to their predicted time as possible.
Helicopters (B)
Students will construct and test free flight rubber-powered helicopters
prior to the tournament to achieve maximum flight times.
Heredity (B)
Students will solve problems and analyse data or diagrams using their
knowledge of the basic principles of genetics.
Keep the Heat (B)
Teams must construct an insulated device prior to the tournament that
is designed to retain heat. Students must also complete a written test
on thermodynamic concepts.
Maglev (C)
Competitors may construct up to two self-propelled magnetically
levitated vehicles powered by batteries that turn up to two propellers
to move the vehicle down a magnetic track. Students will also be tested
on their knowledge of magnetism and related topics.
Materials Science (C)
Teams will answer a series of questions or complete tasks involving
the scientific processes of chemistry focused in the areas of materials
science.
Meteorology (B) This event involves the use of process skills as applied to meteorology.
Metric Mastery (B)
Students will demonstrate an intuitive feeling for estimating then
measuring metric units including mass, volume, area, surface area,
force, distance, time and temperature.
Mission Possible (B)
Prior to the competition, participants will design, build, test and
document a "Rube Goldberg-like device" that completes a required
Final Task using a sequence of consecutive tasks.
Mousetrap Vehicle
(B)
Teams will design, build and test a vehicle using one mousetrap as the
sole means of propulsion to reach a target as quickly, accurately and
close to their predicted time as possible.
Reach for the Stars
(B)
Students will demonstrate an understanding and basic knowledge of
the properties and evolution of stars, open clusters and globular
clusters, and normal and star-forming galaxies.

Remote Sensing (C)
Teams use remote sensing imagery, science and math process skills to
complete tasks related to an understanding of Earth's Hydrosphere.
Road Scholar (B)
Requires the accurate interpretation and understanding of various
map features using a variety of road and topographic maps.
Robot Arm (C)
Prior to the competition teams must design, build, document and test
one robotic device to move scored items.
Rocks and Minerals
(B/C)
Teams will demonstrate their knowledge of rocks and minerals.
Rotor Egg Drop (B)
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.
Shock Value (B)
Students will compete in activities involving basic understanding of
electricity, magnetism and simple electrical devices.
Sounds of Music (B)
Students will 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.
Technical Problem
Solving (C)
Teams will gather and process data to solve problems.
Thermodynamics
(C)
Teams must construct an insulated device prior to the tournament that
is designed to retain heat. Teams must also complete a written test on
thermodynamic concepts.
Water Quality (B/C)
The event will focus on evaluating aquatic environments.
(Freshwater/Estuaries)
Write It/Do It (B/C)
A technical writing exercise where students write a description of a
contraption and other students will attempt to recreate it using only
the written description.

Trial/Pilot Events
Trial/Pilot events are, at Regional and State tournaments, events that are
specific to that state that are being considered as events for the next year. At
Regionals and States, these events may count towards the team's score. At Nationals,
however, there is a completely different set of Trial/Pilot events, sometimes known
as "alternate events" because the people entering them do not have to be on
theofficial team. These do not count towards the team's score, but ribbons and
medals are usually awarded.

Distinction between Trial and Pilot Events
The terms "trial event" and "pilot event" (also called "exploratory event") are
sometimes interchangeable, both pertaining to an event that is not an official,
national event for the year. However, at the National Tournament, there are often
two differences. First, in 2010, it was announced that medals would only be awarded


to the top 3 in the Trial events, but not at all in the Pilot events. Also, the Trial events
are often much closer to becoming official events for following years than pilot
events. Almost all of the Trial events from recent National tournaments have become
official events within a few years of the tournament, while the same is not true for
almost any of the pilot events.
Team Structure
Teams are hosted by the school from which the participants attend.
Science Olympiad is most often run as an after-school extracurricular activity,
but some schools offer Science Olympiad classes that allow students to receive
academic credit for participation. A teacher, parent, or student (usually a volunteer)
coordinates the team in practice and preparation for the competition. Often there are
others who coach individual events as well. A team can consist of up to 15 students
and any amount of alternates; some states allow more students per team. At the
middle school level at nationals, only five ninth graders are allowed to compete on
one team; at the high school level, only seven twelfth graders are allowed per team.
However, for state competitions, the rules may often be different. Homeschool
groups may also form teams to compete.
Although teams may have an unlimited number of alternates, it is implicitly
stated within the rules that competitors present at the event must have completed all
of the work on their event. This is specifically aimed at building events. It is illegal for
teams to have their alternates as "builders" and their formal team members as
"thinkers". Judges at the event are allowed to ask any question of the machine or
contraption in an effort to keep the scenario above from occurring. Nonetheless,
competitors, coaches, and entire teams are expected to have integrity and to abide by
this rule.
A great deal of strategy usually goes into forming a team. Since events go on at
the same time as other events during a competition and conflicts may occur, the
coach or coordinator must make decisions based on the competitor's specialty and
ability in order to correctly place him/her. Sometimes, usually during the
reformation of competitors when a team advances a level, a competitor who wasn't
originally planned to compete in a certain event may have to compete in it to fill the
certain event slot.


CONCLUSION


Science Olympiad is most often run as an after-school extracurricular activity, but
some schools offer Science Olympiad classes that allow students to receive academic
credit for participation. The majority of events require two team members, though a
few require more. If one member is unable to attend an event, the other is able to
continue, depending on the event, with the competition, though at an obvious
disadvantage. Although teams may have an unlimited number of alternates, it is
implicitly stated within the rules that competitors present at the event must have
completed all of the work on their event.


REFERENCE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_Olympiad
http://soinc.org/about
http://infohost.nmt.edu/~science/olympiad/