Science Olympiad is a primarily American elementary, middle school, or high school team competition that requires knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 14,000 teams from 45 U.S. states and Canada compete each year. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Primary or elementary education is the first years of formal, structured education that occurs during childhood. ... Middle school (also known as intermediate school or junior high school) covers a period of education that straddles primary education and secondary education, serving as a bridge between the two. ... Main article: Secondary education High school is a name used in some parts of the world, and particularly in North America, to describe the last segment of compulsory education. ... Part of a scientific laboratory at the University of Cologne. ...

History

Science Olympiad began as the Delaware Science Olympiad. A writeup in The Science Teacher of December 1977 caught the attention of Dr. Gerard Putz, who proposed that the program be expanded beyond Delaware. After tests in Michigan at the Lawrence Institute of Technology and Oakland University in 1983 and 1984, Putz and Delaware director John Cairns took their idea 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 to reach 45 states and Ontario, Canada.^[1] Official language(s) None Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Area  Ranked 49th  - Total 2,491 sq mi (6,452 km²)  - Width 30 miles (48 km)  - Length 100 miles (161 km)  - % water 21. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... Lawrence Technological University is a university located in Southfield, Michigan. ... Oakland University is a medium-sized public university located in Rochester, Michigan. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: City on the Hill, Beantown, Athens of America, The Hub (of the Universe)1 Location in Massachusetts, USA Coordinates: Country United States State Massachusetts County Suffolk County Government  - Mayor Thomas M. Menino (D) Area  - City  89. ... Michigan State University (MSU) is a public university in East Lansing, Michigan. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English (de facto) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 106 24 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of total)  Ranked 4th 1,076...

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 6-9)
• 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. Note that 6th, and 9th graders have the option of competing in either of the two divisions in which they meet the grade requirements. For example, a 9th grader can become part of the middle school team rather than the high school team if the high school has no team.^[2]

Events

There are twenty-three events in which competitors face off on a single day. 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 (i.e. written tests or laboratory tasks in earth science, physics, biology, and chemistry) or engineering-based (i.e. participants construct a device to do specified tasks). ^[3] Earth science (also known as geoscience, the geosciences or the Earth Sciences), is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. ... Physics (Greek: (phúsis), nature and (phusiké), knowledge of nature) is the science concerned with the fundamental laws of the universe. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ...

Knowledge-based events generally have two participants either taking a test, performing experiments, or mathematically analyzing data. Examples of such events are Designer Genes, Forensics, and Chemistry Lab.

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 Robot Ramble, Bridge/Tower Building, and Storm The Castle.

The majority of events require two team members, though some 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. Competition is the act of striving against another force for the purpose of achieving dominance or attaining a reward or goal, or out of a biological imperative such as survival. ...

The list of events, and rules for events, change and are updated every year to keep the competition interesting and to limit the advantages of older teams

Division B events for 2007

• Anatomy (Digestive and Nervous)
• Awesome Aquifers - construct an aquifer and answer questions about groundwater concepts
• Balloon Race - design and construct a weight which when attached to a helium balloon will rise the slowest
• Balloon Launch Glider - constructing a glider to be launched from a balloon, trying to achieve the longest flight time
• Crave the Wave - Test on all types of waves (e.g. earthquake waves, ocean waves, sound waves, and light waves)
• Disease Detectives (Epidemiology)- students are given data in which they are to do calculations to answer questions which may include where the source of this disease is located, what is the agent, how it can be prevented from spreading and so on
• Don't Bug Me
• Oceanography (Formerly Dynamic Planet)
• Ecology (Forests/Marine Biology and Estuaries)
• Food Science - students are to answer questions about basic scientific experements.
• Heredity - students are to answer a series of questions that are heredity related
• Meteorology (Everyday Weather)
• Metric Mastery
• Mission Possible - based on the Rube Goldberg machine(take the longest possible amount of time to do a simple task)
• Road Scholar - students read through a story and answer questions throughout the story while having to interpret the multiple maps given
• Rocks & Minerals-
• Science Word - one student is given a word and in 1-2 words have to give a simple definition of that word in which the other student who doesnt know what the word is has to guess it
• Science Crimebusters - students bring in materials in which they use to find out unknown powders and so on
• Simple Machines
• Solar System - students answer a series of questions related to the solar system
• Storm the Castle - building a device (for instance, a trebuchet) that launches a projectile using the energy of a falling counterweight
• Tower Building - designing and building the lightest tower (made out of wood), with the highest structural efficiency, capable of supporting a load of up to 15 kg
• Wheeled Vehicle
• Write It, Do It - one student is given a model, in which the other student can not see, they are to write instructions on how to create that model, after the time is up, the other student is given the set of instructions with the materials and are to try to build a replica of the model

(State and national tournaments can have other alternate events [see below]) An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, silt, or clay) from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. ... Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of geologic formations. ... Balloons, like greeting cards or flowers, are given for special occasions. ... Gliders or Sailplanes are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight. ... Balloons, like greeting cards or flowers, are given for special occasions. ... See map for the navigational aid The acronym MAPS could refer to: Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies Mail Abuse Prevention System Multi-jurisdictional Automated Preclearance System Mid-Atlantic Percussion Society Medical Advanced Pain Specialists Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship Multidisciplinary Academic PerspectiveS Metropolitan Area ProjectS Category: ... Major features of the Solar System (not to scale; from left to right): Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, the asteroid belt, the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and its Moon, and Mars. ... Trebuchet at Château des Baux, France. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Eiffel Tower Fire-observation watchtower in Kostroma, Russia. ... Trunks A tree trunk as found at the Veluwe, The Netherlands Wood is a solid material derived from woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs. ...

Division C events for 2007

• Astronomy (Variable Stars)
• Boomilever
• Chemistry Lab (Gases/Nuclear)
• Circuit Lab
• Designer Genes (Molecular Genetics/Biotechnology)
• Disease Detectives (Environmental Quality)
• Ecology (Forests/Marine Biology and Estuaries)
• Entomology (Formerly Don't Bug Me)
• Experimental Design
• Fermi Questions
• Five Star Science
• Food Science
• Forensics
• Health Science (Circulatory, Nervous, Endocrine)
• Map It†
• Metric Mastery†
• Oceanography (Formerly Dynamic Planet)
• Physics Lab (Rotational Motion)
• Remote Sensing (Mars)
• Robot Ramble
• Rocks and Minerals
• Scrambler
• Sumobots†
• Sounds of Music
• Wright Stuff
• Write It, Do It

(State and National competitions may have Alternate events†) Robot Ramble is a Science Olympiad event in which the participants have to create a robot that picks up objects and transports them to a plexi-glass cube. ...

†Alternate events (also known as Pilot and Trial events for building and academic events, respectively) are events designed for the alternates. These events do not affect the team score but medals are awarded for top finishers as in the other events. At Nationals in 2006, two of another type of Alternate event, called "Just For Fun" events, were held on a previous day, with prizes given out for the top 3 finishers (as opposed to the top 6) at a pre-competition assembly. It is unknown whether this practice will continue.

Team structure

Teams are hosted by the school from which the participants attend. 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 (plus alternates) and any amount of alternates at the national level; some states allow more students per team. In the middle school level, only 5 ninth graders are allowed to compete on one team, and at the high school level, only 7 twelfth graders are allowed per team. Homeschool groups may also form teams to compete. Students in Rome, Italy. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A parent is a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian // Mother This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The word student is etymologically derived through Middle English from the Latin second-type conjugation verb stÅ­dÄ“rÄ•, meaning to direct ones zeal at; hence a student is one who directs zeal at a subject. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Competition is the act of striving against another force for the purpose of achieving dominance or attaining a reward or goal, or out of a biological imperative such as survival. ... Alternate uses: Student (disambiguation) Etymologically derived through Middle English from the Latin second-type conjugation verb stŭdērĕ, which means to study, a student is one who studies. ... Middle school (also known as intermediate school or junior high school) covers a period of education that straddles primary education and secondary education, serving as a bridge between the two. ... Main article: Secondary education High school is a name used in some parts of the world, and particularly in North America, to describe the last segment of compulsory education. ... Homeschooling – also called home education or home school – is the education of children at home rather than in a public or private school. ... A team is any group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. ...

A lot of strategy usually goes into the forming of a team. Since events go on as the same time as other events during a competition, the coach or coordinator must make decisions based on the competitor's speciality and ability in order to correctly place them. Sometimes, usually during the reformation of competitors when a team advances a level, a "deadweight" competitor is placed into a competition slot to fill it, while they are only taught the basics. Deadweights are also sometimes used if a competitor who knows a great deal of their event, but gets nervous if they feel that all the blame for failing will be on them, becomes afraid of competiting. A Team is a small group with complementary skills who hold themselves mutually accountable for common purpose, goals, and approach. ...

Scoring

The winner of the competition is determined by each team's overall score. Each school is ranked in every event based on that event's rules. The team's overall score is then calculated by adding together the rank of the school in all events (e.g. 1st place receives 1 point, 2nd place 2 points, etc.). The team with the lowest overall score is declared the winner. However, it should be noted that some state competitions choose to score the competition by awarding more points per place (e.g. 13 points for 1st place, 12 points for 2nd place, etc.) and having the team with the most points being declared the winner. Winner is a city in Tripp County, South Dakota, USA. The population was 3,137 at the 2000 census. ... Look up score in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Students in Rome, Italy. ... A Team is a small group with complementary skills who hold themselves mutually accountable for common purpose, goals, and approach. ... Winner is a city in Tripp County, South Dakota, USA. The population was 3,137 at the 2000 census. ...

There are several ways to break a tie (draw): To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. ...

• Before a competition, the event organizer decides on several events to be used as tie-breakers. If two teams get the same score overall, the team that rates highest in that one event will take the lead.
• Another method for tie-breaking is based on medals where the team with more first place medals wins, if both teams have the same amount of first places, it moves to second place medals and so on.
• A third way of tie-breaking is to use a team's score in trial/pilot events. The team with the best combined score in trial events would win the competition when this method is used.

A Medal can mean three things: a wearable medal awarded by a government for services to a country (such as Armed force service); strictly speaking this only refers to a medal of coin-like appearance, but informally the word also refers to an Order (decoration); a table medal awarded by...

Competition levels

Science Olympiad competitions occur at a regional, state and national level . Normally, the top few teams advance from regional competition to state, the exact number depends on how many regions there are and how many teams compete. For example, the regional Science Olympiad competition in Albany, New York, which is held at The College of Saint Rose typically will send the top three finishing teams to the state competition. However, an additional team or teams can be sent to the state competition if one of the top three has been victorious (or has gone to the state competition) multiple times in a row. Also, no school can take more than one team to the state competition. If a "B team" to an already qualified team finishes in the top three of a regional competition, the next team not already in is allowed to go to the state competition in place of the "B team." In most states, the top team advances from state to the national competition. Some states with a larger number of teams are able to send two teams to the national competition to represent their larger presence. About 120 teams compete at the national level each year (60 from Division B and 60 from Division C); the number has changed over the years to accommodate growing participation and is dependent on the number of teams attending a particular state's state tournament. A region can be any area that has some unifying feature. ... A state is a set of institutions that possess the authority to make the rules that govern the people in one or more societies, having internal and external sovereignty over a definite territory. ... National can refer to: Look up national in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Location in Albany County and the State of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York County Albany Founded 1614 Incorporated 1686 Government  - Mayor Gerald D. Jennings Area  - City  21. ... The College of Saint Rose In Tuo Lumino Videbumus Lumen (In Thy Light We Shall See Light) The College of Saint Rose is a private, independent, co-educational college in Albany, New York, founded in 1920 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. ...

Some states, including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Indiana, Michigan, and Nebraska hold Invitational tournaments. These competitions serve as "practice rounds" for qualifying tournaments, and are hosted by individual high schools and/or colleges. These are also often organized by schools themselves and usually occur some time in January or February. Teams can participate in Invitationals from multiple states depending on availability. Often times, these are not full competitions (meaning the full complement of events are not done). Often, only a few events are held.

National Tournament

The National Science Olympiad competition is held in May at a different university in a different state every year. Teams either stay in student dorms or nearby hotels.

The competition officially begins with opening ceremonies on the day before Saturday's competition (a Friday). Usually a notable speaker, such as a Nobel Laureate, will give a speech. Following this is the traditional Swap Meet, when all the teams bring bags of state memorabilia to trade with other teams from all over the country. The most popular items include hats, license plates, and t-shirts. The Nobel Prizes (pronounced no-BELL or no-bell) are awarded annually to people who have done outstanding research, invented groundbreaking techniques or equipment, or made outstanding contributions to society. ...

Saturday includes several time blocks (this year 8). Each block includes a 50-minute section for each study event, while many--though not all- building events are usually "walk-in," where competitors sign up for a time slot.

That night, a semi-formal Awards Ceremony is held. It opens with a short speech, which is followed by the awarding of medals for the top six teams in each event, including trial events (events that do not count to the overall team score). At the end, the top ten teams are awarded trophies.

In some national tournaments, scholarships are awarded to the top teams in each event. In 2005's competition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, first-place winners received waivers for a four-year undergraduate tuition. Extra prizes are also given out for certain events: in Disease Detectives (Division C), the first-place team is given t-shirts and a trip for the two competitors and their coach to tour the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention facility in Atlanta, Georgia. For the 2006 National Competition, the host, Indiana University, awarded $7000 annual scholarships to Division C 1st place finishers who decide to attend the university for their freshman year. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), is the largest campus in the University of Illinois system. ... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, is recognized as the leading United States agency for protecting the public health and safety of people. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Indiana University is the principal campus of the Indiana University system. ...

The 2007 National Tournament will be held at Wichita State University in May 18th to the 19th. Future hosts include 2008 - George Washington University, 2009 - Augusta State University, 2010 - University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, WI. ^[4] Wichita State University (WSU) is an American state-supported university located in the middle-size city of Wichita, Kansas, in the south central part of the state. ...   The George Washington University (GWU), or informally, G.W., is a private, coeducational, non-sectarian university located in Washington, D.C.. Founded in 1821 as the Columbian College, the university has since developed into a leading educational and research institution. ... Augusta State University is a public, four-year university located in Augusta, Georgia. ... The University of Wisconsin–Madison (also known as UW–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, or UW) is a highly selective public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin. ... Wisconsin State Capitol Madison is the capital of Wisconsin, a state of the United States of America. ...

Past national champions

Division B

Rising Starr Middle School is a Georgia Lighthouse School to Watch located in unincorporated Fayette County, Georgia. ... Community Middle School is a middle school located in Plainsboro Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey serving students in grades 6 through 8. ...

Division C

Harriton High School is a public secondary school located in Rosemont, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. ... Troy High School is a combined public and magnet school located in Fullerton, California, USA, well-known for its Troy Tech and International Baccalaureate programs. ... Solon High School, founded in 1898, is a public high school located in Solon, Ohio, a southeastern suburb of Cleveland in the Northeast Ohio Region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States. ... Troy High School is a combined public and magnet school located in Fullerton, California, USA, well-known for its Troy Tech and International Baccalaureate programs. ... Troy High School is a combined public and magnet school located in Fullerton, California, USA, well-known for its Troy Tech and International Baccalaureate programs. ... Troy High School is a combined public and magnet school located in Fullerton, California, USA, well-known for its Troy Tech and International Baccalaureate programs. ... Troy High School is a combined public and magnet school located in Fullerton, California, USA, well-known for its Troy Tech and International Baccalaureate programs. ... The Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District (F-M) is a prominent K-12 public school district located in the Town of Manlius in Central New York, enrolling approximately 4,800 students. ... Troy High School is a combined public and magnet school located in Fullerton, California, USA, well-known for its Troy Tech and International Baccalaureate programs. ...

References

1. ^ Science Olympiad History
2. ^ Divisions
3. ^ Events
4. ^ Future Tournament Locations

External links

• Official Science Olympiad National Home Page
• List of 2007 Events
• Science Olympiad Student Center