Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad is an American team competition in which students compete in 23 events pertaining to various fields of science, including earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Over 7,800 middle school and high school teams from 50 U.S. states compete each year.[1][2][3] U.S. territories do not compete; however, since 2012 high school teams from Japan have competed at the national tournament as unranked guests.[4]
There are multiple levels of competition: invitational, regional, state, and national. Invitational tournaments, run by high schools and universities, are unofficial tournaments and serve as practice for regional and state competitions.[5] Teams that excel at regional competitions advance to the state level; the top one or two teams from each state (depending on the state) then advance the national level. Winners later receive several kinds of awards, including medals, trophies and plaques, as well as scholarships.[6] The program for elementary-age students is less common and consistent. Schools have flexibility to implement the program to meet their needs. Some communities host competitive elementary tournaments.
Science Olympiad is not associated with the International Science Olympiads, which is a group of science competitions with their own rules and objectives.[7]
History[]
The first recorded Science Olympiad was held on Saturday, November 23, 1974 at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, North Carolina. Dr. 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[8] documenting the success of recruiting students through Science Olympiad. St. Andrews Presbyterian College continues to host a Science Olympiad tournament to this day.[9] 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[10] 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 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.[2] In 2012, a Global Ambassador Team from Japan was invited to attend the national tournament at the University of Central Florida. Japan continues to send a team, as of the 2019 National Tournament.[11]
Divisions[]
There are three divisions in the hierarchy of Science Olympiad:[12]
- Division A for elementary school (grades K–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. 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.[13]
Events and event history[]
In Divisions B and C, teams may compete in up to twenty-three main events, which usually occur over a single day (some tournaments, such as the Texas State tournament, run competitive events over multiple days); done by a team of no more than 15 members. Events fall into five main categories: Life, Personal, and Social Science, Earth & Space Science, Physical Science & Chemistry, Technology & Engineering, Inquiry & Nature of Science. They are either knowledge-based (for example, written tests on earth science, physics, astronomy, or biology), hands-on (for example, chemistry lab practicals or events involving both device testing and an exam), or engineering-based (participants construct a device to do specified tasks).[14]
Knowledge-based events generally have two participants taking a test and/or mathematically analyzing data. Examples of such events are Anatomy and Physiology, Meteorology, and Remote Sensing.
Hands-on events generally consist of two participants performing experiments or interacting with physical objects to achieve a certain goal. Some examples are Forensics, Experimental Design, and Hovercraft.
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 Battery Buggy, Towers, and Mission Possible.
The majority of events allow two team members, though a few allow 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 backup 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.
States have substantial leeway in how they run their organization; several states, notably North Carolina[15][16] and Texas, run altered slates of events; in the case of Texas, teams can choose to replace National events with state-exclusive events.
2019–2021 events[]
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 National tournament because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the events for the 2019–2020 season were repeated for the 2020–2021 season.
Division B | |
---|---|
Event name | Description |
Anatomy and Physiology | Participants will be assessed on their understanding of the anatomy and physiology for the human Skeletal, Muscular and Integumentary systems. |
Boomilever | Teams will design and build a Boomilever meeting requirements specified in the rules to achieve the highest structural efficiency. |
Circuit Lab | Participants must complete tasks and answer questions about electricity and magnetism. |
Crime Busters | Given a scenario, a collection of evidence, and possible suspects, students will perform a series of tests that along with other evidence will be used to solve a crime. |
Density Lab | Participants compete in activities and answer questions about mass, density, number density, area density, concentration, pressure and buoyancy. |
Disease Detectives | Participants will use investigative skills in the scientific study of disease, injury, health and disability in populations or groups of people. |
Dynamic Planet | Teams will complete tasks related to physical and geological oceanography. |
Elastic-Launched Gliders | Prior to the tournament, teams design, construct, and test elastic launched gliders to achieve the maximum time aloft. |
Experimental Design | This event will determine a participant's ability on-site to design, conduct and report the findings of an experiment. |
Food Science | Students will answer questions on food chemistry with a focus on fermentation and pickling. In addition, participants will build a salinometer/hydrometer capable of measuring salt compositions between 1-10% (mass/volume). |
Fossils | Teams identify and classify fossils and demonstrate their knowledge of ancient life by completing tasks related to interpretation of past environments and ecosystems, adaptations and evolutionary relationships, and use of fossils in dating and correlating rock units. |
Game On | This event will determine a team's ability to design and build an original computer game using the program Scratch incorporating the scientific theme provided to them by the supervisor. |
Heredity | Participants will solve problems and analyze data or diagrams using their knowledge of the basic principles of genetics. |
Machines | Teams will complete a written test on simple and compound machine concepts and construct a lever-based measuring device prior to the tournament to determine the ratio between two masses. |
Meteorology | This event emphasizes understanding of basic meteorological principles associated with severe weather with emphasis on analysis and interpretation of meteorological data, graphs, charts and images. |
Mission Possible | Prior to the competition, participants design, build, test and document a Rube Goldberg-like device that completes required Start and Final Actions through a series of specific actions. |
Mousetrap Vehicle | Teams design, build and test one vehicle using one mousetrap as its sole means of propulsion to reach a target as quickly and accurately as possible. |
Ornithology | Participants will be assessed on their knowledge of North American birds. |
Ping-Pong Parachute | Prior to the tournament, teams will design, build and bring up to two bottle rockets to the tournament to launch a ping pong ball attached to a parachute to stay aloft for the greatest amount of time. |
Reach for the Stars | Students will demonstrate an understanding of the properties and evolution of stars and galaxies as well as their observation using different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g. Radio, Infrared, Visible, Ultraviolet, X-Ray and Gamma Ray). |
Road Scholar | Participants will answer interpretive questions that may use one or more state highway maps, USGS topographic maps, Internet-generated maps, a road atlas or satellite/aerial images. |
Water Quality | Participants will be assessed on their understanding and evaluation of marine and estuary aquatic environments. |
Write It Do It | 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. |
Division C | |
---|---|
Event name | Description |
Anatomy and Physiology | Participants will be assessed on their understanding of the anatomy and physiology for the human Skeletal, Muscular and Integumentary systems. |
Astronomy | Teams will demonstrate an understanding of Star and Galaxy Formation and Evolution. |
Boomilever | Teams will design and build a Boomilever meeting requirements specified in the rules to achieve the highest structural efficiency. |
Chem Lab | Teams will complete one or more tasks and answer a series of questions involving the science processes of chemistry focused in the areas of Aqueous Solutions and Acids and Bases. |
Circuit Lab | Participants must complete tasks and answer questions about electricity and magnetism. |
Codebusters | Teams will cryptanalyze and decode encrypted messages using cryptanalysis techniques for historical and modern advanced ciphers. |
Designer Genes | Participants will solve problems and analyze data or diagrams using their knowledge of the basic principles of genetics, molecular genetics and biotechnology. |
Detector Building | Teams will build a durable temperature sensing device that will accurately measure and display temperatures between zero degrees Celsius to 75 degrees Celsius to determine the temperature of four different water samples. |
Disease Detectives | Students will use investigative skills in the scientific study of disease, injury, health and disability in populations or groups of people. |
Dynamic Planet | Teams will complete tasks related to physical and geological oceanography. |
Experimental Design | This event will determine a participant's ability on-site to design, conduct and report the findings of an experiment. |
Forensics | Given a scenario and some possible suspects, participants will perform a series of tests which along with other evidence or test results will be used to solve a crime. |
Fossils | Teams identify and classify fossils and demonstrate their knowledge of ancient life by completing tasks related to interpretation of past environments and ecosystems, adaptations and evolutionary relationships, and use of fossils in dating and correlating rock units. |
GeoLogic Mapping | Teams will demonstrate understanding in the construction and use of topographic maps, geologic maps, and cross sections, and their use in forming interpretations regarding subsurface structures and past depositional environments. |
Gravity Vehicle | Teams design, build and test one Vehicle and Ramp that uses the Vehicle's gravitational potential energy as its sole means of propulsion to reach a target as quickly and accurately as possible. |
Machines | Teams will complete a written test on simple and compound machine concepts and construct a lever-based measuring device prior to the tournament to determine the ratio between two masses. |
Ornithology | Participants will be assessed on their knowledge of North American birds. |
Ping-Pong Parachute | Prior to the tournament, teams will design, build and bring up to two bottle rockets to the tournament to launch a ping pong ball attached to a parachute to stay aloft for the greatest amount of time. |
Protein Modeling | Students will use computer visualization and online resources to construct a physical model of a protein that is being used with CRISPR Cas9 to edit plant and animal genomes. This year's event will focus on modifications to Cas9 that make it useful for base-editing. |
Sounds of Music | Teams must construct and tune one device prior to the tournament based on a two-octave 12-tone equal tempered scale and complete a written test on the physics of sound and music concepts. |
Water Quality | Participants will be assessed on their understanding and evaluation of marine and estuary aquatic environments. |
Wright Stuff | Prior to the competition teams design, construct and test free flight rubber-powered monoplanes or biplanes to achieve maximum time aloft. |
Write It Do It | 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 the description. |
2018–2019 events[]
Division B | |
---|---|
Event name | Description |
Anatomy and Physiology | Teams will answer questions about the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular, lymphatic and excretory systems.[17] |
Battery Buggy | Participants will design and build a moving, battery-powered vehicle capable of traveling a certain distance and stopping as close to an ending dot at that distance, on the other side of a bucket, as possible.[18] |
Boomilever | Teams will construct a boomilever that supports the most weight in sand as well as meet certain criteria. |
Circuit Lab | Participants must complete tasks and answer questions about electricity and magnetism. |
Crime Busters | Students will identify perpetrators of a certain crime by identifying unknown powders, mixtures of powders, liquids, and metals, and analyzing hairs, fibers, plastics, fingerprints, DNA evidence, shoeprints, tire treads, soil, and splatters. Students will also analyze evidence from paper chromatography. Students should be able to use this data to answer some questions about who committed the crime and how the evidence supports their argument. |
Density Lab | Participants compete in activities and answer questions about mass, density, number density, area density, concentration, pressure and buoyancy. |
Disease Detectives | Students are tested on their knowledge of epidemiology and immunity. |
Dynamic Planet | Students will use process skills to complete tasks related to glaciers, glaciation and long-term climate change. |
Elastic Launch Gliders | Prior to the tournament teams design, construct, and test elastic launched gliders to achieve the maximum time aloft. |
Experimental Design | Teams will design an experiment using a selected assortment of equipment and objects during the 50-minute session, and are scored on the thoroughness and quality of their lab report. |
Fossils | Teams demonstrate their knowledge of ancient life by completing selected tasks at a series of stations including but not limited to fossil identification, answering questions about classification, habitat, ecologic relationships, behaviors, environmental adaptations and the use of fossils to date and correlate rock units. |
Game On | Teams will create a computer game on a designated topic using the programming language Scratch. |
Heredity | Participants will solve problems and analyze data or diagrams using their knowledge of the basic principles of genetics. |
Herpetology | Teams will deal with the identification and life science of different specimens of amphibians and reptiles. |
Meteorology | Students will be tested on questions relating to everyday weather, severe storms, and climate.[19] |
Mystery Architecture | Teams will be given materials with which they will build a structure, including but not limited to towers, bridges, and cantilevers. |
Potions and Poisons | Teams will demonstrate their knowledge on specified substances' chemical properties and effects with a focus on common toxins and poisons. |
Road Scholar | Teams will demonstrate their knowledge of the use of maps and satellite images. |
Roller Coaster | Prior to the competition, teams design, build, and test a roller coaster track to guide a ball or sphere that uses gravitational potential energy as its sole means of propulsion to travel as close as possible to a target time. |
Solar System | Teams will demonstrate their understanding of terrestrial bodies. |
Thermodynamics | 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 | Participants will be assessed on their understanding and evaluation of aquatic environments. |
Write It Do It | One team member will attempt to build a device using only the instructions written by their teammate, who tries to describe a pre-built device. The team with the device closest to the original will win. |
Division C | |
---|---|
Event name | Description |
Anatomy and Physiology | Teams will answer questions about the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular, lymphatic and excretory systems.[17] |
Astronomy | Teams will answer questions on stellar evolution in normal and starburst galaxies.[17][20] |
Boomilever | Teams will construct a boomilever that supports the most weight in sand as well as meet certain criteria. |
Chem Lab | Participants must learn the respective year's selected aspects of chemistry and perform a lab or a set of labs regarding those topics."[21] |
Circuit Lab | Participants must complete tasks and answer questions about electricity and magnetism. |
Codebusters | Teams will cryptanalyze (decode) encrypted messages using cryptanalysis techniques and show skill with advanced ciphers by encrypting or decrypting a message. |
Disease Detectives | Students are tested on their knowledge of epidemiology and immunity. |
Dynamic Planet | Students will use process skills to complete tasks related to glaciers, glaciation and long-term climate change. |
Experimental Design | Teams will design an experiment using a selected assortment of equipment and objects during the 50-minute session, and are scored on the thoroughness and quality of their lab report. |
Fermi Questions | 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. Teams will take a test consisting of such Fermi questions. |
Forensics | Students will identify powders, polymers, fibers, and hair samples, and perform blood serum and fingerprint analysis and interpretations of chromatography. Given a scenario and some possible suspects, students will perform a series of tests that will be used to solve a crime."[22] |
Fossils | Teams demonstrate their knowledge of ancient life by completing selected tasks at a series of stations including but not limited to fossil identification, answering questions about classification, habitat, ecologic relationships, behaviors, environmental adaptations and the use of fossils to date and correlate rock units. |
GeoLogic Mapping | Teams will demonstrate understanding in the construction and use of topographic maps, geologic maps, and cross sections, and their use in forming interpretations regarding subsurface structures and geohazard risks. |
Herpetology | Teams will deal with the identification and life science of different specimens of amphibians and reptiles. |
Mission Possible | Teams will design and test a Rube Goldberg machine that will include a start and end action, as well as any number of minor actions in between. |
Mousetrap Vehicle | 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 in as little time as possible. |
Protein Modeling | Students will use computer visualization and online resources to construct physical models of the CRISPR Cas9 protein that is being engineered to edit plant and animal cell genomes, and answer a series of questions about the chemistry of protein folding and the interaction of structure and function for model proteins. |
Sounds of Music | Teams must construct and tune one device prior to the tournament based on a 12-tone equal tempered scale and complete a written test on the physics of sound. |
Thermodynamics | 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 | Participants will be assessed on their understanding and evaluation of aquatic environments. |
Wright Stuff | Teams will build, test, and fly a monoplane. |
Write It Do It | One team member will attempt to build a device using only the instructions written by their teammate, who tries to describe a pre-built device. The team with the device closest to the original will win. |
2017–2018 events[]
Event Name | |
---|---|
Division B Events | Division C Events |
Anatomy and Physiology | Anatomy and Physiology |
Battery Buggy | Astronomy |
Crime Busters | Chem Lab |
Disease Detectives | Disease Detectives |
Dynamic Planet | Dynamic Planet |
Ecology | Ecology |
Experimental Design | Experimental Design |
Fast Facts | Fermi Questions |
Game On | Forensics |
Herpetology | Helicopters |
Hovercraft | Herpetology |
Meteorology | Hovercraft |
Microbe Mission | Materials Science |
Mission Possible | Microbe Mission |
Mousetrap Vehicle | Optics |
Mystery Architecture | Remote Sensing |
Optics | Rocks and Minerals |
Potions and Poisons | Thermodynamics |
Road Scholar | Towers |
Rocks and Minerals | Wright Stuff |
Roller Coaster | Write It Do It |
Solar System | N/A |
Thermodynamics | N/A |
Towers | N/A |
Write It Do It | N/A |
2016–2017 events[]
Division B | |
---|---|
Event name | Description |
Anatomy and Physiology | This event encompasses the anatomy and physiology of selected body systems, this year limited to nervous and endocrine systems and sense organs. |
Bottle Rocket | Prior to the tournament, teams construct up to two rockets designed to stay aloft for the greatest amount of time while carrying a raw Grade A large chicken egg that survives impact. |
Crime Busters | 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. |
Disease Detectives | Students will use investigative skills in the scientific study of disease, injury, health and disability in populations or groups of people with a focus on Food Borne Illness. |
Dynamic Planet | Students will demonstrate an understanding of the large-scale processes affecting the structure of Earth's crust (Tectonics). |
Ecology | Students will answer questions involving content knowledge and process skills in the area of ecology and adaptations in featured North American biomes. |
Experimental Design | Given a set of unknown objects, teams will design, conduct, analyze and write-up an experiment. |
Fast Facts | Teams will fill in a grid of terms that begin with a given letter to match given science categories. |
Food Science | Students will answer questions about the chemistry of food and food grains and build a simple calorimeter to determine the energy content of a solid foodstuff. |
Game On | This event will determine a team's ability to design and build an original computer game incorporating the theme provided to them by the supervisor using the program Scratch. |
Hovercraft | Competitors may construct a self-propelled air-levitated vehicle with up to two battery-powered motors that turn one propeller each to levitate and move the vehicle down a track. Competitors must also be tested on their knowledge of classic mechanics and related topics. |
Invasive Species | This event will test student knowledge of invasive species in local and national ecosystems. |
Meteorology | This event is about the meteorological topic Severe Storms. |
Microbe Mission | Teams will answer questions, solve problems and analyze data pertaining to microbes. |
Mission Possible | Prior to the competition, participants will design, build, test and document a Rube Goldberg-like device that completes a required Final Task through an optional series of simple machines. |
Optics | Teams must participate in an activity involving positioning mirrors to direct a laser beam towards a target. Teams must also be tested on their knowledge of geometric and physical optics. |
Reach for the Stars | Students will demonstrate an understanding of the properties and evolution of stars especially star forming regions and supernova remnants and their observation with different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. |
Road Scholar | Teams will answer interpretive questions that may use one or more state highway maps, USGS topographic maps, Internet-generated maps, a road atlas or satellite/aerial images. |
Rocks and Minerals | Teams will demonstrate their knowledge of rocks and minerals. |
Scrambler | Competitors must design, build and test a mechanical device which uses the energy from a falling mass to transport an egg along a track as quickly as possible and stop as close to the center of a terminal barrier without breaking the egg. |
Towers | Prior to the competition, teams will design and build a Tower meeting requirements specified in the rules to achieve the highest structural efficiency. |
Wind Power | Teams will build a blade assembly that consists of any kind of propeller/pinwheel/rotor attached to a CD which will be used to capture wind power. Students will also be tested on their knowledge relating to alternative energy. |
Write It Do It | 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. |
Division C | |
---|---|
Event name | Description |
Anatomy and Physiology | This event encompasses the anatomy and physiology of selected body systems, this year limited to nervous and endocrine systems and sense organs. |
Astronomy | Teams will demonstrate an understanding of stellar evolution and Type Ia supernova. |
Chem Lab | Teams will demonstrate chemistry laboratory skills and answer questions related to thermodynamics and gas laws. |
Disease Detectives | Students will use investigative skills in the scientific study of disease, injury, health and disability in populations or groups of people with a focus on Food Borne Illness. |
Dynamic Planet | Students will demonstrate an understanding of the large-scale processes affecting the structure of Earth's crust (Tectonics). |
Ecology | Students will answer questions involving content knowledge and process skills in the area of ecology and adaptations in featured North American biomes. |
Electric Vehicle | Teams must design, build and test one vehicle that uses electrical energy as its sole means of propulsion to travel as quickly as possible and stop close to a Target Point. |
Experimental Design | Given a set of unknown objects, teams will design, conduct, analyze and write-up an experiment. |
Forensics | Students will identify polymers, solids, fibers, and other materials in a crime scenario. |
Helicopters | Prior to the tournament teams design, construct and test free flight rubber-powered helicopters to achieve maximum time aloft. |
Hovercraft | Competitors may construct a self-propelled air-levitated vehicle with up to two battery-powered motors that turn one propeller each to levitate and move the vehicle down a track. Competitors must also be tested on their knowledge of classic mechanics and related topics. |
Hydrogeology | Students will manipulate a groundwater computer model, answer questions about groundwater concepts, and evaluate solutions, based on hydrogeological evidence, to reduce anthropogenic effects on groundwater. |
Invasive Species | This event will test student knowledge of invasive species in local and national ecosystems. |
Materials Science | Teams will answer a series of questions or complete tasks involving the science processes of chemistry focused in the areas of materials science. |
Microbe Mission | Teams will answer questions, solve problems and analyze data pertaining to microbes. |
Optics | Teams must participate in an activity involving positioning mirrors to direct a laser beam towards a target. Teams must also be tested on their knowledge of geometric and physical optics. |
Remote Sensing | Participants will use remote sensing imagery, data and computational process skills to complete tasks related to climate change processes in the Earth system. |
Robot Arm | Prior to the competition, teams must design, build, document and test one robotic device to move scoreable items. |
Rocks and Minerals | Teams will demonstrate their knowledge of rocks and minerals. |
Towers | Prior to the competition, teams will design and build a Tower meeting requirements specified in the rules to achieve the highest structural efficiency. |
Wind Power | Teams will build a blade assembly that consists of any kind of propeller/pinwheel/rotor attached to a CD which will be used to capture wind power. Students will also be tested on their knowledge relating to alternative energy. |
Wright Stuff | Prior to the competition teams design, construct and test free flight rubber-powered monoplanes to achieve maximum time aloft. |
Write It Do It | 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. |
2015–2016 events[]
Event Name | |
---|---|
Division B Events | Division C Events |
Air Trajectory | Air Trajectory |
Anatomy and Physiology | Anatomy and Physiology |
Bio-Process Lab | Astronomy |
Bottle Rocket | Bridge Building |
Can't Judge a Powder | Cell Biology |
Crave the Wave | Chem Lab |
Crime Busters | Disease Detectives |
Disease Detectives | Dynamic Planet |
Dynamic Planet | Electric Vehicle |
Elastic Launched Gliders | Experimental Design |
Experimental Design | Forensics |
Food Science | Fossils |
Fossils | GeoLogic Mapping |
Game On | Green Generation |
Green Generation | Hydrogeology |
Invasive Species | Invasive Species |
Meteorology | It's About Time |
Mission Possible | Protein Modeling |
Picture This | Robot Arm |
Reach for the Stars | Wind Power |
Road Scholar | Write It Do It |
Scrambler | N/A |
Solar System | N/A |
Wind Power | N/A |
Write It Do It | N/A |
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 the official 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 event 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 number 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, state organizations occasionally amend these rules.[23] Homeschool groups may also form as many teams as they need to compete, provided each team consists only of students residing in, at most, two contiguous counties.[24]
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.[25]
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.
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. For each type of event, the ranking differs. Knowledge events are scored by the correct number of answers; the team with the highest score will receive 1st place, the second highest will receive 2nd place, and so on. If two teams are tied, there are usually tiebreaker questions that apply only to those teams that are tied. The non-testing events are scored based on the individual requirements listed in the Science Olympiad rule book, released each year to reflect new events, requirements, and clarifications. Some events, such as the knowledge/testing-based will rank teams by using the highest scores. However others may use the lowest score. 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, 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.
There are several ways to break a tie (draw):
- One 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. This is the method that the National Tournament uses.
- 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.
- 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.
- In some competitions, there also may questions added into event, labeled as tie-breakers. If needed, these questions can be used as tie breakers, although this type of tie-breaker is generally for only the event and not the overall rank.
Competition levels[]
Science Olympiad competitions occur at the regional, state and national level. Normally, the top few teams advance from the regional level to state competition, the exact number depending on how many regions there are and how many teams compete. For example, in Ohio, the number of teams qualifying for the state tournament from each regional depends solely on the number of teams participating at that regional,[26] whereas in New York the allocation system involved determining whether or not the winning team in a regional tournament had won the previous year (this method has since been discontinued). In most states, the top team advances from the state to the national competition. Some states with a larger number of teams are allotted a second spot at the national competition to represent their larger participation. Currently, 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.
Many states also hold invitational tournaments. These competitions serve as "practice rounds" for qualifying tournaments, and are hosted by individual middle schools, high schools and/or colleges.[27] Invitationals occur most commonly in January or February,[28][29][30] although there have been some as early as October[31][32] or as late as April.[33] Teams can participate in invitationals from multiple states depending on availability. At some invitationals, only a few events are held. However, many invitational tournaments mimic regional and state competitions in their competitive intensity. For example, MIT hosts an invitational tournament each year with around 70 teams from over a dozen states, including 20 or more past national qualifiers.[34][35] Other tournaments, especially in the midwest, are well known for their quality and competitiveness. In this way, teams can gain extra practice before competing in regional, state, or national tournaments. In 2014, Yale University[36] became one of the first institutions of higher education to host a tournament run by Science Olympiad alumni, with several more following over the next few years.[34][37][38][33][39][40][41]
National tournament[]
The National Science Olympiad competition is held in late May at a different university every year. Teams compete at the state competition with the top two schools in Division B and Division C each earning a spot at the national competition. Some states are given a second slot, based on the membership within the division. The total number of invited teams in each division is equal to 60 and the national tournament hosts 120 teams. In 2012, at the University of Central Florida, a team from Japan was invited as a Global Ambassador Team. Although they competed in several events, their scores were not tallied against the state teams.
The competition officially begins with opening ceremonies on Friday night that usually include a notable speaker, such as a Nobel Laureate. A traditional Swap Meet follows the opening ceremonies which is an opportunity for teams to meet and greet. They bring state memorabilia to trade with other teams. The most popular items include hats, license plates, T-shirts, and key chains.
Saturday includes several time blocks. Each block includes a 60-minute section for each study event, plus a 15-minute break time for competitors to get from one event to another.
That night, a formal Awards Ceremony is held. It opens with a short speech followed by awarding medals for the top six teams in each event. Points for all the events are added together to determine an overall national team winner. The trial events are not included in this tally. The top ten teams in each division are recognized with trophies and plaques.
In some national tournaments, scholarships are awarded to the top teams in each event. For the 2005 and 2010 competitions, held at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, first-place event winners received full four-year tuition waivers to the university. At the 2006 National Tournament, host Indiana University awarded $7,000 annual scholarships to those who finished first place in Division C and who attend the university in their freshman year. The George Washington University offered Division C gold medalists at its 2008 National Tournament a $20,000 stipend for those who were accepted and attended GWU. In 2012, the University of Central Florida offered $30,000 scholarships to the university for first place medalists in Division C. Additional awards may also provided by sponsors and industry leaders for specific events. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided first place medalists in Disease Detectives (Divisions B & C) with a trip for the two competitors and their coach to tour its facility in Atlanta, Georgia.
National locations and champions[]
This is a list of past national champions and locations.[42][43]
Division B | Division C | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Location | School | State | School | State |
1985 | Michigan State University | Slauson Intermediate School | MI | Seaholm High School | MI |
1986 | Michigan State University | Slauson Intermediate School | MI | Seaholm High School | MI |
1987 | Ohio State University | CA | Irmo High School | SC | |
1988 | Delaware State University | Irmo Middle School | SC | Haverford High School | PA |
1989 | University of Colorado, Boulder | Irmo Middle School | SC | Irmo High School | SC |
1990 | Clarion University | Irmo Middle School | SC | Irmo High School | SC |
1991 | Penn Valley Community College | Grandville Junior High School | MI | La Jolla High School | CA |
1992 | Auburn University | Jenison Junior High School | MI | La Jolla High School | CA |
1993 | University of Southern Colorado | Thomas Jefferson Middle School | IN | Grand Haven High School | MI |
1994 | University of Arizona | State College Junior High School | PA | Grand Haven High School | MI |
1995 | Indiana University | State College Junior High School | PA | Harriton High School | PA |
1996 | Georgia Institute of Technology | Thomas Jefferson Middle School | IN | Troy High School | CA |
1997 | North Carolina State University | J.C. Booth Middle School | GA | Grand Haven High School | MI |
1998 | Grand Valley State University | J.C. Booth Middle School | GA | Solon High School | OH |
1999 | Chicago Museums and University of Chicago | J.C. Booth Middle School | GA | Troy High School | CA |
2000 | Eastern Washington University | J.C. Booth Middle School | GA | Troy High School | CA |
2001 | University of Colorado, Colorado Springs | J.C. Booth Middle School | GA | Harriton High School | PA |
2002 | University of Delaware | Rising Starr Middle School | GA | Troy High School | CA |
2003 | Ohio State University | J.C. Booth Middle School | GA | Troy High School | CA |
2004 | Juniata College | J.C. Booth Middle School | GA | Fayetteville-Manlius High School | NY |
2005 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Community Middle School | NJ | Harriton High School | PA |
2006 | Indiana University, Bloomington | J.C. Booth Middle School | GA | Troy High School | CA |
2007 | Wichita State University | Community Middle School | NJ | Troy High School | CA |
2008 | The George Washington University | Solon Middle School | OH | Troy High School | CA |
2009 | Augusta State University | Solon Middle School | OH | Centerville High School | OH |
2010 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Solon Middle School | OH | Centerville High School | OH |
2011 | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Solon Middle School | OH | Solon High School | OH |
2012 | University of Central Florida[44] | Solon Middle School | OH | Solon High School | OH |
2013 | Wright State University | Solon Middle School | OH | Solon High School | OH |
2014 | University of Central Florida | Beckendorff Junior High School | TX | Troy High School | CA |
2015 | University of Nebraska–Lincoln | Solon Middle School | OH | Troy High School | CA |
2016 | University of Wisconsin–Stout | Daniel Wright Junior High School | IL | Mira Loma High School | CA |
2017 | Wright State University | Daniel Wright Junior High School | IL | Troy High School | CA |
2018 | Colorado State University | Solon Middle School | OH | Troy High School | CA |
2019 | Cornell University | Kennedy Middle School | CA | Troy High School | CA |
2020 | North Carolina State University | Tournament not contested due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||
2021 | Arizona State University | Kennedy Middle School | CA | Mason High School | OH |
2022 | California Institute of Technology | To be held May 2022[45] |
List of National Championships by School
Division B
Rank | School | No. of Championships | Years |
---|---|---|---|
1 | J.C. Booth M.S. (GA) | 8 | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006 |
Solon M.S. (OH) | 8 | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018 | |
3 | Irmo M.S. (SC) | 3 | 1988, 1989, 1990 |
4 | Slauson I.S. (MI) | 2 | 1985, 1986 |
Thomas Jefferson M.S. (IN) | 2 | 1993, 1996 | |
State College J.H.S. (PA) | 2 | 1994, 1995 | |
Community M.S. (NJ) | 2 | 2005, 2007 | |
Daniel Wright J.H.S. (IL) | 2 | 2016, 2017 | |
Kennedy M.S. (CA) | 2 | 2019, 2021 | |
10 | Gompers S.S. (CA) | 1 | 1987 |
Grandville J.H.S. (MI) | 1 | 1991 | |
Jenison J.H.S. (MI) | 1 | 1992 | |
Rising Starr M.S. (GA) | 1 | 2002 | |
Beckendorff J.H.S. (TX) | 1 | 2014 |
Division C
Rank | School | No. of Championships | Years |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Troy H.S. (CA) | 13 | 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 |
2 | Solon H.S. (OH) | 4 | 1998, 2011, 2012, 2013 |
3 | Grand Haven H.S. (MI) | 3 | 1993, 1994, 1997 |
Harriton H.S. (PA) | 3 | 1995, 2001, 2005 | |
Irmo H.S. (SC) | 3 | 1987, 1989, 1990 | |
6 | Seaholm H.S. (MI) | 2 | 1985, 1986 |
La Jolla H.S. (CA) | 2 | 1991, 1992 | |
Centerville H.S. (OH) | 2 | 2009, 2010 | |
9 | Haverford H.S. (PA) | 1 | 1988 |
Fayetteville-Manilus H.S. (NY) | 1 | 2004 | |
Mira Loma H.S. (CA) | 1 | 2016 | |
Mason H.S. (OH) | 1 | 2021 |
List of States by Number of National Tournaments Hosted
Rank | State | No. of Tournaments Hosted |
---|---|---|
1 | Ohio | 4 |
Colorado | 4 | |
2 | Michigan | 3 |
Illinois | 3 | |
5 | Delaware | 2 |
Pennsylvania | 2 | |
Indiana | 2 | |
Georgia | 2 | |
Wisconsin | 2 | |
Florida | 2 | |
Arizona | 2 | |
11 | Missouri | 1 |
Alabama | 1 | |
North Carolina | 1 | |
Washington | 1 | |
Kansas | 1 | |
Washington, DC | 1 | |
Nebraska | 1 | |
California | (1 future) |
Six universities have hosted the National Tournament twice: Michigan State University, Ohio State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Indiana University-Bloomington, University of Central Florida, and Wright State University.
Division A[]
Division A generally covers elementary school students (through 6th grade). Schools which wish to start a Science Olympiad program at their school can take advantage of the resources offered on the National Science Olympiad website.[46] There is no National membership fee required to participate in Elementary Division activities.[47] An appropriate program will depend upon the objectives and resources of the local school or community. Programs can range from a Fun Night[48] to a large competitive tournament.[47] Some Elementary programs have existed as long as the National program, and have developed additional resources that schools may find helpful.[49]
References[]
- ^ 2017 Science Olympiad Membership Map
- ^ a b Science Olympiad History
- ^ "State Websites | Science Olympiad". www.soinc.org. Retrieved 2017-01-01.
- ^ "Japanese International Team - Science Olympiad Student Center Wiki". scioly.org. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
- ^ Science Olympiad Invitational Tournaments
- ^ "Scholarships | Science Olympiad 2017 | Wright State University". www.wright.edu. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
- ^ "International Science Olympiads". olympiads.win.tue.nl. Retrieved 2019-09-30.
- ^ Wetmore, David E. (1978). "Student recruitment through a science olympiad". Journal of Chemical Education. 55 (1): 43. Bibcode:1978JChEd..55...43W. doi:10.1021/ed055p43.
- ^ Science Olympiad Tournament at St. Andrew's Presbyterian College
- ^ Delaware Science Olympiad
- ^ "2019 National Tournament". Science Olympiad. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Team Size & Grade Levels | Science Olympiad".
- ^ Divisions Science Olympiad Divisions
- ^ Event Descriptions
- ^ http://www.sciencenc.com/events.php#b North Carolina-specific events Division B
- ^ http://www.sciencenc.com/events.php#c North Carolina-specific events Division C
- ^ a b c "Manuals". SOINC. Retrieved 2017-10-31.
- ^ "Battery Buggy - Science Olympiad Student Center Wiki". scioly.org. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
- ^ "Meteorology". Scioly.org.
- ^ "Astronomy - Science Olympiad Student Center Wiki". scioly.org. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
- ^ "Chemistry Lab - Science Olympiad Student Center Wiki". scioly.org. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
- ^ "Forensics - Science Olympiad Student Center Wiki". scioly.org. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
- ^ http://www.sciencenc.com/policy-information/team_size.php
- ^ "Team Qualification and Home School Policy | Science Olympiad".
- ^ "Building and Tools Policy | Science Olympiad".
- ^ https://ohso.osu.edu/regional-tournaments
- ^ https://ohso.osu.edu/invitational-tournaments
- ^ "Invitationals | Science Olympiad".
- ^ http://scioly.org/wiki/Invitational
- ^ "State Websites | Science Olympiad".
- ^ "Rockdale Magnet Science Olympiad Invitational".
- ^ "Cypress Falls Science Olympiad Invitational".
- ^ a b http://atxscioly.com/competition.html
- ^ a b http://scioly.mit.edu/
- ^ http://www.scioly.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=218&t=7617#p283276
- ^ http://yuso.yale.edu
- ^ http://goldengateso.com/
- ^ http://www.cornellscioly.com/
- ^ http://ricesoaa.weebly.com/
- ^ http://www.pennscienceolympiad.org/
- ^ http://www.princeton.edu/~scioly/
- ^ "History | Science Olympiad".
- ^ National Tournament Winners
- ^ Future Tournament Locations
- ^ "Los Angeles County Regional Science Olympiad". Los Angeles County Office of Education. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ "Elementary | Science Olympiad".
- ^ a b "Competitive Tournaments | Science Olympiad".
- ^ "Fun Day and Fun Night | Science Olympiad".
- ^ "Resources".
External links[]
Macomb Science Olympiad / Southeast Michigan Region 7 Division B&C, Macomb and St. Clair counties Division A, Website http://MacombSO.org
- ^ "Science Olympiad Student Center Wiki". scioly.org. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
- Science competitions
- Youth science
- Science events in the United States
- Education competitions in the United States
- Student events
- Recurring events established in 1974