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SCIENCE OLYMPIADScience Olympiad promotes scientific interest through a nine-month sequence of practices and competitions in a variety of events. Some events are hands on, some academic and some a combination (see list below). Each event requires a great deal of mental and temporal commitment, as students will be memorizing, researching, questioning, and utilizing the scientific process and STEM skills. Competing students will work to be an expert in at least 3 events. Students meet with event coaches at weekly before and/or after school meeting times, based on coach availability to acquire skills and develop subject appropriate study skills. The event meeting schedule will be available prior to the first week of meetings, September 15. Additionally team meetings are held monthly Friday before school, dates to be determined.
We have been most fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers to support the development of our Science Olympiad community at Wydown (WMSSO). Our volunteers include a team of Washington University students, who have experience in Science Olympiad and expertise in their fields of science. Parents are encouraged to participate as well through subject matter expertise, team support, and coordination. While we have a strong support system, it is important for the Science Olympiad participants to recognize that they are ultimately responsible for their Science Olympiad experience.
In general, Science Olympiad is structured to prepare students for competition in SO tournaments. However the WMSSO structure allows for students to participate as a compete or non-compete team member. To find out more about this club at Wydown Middle School, questions can be directed to Barry Crook via email, barrycrook@claytonschools.net.
“What Is Science Olympiad?
Science Olympiad is an international non-profit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers… Science Olympiad tournaments are rigorous academic interscholastic competitions that consist of a series of team events, which students prepare for during the year. These challenging and motivational events are well balanced between the various science disciplines of biology, earth science, chemistry, physics and technology. There is also a balance between events requiring knowledge of science concepts, process skills and science applications.”
From Science Olympiad Website
EVENT DESCRIPTIONS for 2021-22:
Anatomy & Physiology (B) - Teams will be tested on their knowledge of anatomy and health concepts including cardiovascular, integumentary and immune systems.
Bio-Process Lab (B) - A lab-oriented competition involving the fundamental science processes of a middle school life science/biology lab program.
Bridge Building (B) - Teams will design and build the lightest bridge with the highest structural efficiency that can span a given opening meeting the requirements given.
Codebusters (B) - Teams will cryptoanalyze and decode encrypted messages using cryptoanalysis techniques for historical and modern advanced ciphers.
Crave The Wave (B) - Competitors will demonstrate knowledge and process skills needed to solve problems and answer questions regarding all types and areas of waves and wave motion.
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.
Disease Detective (B) - 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 population growth.
Dynamic Planet (B) - Teams will use NGSS science and engineering practices to complete tasks related to Earth’s freshwaters.
Electric Wright Stuff (B) - Students will design, build and test a free flight electric powered monoplane to achieve maximum time aloft.
Experimental Design (B) - Given a set of unknown objects, teams will design, conduct, analyze and write-up an experiment.
Food Science (B) - Teams will answer questions on food chemistry with a focus on sugars. In addition, participants will build a hydrometer capable of measuring sugar solutions between 1-10% (mass per volume)
Green Generation (B) - Students will answer questions involving the history and consequences of human impact on our environment, solutions to reversing trends and sustainability concepts.
Meteorology (B) - Participants will use scientific process skills and quantitative analysis to demonstrate an understanding of the factors that influence world climate and climate change through the interpretation of climatological data, graphs, charts and images.
Mission Possible (B) - 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 (B) - Teams design, build, and test one Vehicle using one or two mousetrap(s) as its sole means of propulsion to reach a target point as accurately as possible.
Ornithology (B) - Participants will be assessed on their knowledge of North American birds.
Ping Pong Parachute (B) - Prior to the tournament, teams will design, build, and bring up to three bottle rockets to the tournament to launch a ping pong ball attached to a parachute to stay aloft for the greatest amount of time.
Road Scholar (B) - 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 (B) - Participants will demonstrate their knowledge of rocks and minerals.
Solar System (B) - Students will demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of planet formation and structure in our solar system and how it relates to that observed in extrasolar systems.
Sounds of Music (B) - Teams must construct and tune one device prior to the tournament based on a one-octave 12-tone equal tempered scale and complete a written test on the physics of sound and music concepts.
Storm the Castle (B) - Prior to the competition, teams will design, construct, and calibrate a single device capable of launching projectiles onto a target and collect data regarding device parameters and performance.
Write It/Do It (B) - 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.
