1. Science Olympiad NM Entomology Contest-2014
Dr. Carol Sutherland
Supervisor for 2014 State Entomology Science Olympiad Competition
Extension Entomologist, NMSU &
State Entomologist, NMDA

2. Clarity---Simple Explanations Where and What Are Your Resources?
What you’ll see are my plans for this event---based on Olympiad rules and resources
Guided Tour of Resources---what’s helpful and good---or not so much….

3. Where Do You Find Information About the 2014 Science Olympiad Entomology Contest? HERE Look for ‘Entomology’

4. General Rules for (B) & (C) Competition
Any private or public school, charter school or home school in
grades 6-12 is eligible to participate.  
Division B-students grades 6 to 9---Middle school 
Division C-grades 9 to 12---High school
Process Skills: observation, inferences, (data?) & diagram analysis,
make and/or use a dichotomous key on insects (later)

5. General Rules for (B) & (C) Ent. Competition
DESCRIPTION: Student teams will
---identify insects & selected immatures by order and family (Official List)
---answer questions about insects
---use or construct a simple dichotomous key.
TEAM = 1 or 2 students APPROXIMATE TIME: 50 minutes
2. EVENT PARAMETERS: Each TEAM may bring---
---ONE 8.5" x 11" two-sided page of information in any form from any source (e.g., notes, insect lists, etc.)---see my suggestion
---ONE commercially published resource that may be annotated and tabbed (limit 3 words on any tab)---Audubon Field Guide
---ONE hand lens or magnifying glass---suggest at least 10x
*The Supervisor will provide a team answer sheet & any dissecting microscopes, lights, etc.*
CHEAT SHEET

6. TRAINING MATERIALS Training Power Point – content overview (confusing)
Training Handout - content information
Sample Tournament – sample problems with key (couldn’t find)
Event Supervisor Guide – event prep tips, setup needs and scoring tips (don’t need)
Internet Resources & Training Materials – on the Science Olympiad website at under Event Information YES!!
All cost some $$$. A Biology-Earth Science CD, and the Audubon Guide to Insects and Spiders are available from SO store at (a taxonomy CD is coming soon)

7. Official Identification Guide
Permit one copy/team during competition
quick reference tabs permitted
limit of 3 words/tab
Cost: $16 Science Olympiad Store
Amazon.com has these, also
$16.12 for ‘prime’
$12.18 for new
$ for used
Official source to resolve ID disputes

8. GENERAL TIPS---FIELD GUIDE
Study information in the front of the field guide
Become familiar with organization of color plates
Notice field guide organization is similar to that of Official Insect List
Put the page numbers of Orders and Families Information from the Audubon Guide to Insects and Spiders on the Official Insect List – it will save time
Tab the field guide with very small useful tabs
Practice using the Field Guide to identify specimens or photos
Practice under timed conditions to prepare for competition

9. Making That Info (CHEAT) Sheet
My List---Orders with indented Families
Their List---Jammed together format
Make sure
students
use this
list as P.1
of their
Cheat Sheet

10. Why? These numbers will be the answers used
in the Identifications of insects!
(no spelling errors!)
If they wish, write all over the front of this
sheet and all over the back---8.5” x 11” MAX!
This is the basis of your 2-sided info sheet.
Other written questions will be ‘Multiple
Choice’ or maybe, T/F.
See the ** entries on the list; know those immatures, too!
This will simplify the answer sheet and speed up
grading, final results---and we get to go home sooner

11. My Design for the Competition
One-way traffic, accommodating 30 teams at once
30 stations, each with 1 insect & 3 questions
Each station = 1.5 minutes
30 stations x 1.5 minutes = 45 minutes, with 5
Minutes to check answers or revisit the hard ones
(We do this annually with 4H Ent. ID contest)
But if there’s MORE than 30 teams scheduled for
one competition time, then….. ME

12. My Design for the Competition …with lots of teams…
One-way traffic, accommodating up to 60 teams at once
30 stations in a competition, each with 1 insect & 3 questions
BUT now use 2 sets of exams---arranged to loop
Each station = 1.5 minutes 45min. for quiz + 5min review
Start anywhere; advance 30 times = 1 completed exam
(We do this annually with FFA Entomology ID Competition) …… …

13. General Rules for (B) & (C) Ent. Competition
Their Version
c. For any individual specimens, questions may also be asked concerning the economic or health impact of the
specimen upon the human race.
d. Topics may include structure & function of internal & external anatomy, ecology, behavior, & history.
e. One of the stations may involve students using or formulating a simple dichotomous key to identify insects.
My Version
For any specimen, questions also may be asked concerning the:
---economic or health impact of the species (-men upon the human race.)
---structure & function of internal & external anatomy
---ecology
---behavior
---history (related to that species).
One of the stations may involve students using or formulating a simple dichotomous key
to identify insects.
Mentioned in Karen’s Ent. ‘Overview’
anatomy & physiology, reproduction, habitat characteristics,
conservation,
biogeography
This is ‘General Ent Knowledge’

14. General Rules for (B) & (C) Ent. Competition
36. Order? (use number from your List of Insects)
(Cheat Sheet)
This insect has __?____ metamorphosis.
A. ametabolous
B. semimetabolous
C. hemimetabolous
D. holometabolous
This insect has _____ mouthparts.
A. chewing
B. sucking
C. rasping-sucking
D. sponging
Specimen
EXAMPLE OF A STATION
WITH AN ORDER ID
With
Two questions on
General entomology.

15. General Rules for (B) & (C) Ent. Competition
40. Order? (use number from your
List of Insects (Cheat Sheet)
41. Family?
42. This insect has ___mouthparts.
A. chewing
B. sucking
C. rasping-sucking
D. sponging
EXAMPLE OF A STATION
WITH AN ORDER AND
FAMILY ID
With
One question on
General entomology.

16. Maybe the student answer sheet will look like this?
Team
Middle School ____ High School____ Science Olympiad, Entomology Competition
Team School_____________ Team City ______________ Team Last Names ______________ and _______________ Q#
Ans 01 56 10 19 28 37 46 55 64 73 82 02 3 11 20 29 38 47 65 74 83 03 4 12 21 30 39 48 57 66 75 84 04 13 22 31 40 49 58 67 76 85 05 14 23 32 41 50 59 68 77 86 06 2 15 24 33 42 51 60 69 78 87 07 62 16 25 34 43 52 61 70 79 88 08 17 26 35 44 53 71 80 89 09 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90

17. Where Do You Find ‘General Ent Knowledge’?
Your web site for general info on the Entomology contest:
under Event
Information
Let’s see what’s there……

18. Here’s the outline of ‘general entomology’ resources
available to both B and C groups.
I fixed this for you already---USE THE FIXED, INDENTED FORM!!
Sampler of the general web site
Some are very good including text, color photos and
diagrams, some animation in the Gen. Ent. Tutorial.
Explore the NCSU Tutorial site & find the ‘Bug Chicks’
videos. Most are 10 minute video lessons
that hit the highlights of particular subjects.
NCSU content also included where there are
more might be a repeat
I RECOMMEND THE NCSU SITES---HINT, HINT……
YES, THIS IS A COLLEGE COURSE IN ENTOMOLOGY

19. What About the Rest of the Resources?
Several good sources of photos for ID, study
Some of these are NCSU sites, still good
Rest seem somewhat repetitive

20. What is a ‘dichotomous key’?
Identification tool in which the user compares
an unknown with a PAIR of descriptions…..
Select the option with the BETTER fit, follow
instructions to move on to the next PAIR
of descriptions and repeat….
Final couplet should produce the correct ID ** Y
This is a ‘short-horned grasshopper’ Y Y

21. Insect Characteristics Make a list of characteristics for each insect

22. Construct a dichotomous key using list of characteristics
  go to step 2   1a  . . go to step 3
ladybug   2a grasshopper  
dragonfly 3a Housefly
Note: There should be one less step than the total number of organisms to be identified in your dichotomous key.

23. A Sample Dichotomous Key
1. wings covered by an exoskeleton  go to step 2   1a.wings not covered by an exoskeleton. . . . go to step 3
2. body has a round shape ladybug   2a. body has an elongated shape grasshopper  
3. wings point out from the side of the body . . dragonfly 3a. wings point to the posterior of the body Housefly
Note: There should be one less step than the total number of organisms to be identified in your dichotomous key.  

24. Doing the Competition
Carefully read questions; use common sense in answering
Write answers legibly in appropriate places on answer sheet
Work as a team – use time effectively
Use Notes & Field Guide effectively
NO SPELLING IS NECESSARY!
Relax, Do your best, and Have Fun!!

25. Insect Experts in About 3 Months…
You are the coach---encourage your team
Help students pace their studies? NCSU course is full of good information.
Vocabulary!
Collect several photos of each family, each order (where only the order is on the list)
DO NOT depend on colors and patterns for ID
Questions? Problems? Ask me & I’ll post Q&A for all

26. Supervisor, 2014 (State) Entomology Science Olympiad Competition
Dr. Carol Sutherland
Supervisor, 2014 (State) Entomology
Science Olympiad Competition
Extension Entomologist, NMSU &
State Entomologist, NMDA