1. Welcome to the information meeting

2. What is the Science Olympiad? Annual science competition 23 individual and team events Students focus on 4 events Compete against other San Diego middle schools in February

3. Sci-O Benefits Promotes teamwork & collaboration Improves study skills Exposure to sciences outside of regular science class Great addition to academic resume Scholarship program for alumni

4. Science-O Student Commitment 12 weeks of training  Oct 9 – Feb 10 4-6 hours per week Attendance & participation at all trainings Completion of work assigned by coach(es) Adherence to VMS rules

5. Science-O Captain Commitment Adherence to coaching schedules Bulletins updating you on progress, dates, schedules etc. every 2-3 weeks Work to accommodate student interest

6. Registration Form Complete contact information  Student info  Parent info  Read & sign acknowledgement Stop Donation for team Last day to sign up is September 25

7. Science-O Event Selections Rank top 5 on registration form Students are grouped by desired event(s) and coaching schedules Build vs. Test event  Train for 2 builds and 2 tests Students crossed trained as much as possible (may train, but not compete) Teams formed week prior to Olympiad

8. Science Olympiad Events: Build Event AWESOME AQUIFERS Design and build a model aquifer that will allow a team to demonstrate and explain groundwater concepts  If you’re into nature, ecosystems or model building, this event could be for you

9. Science Olympiad Events: Build Event BALLOON LAUNCHED GLIDER Design, construct and test a gilder that will remain aloft for a maximum period of time  Do you like aerodynamics or aviation, model building, or paper planes?  Engineering inclination

10. Science Olympiad Events: Build Event BALLOON RACE Attach a weight to helium-filled Mylar balloons and race to a predetermined level  Like messing with balloons and good at math?  Trial and error with different variables

11. Science Olympiad Events: Build Event MISSION POSSIBLE Design and build a Rube Goldberg like device to accomplish a specific tasks  Love to build things? Contraptions? Did you play Mouse trap? Ability to build simple machines to make something happen  Engineering and ability to talk about your invention

12. Science Olympiad Events: Build Event STORM THE CASTLE Teams design, construct, calibrate and operate a device capable of launching  Understand the dynamics of Slingshots or Catapult devices? Good at math?  Engineering inclination

13. Science Olympiad Events: Build Event TOWER Teams design, build and test the lightest tower to carry a maximum load  Were you a Lego builder? House of Cards? Enjoy Engineering, Mathematics  Miniature/precision model building

14. Science Olympiad Events: Build Event WHEELED VEHICLE Design and construct a vehicle that uses a non-metallic elastic solid as its sole means of propulsion  Like to build things that go? Did you design Lego robotics?  Design and build your own vehicle

15. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event ANATOMY Test your knowledge of anatomy and health concepts (focus on digestive and nervous systems)  Interested in the human body?  Want to be a doctor?  Written and verbal tests skills

16. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event DISEASE DETECTIVES Students apply principles of epidemiology to a published report of a real-life health situation or problem  CSI fan?  Do you have good logic skills, good detective?  Written test skills

17. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event DON’T BUG ME Demonstrate your knowledge of taxonomic keys, habitats, life history and geographic distribution  Dig bugs? Able to memorize and categorize?  Good written & verbal test skills

18. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event ECOLOGY Answer questions involving content knowledge and process skills in the area of ecology and adaptation by examining different ecosystems  Love nature? Forest Life or Marine Biology interest?  Verbal test skills & teamwork

19. Science Olympiad Events: Test Events FOOD CHEMISTRY Team answer questions about food chemistry, which may include chemical reactions, characterization and quantification  Into the vinegar volcano experiment? Like to see things blow up? Like to cook?  Verbal testing skills & teamwork

20. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event HEREDITY Solve problems and analyze data or diagrams using your knowledge of basic principles of genetics  Interested in why your eyes are blue and your brothers are brown, dog breeding or plant mutations  Verbal & written test skills

21. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event METEOROLOGY Involves the use of process skills as applied to meteorology with respect to everyday weather  Are you in tune with the weather and good at math?  Great event for surfers

22. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event METRIC MASTERY Demonstrate an intuitive feeling for estimating and later for measuring different events/objects using S.I. metric units  Do you have a lot of common sense? Good knowledge of the metric system?  Good at taking written tests

23. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event OCEANOGRAPHY Work with your team at stations that display a variety of oceanography materials and related questions  Enjoy or want to learn about Marine & Ocean life and locations  Good memorization and verbal testing skills

24. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event ROAD SCHOLAR Requires the accurate interpretation and understanding of various map features using a variety of road and topographic maps  Are you a traveler? Like navigating, finding your way using a variety of maps?  Simple mathematical computations

25. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event ROCKS & MINERALS Identify, describe and classify various specimens  Good at categorizing, enjoy rocks & minerals  Organization and team work

26. Science Olympiad Events: Test Events SCIENCE 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  Like CSI? Want to be a forensics detective?  Logic, analysis & verbal communication

27. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event SCIENCE WORD Teams take turns using a set of scientific terms or concepts while the other team member guesses the terms  Like game shows? Fast on your feet?  Memorization & organization  Team player

28. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event SIMPLE MACHINES Teams demonstrate physics laboratory skills related to simple machines  Working with levers, screws, pulleys, did you love the book “How Things Work?”  Engineering skills and ability to talk about how things work

29. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event SOLAR SYSTEM This event addresses the Sun, planets and their satellites, comets, asteroids, the Oort Cloud, the Kuiper belt, meteoroids, meteorites and meteors  Are you a space cadet? Do you own a telescope?  Good memorization skills, great at taking verbal and written tests

30. Science Olympiad Events: Test Event WRITE IT DO IT Technical writing exercise where students write a description of a contraption and other students will attempt to recreate it using only the written description  Ability to write clear instructions  Ability to decipher written instructions and construct a something

31. Parent Volunteers Parent supervisor at Coaching Sessions  2-4 hours a week Snacks  At weekday VMS coaching sessions Event day  Set up  Food  Supplies

32. Important Dates September 12Team Name selections September 19Coaches Meeting (schedules) September 29Schedules delivered October 5Coaches Meeting (materials) October 9 Training Begins this Week October 10Rubios Fundraiser February 6 Pre-Olympiad meeting February 10 Science Olympiad February 24 Science-O Picnic & Awards

33. Captain Contacts Robbin Lynn, Captain  760 579 2261 | highgreen@earthlink.net Michelle Breyer, Captain  760 931 9160 | michelle.breyer@smusd.orgmichelle.breyer@smusd.org Official website for National Science Olympiad www.soinc.org